Introductory description

Organisations are increasingly operating in volatile, uncertain, and complex environments. In order to cope with these changing circumstances, many are using programmes and projects as vehicles of adaptation. Research shows that organisations are investing large amounts in programmes and projects, yet the levels of success are often disappointing. It is known that one of the contributing factors to these failures (partial or complete) is ineffective practices in the strategic analysis, planning, and initiation of programmes and projects.
This module complements the Programme and Project Management (PPM), and Managing the Multi-Project Environment (MMPE) modules. It is positioned to extend, and enhance student’s knowledge in the derivation, from corporate strategy, of business change programmes and their comprising projects, and then the chartering, structuring, and governance of those collections of projects. It includes exploration of stakeholders’ perceptions of benefits, their decision-making processes, their criteria for measuring success of these enterprises, and connection of all of these to the strategies for the management of the interlinked projects.
This module assumes that students have some awareness of business strategy and programme/ project management.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

1. Strategic context of programmes and projects, linking strategy to programmes and projects
2. Complex factors affecting perceptions of programme and project success and failure
3. Methodologies, tools, techniques and frameworks for translating strategy into programmes and projects
4. Programme and Project strategy: governance control frameworks
5. Dealing with uncertainty, complexity, volatility, ambiguity: risks, issues and assumptions, changes and change control, clarity of objectives and requirements
6. Decision making, biases and heuristics
7. Leadership, communication and stakeholder analysis and engagement

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Know, comprehensively understand, and operate within the context in which programmes and projects are initiated
• Know, understand, and apply the principles, practices and techniques that underlie successful multi-project and programme management strategies
• Critically analyse the theoretical and practical knowledge and understanding of the multiple human, systemic and operational factors that influence the initiation and governance of projects and programmes
• Have knowledge, understanding, and the ability to systematically apply the methodologies and tools used in multi-project and programme management strategising

Indicative reading list

Reading lists can be found in Talis

Specific reading list for the module

Research element

PMA includes research and critical reflection on a case study or work-related programme and its context supported by references to relevant academic and 'best practice' literature

Subject specific skills

Strategic and organisational awareness, programme and project management context, planning techniques, prioritisation, stakeholder analysis and engagement, benefits mapping, programme and project definition (incl vision, blueprint, benefits, business case, project objectives and Critical Success Factors), decision-making and common biases and heuristics, problem definition and problem solving, risk, issue, monitoring and change control management approaches and techniques, current programmes and project management methods and techniques

Transferable skills

Critical thinking, critical analysis and reasoning, problem solving, communication, teamwork and working effectively with others, organisational and programme /project contextual awareness, research skills, information literacy.