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Unit 4: Programme Management & Project Evaluation

In any case, the skills required to create and ensure program-wide application of sound financial Notes
practices are typically not required for a project effort.

!

Caution To succeed, program financial management demands early and active engagement
on the part of the CFO and his or her staff.

Program Infrastructure

Infrastructure is a useful term to describe collections of roles, tools, and practices that
organizations assemble and integrate in order to provide services and support for software
development. To understand the infrastructure required for a successful program, let’s first
explore the management and administrative roles, tools, and practices that constitute the Program
Management Office, or PMO. Then we will look at requirements for the technical environment
and tools.

Administrative Infrastructure

Of course, simply creating and operating a PMO — which can assume many forms — differentiates
programs from projects. Our discussion will focus primarily on PMOs that support a single
program — one that will be disbanded at the close of the program effort. However, we should
keep in mind that in some IT organizations, an Enterprise PMO is a permanent fixture, providing
services to multiple (and changing) programs.
The PMO provides administrative and management support to the program manager/director
and all other program participants. It also provides specialized staff expertise for specific work
areas.
The PMO involves many roles covering numerous areas and activities. In addition to serving
the program manager/director, the staff members, a group of senior specialists, fill essential
program roles. For large, complex programs, the PMO helps establish and maintain appropriate
work processes, controls, and reporting functions to keep management apprised of the program’s
progress. It also defines, plans, and completes various work efforts.

As an example, let’s examine just one role in the PMO — facilities administration — and how it
contributes to program success. Whoever takes on this role must identify, plan, and deliver all
necessary facilities for either a program-specific or permanent PMO. To do this, the facilities
administrator must:
 Work with the PMO manager and program manager to define what should be included in
facilities and define and prioritize facility needs.
 Develop and gain approval for a facilities plan.
 Manage execution of the facilities plan and associated deliveries, construction, and
installation.
 Collaborate closely with the infrastructure and technical environment coordinator.
Let’s compare the value of this role within a project versus a program. For a single, small project
with a maximum of seven employees on the construction team, this role would add little value.
The team members would likely have offices or cubicles and the ability to reserve meeting
rooms through a reservation system.
But suppose you have a program for which mobilization will take four weeks. Over this period,
200 consultants are to become resident at the principal office campus, 260 IT staff will be assigned

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