You have been engaged by management to lead a program for your organization. Ramping up and determining what to do first can be overwhelming, so let us take the stress and mystery out of the question…how do I get started? Whether you are a business lead or a program management lead, they all follow the same recommended steps.
STEP 1: Collect all requisite business case documentation that has been generated to date.
9 out of 10 times the business has been producing materials for months to sell their business case and to obtain financial approval to undertake this strategic endeavor.
So now, what do you do with this information?
You need to take the time to review organize all collected information. You may think that this is an easy task and most likely you will find that different people prepared different materials and there may be inconsistencies or discrepancies that will require clarification.
Your goal in completing this is to summarize your own understanding prior to engaging with your stakeholders [Step 2]. This will include a good understanding of the following:
- Description of the program
- Value & benefits to be delivered
- Financials & budget
- Risks, assumptions & constraints
- Organizational impact and dependencies
- Key stakeholders
- Scope & Deliverables
- Timeline
Document your understanding, prepare questions for clarification. The last thing you want is to be perceived as ill- informed and unprepared.
STEP 2: Schedule a one-on-one meeting with each of your key stakeholders.
Your agenda should include the following:
- Purpose of the meeting
- Introductions
- Your role, background & the value you and/or your team bring to the program
- You must be brief, clear and to the point. Think of this as an elevator speech that should not take longer than 2 minutes. Prepare and practice. This elevator pitch will be used over and over as the program progresses and you are exposed to executive management who have their pulse on the program.
- Part of selling yourself also involves selling the value of program management methods and practices. Many business partners do not understand. Do not use program and project management jargon…to avoid losing their interest, speak their language. Here is a brief example:
The support we provide focus’ on alignment with management to deliver the strategic benefits of the organization by:
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- Ensuring the right decisions are being made based upon the right information via an established governance model
- Provide information to teams that provides information that is relevant and accurate to support effective decision making (transparency & communication)
- Support of projects and their teams to assist effective execution by streamlining processes and minimizing bureaucracy. (dynamic delivery support)
- Tracking & reporting of progress including appropriate disposition of issues, risks, and dependencies
- One of the more common questions coming from our management teams is: Do you have experience in delivering this specific type of program?
Your response should be that you have extensive experience delivering programs across a variety of strategic initiatives and that your delivery model includes securing subject matter expertise that provides business and content specific information as needed.
- Asking stakeholder to describe the program, their perspectives, what will make them successful. Most of your time should be spent around building the relationship and listening! – Recap what you heard for clarification, take copious notes
- Clarification of Step 1 questions/discrepancies
- Extend an invitation for continued conversations & recap next steps
Depending upon the seniority of your stakeholder usually determines frequency, content, and engagement requirements.
STEP 3: Moving forward
- Ensure a program charter is completed and signed off by your stakeholders (this will be your baseline for moving forward, engaging teams and validating program requirements)
- Build your team (based upon your understanding of your role/responsibility)
- Determine governance structure (who is responsible for what) & gain formal approval
- Engage component project teams
- Conduct Program Kickoff
- Ensure requisite program information is housed in a shared repository for access by teams as required and to satisfy future audit requirements. (preferably read-only so no one can modify key program artifacts
