Start networking and exchanging professional insights

Register now or log in to join your professional community.

Follow

What is the difference between Project Planning and Programme Planning?

user-image
Question added by Alex Al Yazouri , General Manager , Al Mushref Cooperative Society
Date Posted: 2015/01/05
Basit Ali
by Basit Ali , Director of Engineering , Laverda Suites & Villas / Blue Bay Resorts

Project Planning

A project is a temporary entity established to deliver specific (often tangible) outputs in line with predefined time, cost and quality constraints. A project should always be defined and executed and evaluated relative to an (Executive) approved business case which balances the costs, benefits and risks of the project. The project business case should be managed under change control. 

 

Program Planning

A program is a portfolio comprised of multiple projects that are managed and coordinated as one unit with the objective of achieving (often intangible) outcomes and benefits for the organization. 

RAJ DAHIYA
by RAJ DAHIYA , Senior MEP Projects Manager , Trinity Engineering Services L.L.C.

Project planning is about a particular project however, Program planning is about a portfolio of projects.

Program planning involves long term Strategic Planning which is not required of a project. Hence, Program planning is a large scale planning compare to Project Planning.  

Program is collection of several projects such as some programs applied in schools by organizations whom consist of health and education and sanitary projects .

As advanced I agree with the answer delivered by M Raj

Vinod Jetley
by Vinod Jetley , Assistant General Manager , State Bank of India

 

1. Programs are Ongoing, Projects End

Programs usually span a far greater duration than a project. This might seem like an arbitrary difference. However, managing a program involves long term strategic planning that's not required of a project. The ongoing nature of programs also means that they engage in continuous process improvement.

2. Programs are Tied to the Organization's Financial Calendar

Program managers are often responsible for delivering results tied to the organization's financial calendar. Projects run on project time. A project manager isn't responsible for delivering quarterly results. Program managers are often driven by quarterly results as with the rest of the business.

3. Program Management is Governance Intensive

Programs are typically governed by a senior level board that provides direction, oversight, and control. Program managers must be able to influence at this level. They must also facilitate resolution of disagreements between executives. The program manager must ensure that the governance board provides achievable objectives for the program and must deliver to these objectives. Projects may have a similar governance structure. However, they tend to be less governance-intensive.

4. Programs Have Greater Scope of Financial Management

Projects typically have a straight-forward budget. Project financial management is focused on spending to budget. Program Managers may be responsible for revenue and costs that are critical to an organization's financial results. Budget planning, management and control is significantly more complex in the context of a program.

5. Program Change Management is an Executive Leadership Capability

Projects employ a formal change management process. Program change is more difficult to manage. Programs are driven by an organization's strategy. They are subject to market conditions and changing business goals

Alex Al Yazouri
by Alex Al Yazouri , General Manager , Al Mushref Cooperative Society

They should be very similar as programmes are typically collections of smaller projects.  

At the higher level, the dependencies between projects and the summation of all their plans need to be considered to determine the overall schedule, cost, resources and scope of the programme.

Elke Woofter
by Elke Woofter , Project Assistant , American Technical Associates

there are several good answered and I like Mr. Basit's Ali and Mr. M Raj Dahiya's answers best

More Questions Like This

Do you need help in adding the right keywords to your CV? Let our CV writing experts help you.