MSP Programme Management

What is MSP Programme Management?

In MSP, a programme is defined as a temporary, flexible organisation created to coordinate, direct and oversee the implementation of a set of related projects and activities in order to deliver outcomes and benefits related to the organisation’s strategic objectives. An MSP programme is likely to have a life that spans several years according to MSP Programme Management Manual.

It is interesting to note how a project compares with a programme. A project is also a temporary organisation, usually existing for a much shorter duration. It will deliver one or more outputs related to business case. A project may be on its own or may be part of a programme.

Programmes result in outcomes while projects result in outputs. Programme Management and project management are seen as balancing each other. Within a programme life cycle, many projects are initiated, executed, and closed as time passes. Thus, a programme can be seen as an umbrella under which many projects are started, run and finished. A programme runs the projects in such a way that can deliver an outcome greater than the sum of the outputs of the projects.

Thus, one can say that MSP programme management does not replace any project management.

A programme needs to be in a controlled project environment that can show a common project management approach for all projects. This is usually achieved by MSP Programme Management.

What is the purpose of MSP Programme Management?

As per MSP Programme Management Manual, the purpose of MSP programme management is to organise, direct and implement a set of projects that make up the programme. The outcomes of the programme help realise some benefits that are of strategic value to the business.

In an organisation, there are three elements are linked to one other very tight. They are named as here: 1. Corporate strategy, 2. Delivery mechanisms for change, and 3. Business-as-usual environment. It is the natural tension that exists between these elements that needs to be managed well to see success. MSP Programme Management helps one in doing the same.

In a programme, it is vital to manage multiple activities to take place smoothly at all time. Once the projects develop solutions, they need to be delivered into the live system so that they can be used by the business. These new solutions need to be added to the system in a smooth way so that the system does well at all times. MSP Programme Management does this by breaking things into smaller pieces called tranches. The tranches have proper review points so that progress and performance can be monitored and assessed.

In an organisation, projects often compete with each other for resources. This may at times cause conflict among the demanding projects. MSP Programme Management comes with a strong framework that integrates and reconciles in case of such conflicts.

It is important that the people aspects of change like culture, style and character etc. must be recognised and accommodated if the programme is to succeed. MSP Programme Management helps achieve this.

What is the need for MSP Programme Management?

At times of major changes in an organisation, it is common that things like complexity, risk, many interdependencies come in the way of success. So, these need to be managed well. Also, when there are many projects, there are bound to be conflicting priorities and these need to be resolved. These create the need for MSP Programme Management.

The most popular reasons for failure of organisations to deliver successfully are: 1. Insufficient board-level support, 2. Leadership is weak, 3. Unrealistic expectations of the organisational capacity and capability, 4. Insufficient focus on benefits, 5. Lack of any blueprint of the future capability, 5. A poorly defined or poorly communicated vision, 6. Resistance to change in culture, 7. Lack of Engagement of Stakeholders

An approach such as MSP Programme Management comes with a framework that helps organisations in working around the above and see success.

What are the Types of Programmes as defined by the MSP Programme Management Manual?

There are three main types of programmes as per the MSP Programme Management Manual. They are: 1. Vision-led programme, 2. Emergent programme, and 3. Compliance programme. These can be described as below.

Vision-led programme

A Vision-led programme is one that exists to deliver a vision that has been created and is owned by the top of the organisation. It takes a top down approach and has implications in many functions of the organisation’s operations. It is very likely that this type of programme has a background of innovation or strategic opportunity in the business. An example of Vision-led programme is how the political directions get translated into an MSP programme that will deliver the desired changes.

Emergent programme

An Emergent programme is one that evolves from random projects at a given time, in an organisation. Such a programme comes into life when there is a need for the coordination of the projects to deliver the planned changes and the realise desired benefits. This type of programme is transitory, and when the vision, context and direction get defined it gets the shape of a planned programme .

Compliance programme

A Compliance programme in other words is a ‘must do’ programme. Generally such a programme is triggered by an external event, such as a legislative change, leaving no choice but to change. This type of programme may not be resulting in improvements in performance but may result in compliance, achievement and avoidance of negative implications.

When to use MSP Programme Management?

The scope of a programme can be any of the below. It may be set up: 1. in some parts of an organisation, or 2. across the entire organisation, or 3. across more than one organisation, or 4. in the environment in which the organisation operates. Whatever the scope of a programme be, to decide on how to approach to manage the programme, one needs to look at the nature of the change that the programme would bring in.

A programme may deliver any from a range of types of change. A programme may be highly complex to look at, but have a reasonably predictable outcome. In such cases, the outcome may be very predictable and the costs may be high. Other programmes may have less predictable outcomes due to unknown factors such as societal trends, policy, legislation etc.

Specification-led programmes

In such programmes, one will see less ambiguity about the outcome of the programme but the risk may be high and the setup itself may be complex. These programmes come with a reasonably well marked out scope that can be adjusted as time passes. Experts say MSP allows one to scale its approach to suit such cases.

Business transformation programmes

In such programme, the focus is on how some functions of the business can be transformed. There seems to be a good vision that leads to certain outcomes and some benefits. MSP helps such cases with a good structure.

Political and societal change programmes

In such programmes, there many unknown factors and so the outcome is less predictable. One can go with the flow by adjusting the scope as the outcomes become clearer.

MSP Programme Management is highly suitable for Business transformation programmes and Political and societal change programmes. MSP Programme Management can easily fit in the high levels of complexity, ambiguity and risk in such cases.

MSP Programme Management | Ramaaa Consultants Limited | Manoj Gajavelli MSP | Experts in MSP Programme Management | Specialists in Training and Consulting.