Program Management Plan

Program Management Plan (DOCX)

Purpose of Program Management Plan

The program management plan is a single, formal, dynamic document that outlines how the program is to be managed, executed, and controlled.  It contains the overall program governance, information on components (initiatives and projects), benefits realization, related management plans and procedures, timelines, and the methods used to plan, monitor, and control the program as it progresses.  This document evolves with the program and will be updated to reflect any relevant changes throughout program execution.  This document should ensure there are no surprises through execution on how the program is managed or decisions are made.

This document is also the final source of all approved changes to budget, schedule, scope, success criteria, and benefits when it comes time to close the program and assess program success.  The program management plan is part of the Portfolio Management Group’s program benefit delivery phase of the life cycle and is required for all programs.

Program Management Plan Participants and Approvers

Input into the program management plan may come from many different sources including, but not limited to, Sponsor, senior leadership, program and/or component intake proposal(s), program and/or project charter(s) and business case(s), initial analysis/research done when proposing the program or components, subject matter experts within business unit(s), program governance bodies, and other stakeholders (such as staff, students, faculty).

The author is the Program Manager for the program.  The document should initially be reviewed by and approved by the Program Sponsor (recorded in the revision history) and program governance.

Instructions

  1. Write preliminary program management plan and create required baselines (budget, scope, benefits, and roadmap). Obtain agreement from teams and governance, and approval from sponsor.  Record revisions and approvals in the Revision History
  2. Execute the document according to the documented management plans.
  3. Update the document, as required, to reflect approved program changes as the program evolves.
  4. Before program completion, make any final updates and use the final schedule, budget and expenditures, success criteria, benefit, scope, et cetera to assess program success during program closure.
  5. Upload to the document repository being used by the team.

Next Steps

Execute the program according to the strategies and plans laid out in this document.  Update this document to reflect any approved changes during program execution.  Reflect final program results in this document at the end of the program and use this document during program closure to assess program success.