Managing successful programmes is a methodoloy used in the Programme Management environment, so before we look at this methodology a brief explanation of Programme Management may be useful to you.   what is programme management? Programme management is the coordinated management of a portfolio of projects which change organisations to achieve benefits that are of strategic importance. Many organisations have adopted projects and project management as the vehicle for delivering new or changed business capability. Harnessing these projects into a coherent improvement process is a constant challenge. The objective for a programme is to co-ordinate the delivery from a specific set of projects such that the programme can achieve more than just the outcomes from its projects, it can deliver measurable benefits that can be realised within the timescales of the programme as well as afterwards.   managing successful programmes - methodology Managing Successful Programmes describes how to identify the vision for the programme, which may be to deliver a new service, or to perform the same service but in a more efficient way, or simply to be better than the competition. The way the organisation will achieve the Vision Statement is defined by the programme's Blueprint and the Project Portfolio. The Blueprint is a detailed description of the business processes, people, data, information systems and facilities that will deliver the capability expressed in the Vision Statement. The Project Portfolio is the collection of projects set up to deliver the new capabilities that, when implemented, will enable the organisation to achieve the Vision Statement.   benefits of using managing successful programmes Managing Successful Programmes provides organisations with an approach to programme management that will: enable more effective delivery of change keep the focus on the business change objectives provide a framework for senior management to direct the change process encourage more efficient use of resources through project prioritisation and integration provide better management of risk because the wider context is understood achieve business benefits during and after the programme through a formal process improve control of costs, standards and quality enable more effective management of the Business Case provide more efficient control of a complex range of activities provide clear definition of roles and responsibilities deliver a smooth transition from current to future business operation Managing Successful Programmes comprises a set of principles and processes for use when managing a programme. It is founded on best practice although it is not prescriptive. It is very flexible and designed to be adapted to meet the needs of local circumstances. The methodology identifies the following principles of effective programme management and suggests how to put them into practice. Programme Management Organisation Gives people clear roles, responsibilities, leadership and lines of communication. There is a Sponsoring Group of senior executives including the Programme Director with ultimate accountability. Programme planning Uses a Programme Plan to ensure that control is established and maintained. Benefits management Identifies, optimises and tracks expected benefits to ensure they are achieved. Stakeholder management Ensures all interested parties are appropriately involved in the programme. Issue management and Risk management Strategy for dealing with current and anticipated problems Quality management Ensures that the end products of the programme are fit for purpose. Configuration management Keeps monitoring information about the programme up-to-date and accurate. Audit Ensures that technical, statutory, contract and accounting standards are used.   If you would like to discuss Managing Successful Programmes further, please contact us. For information on the other methodologies we work with, please select from the following: PRINCE2 managing successful programmes rational unified process