Integrated Program Management
To bring complex products to market, present-day programs require multiple organizational units to work closely together, irrespective of whether they are dispersed across buildings, cities, or countries
Integrating these units into an effective team using a comprehensive, integrated program plan is essential for program success. Integrated Program Management is a best-practices training course developed by IPS to teach an innovative, practical methodology for planning and creating an integrated program environment. Through dynamic presentations, exercises, and extensive laboratory work built around a comprehensive case study, attendees learn the tools and techniques for effective cross-functional program integration—dispensing with confusion and “slow start” problems.
The methodology behind Integrated Program Management is based on the IPS Integrated Project Management Model and years of direct work experience in managing service-based enterprise initiatives as well as product software, hardware component, systems development, and other programs. That experience makes the course especially practical and useful to program managers in fast moving, highly complex organizations. Solid methodology, powerful instructional design, customized solutions, flexible presentation, and highly knowledgeable project management experts with practical, relevant experience - all these factors combine to ensure the effectiveness and strong impact of Integrated Program Management.
Objective
Integrated Program Management provides attendees with proven techniques to:
- Coordinate the planning, management, and work of functionally and geographically distributed program teams
- Agree upon and merge the objectives and deliverables of independent organizational units
- Identify and manage key program interfaces
- Integrate the schedules of the contributing entities into a single comprehensive schedule
- Implement the program risk, tracking, and other management methodologies for the integrated program environment
Benefits
As a result of Integrated Program Management, the organization achieves:
- A consistent, cross-functional methodology for integrating functionally and physically distributed program teams
- Improved cooperation and reduced organizational conflict through development of shared objectives, scope integration, and interface definition
- Enhanced decision-making based on a reliable, integrated schedule
- Efficient management of complex projects according to organizational objectives
Target Audience
Representatives of all functional disciplines benefit from learning the methodologies presented. The course is particularly recommended for program managers in charge of interrelated projects, as well as project managers and core team members responsible for the interfaces between projects.
Prerequisites: Students must have attended IPS’s Project Management Mastery or an equivalent basic project management course.
Content and Process
Integrated Program Management is a three-day course that teaches proven techniques for managing cross-functional programs and programs undertaken in an integrated environment. The course focuses on:
- Initiating an integrated program
- Defining and organizing an integrated program
- Planning an integrated program
- Tracking and managing an integrated program
- Closing out an integrated program
Concepts are presented and then reinforced through demonstrations, structured exercises, and group laboratories based on a comprehensive case study. Automated tools are discussed but not used during the class. However, all techniques and processes introduced can be implemented using any of the leading software tools available on the market.
Course Topics
Focusing on effective cross-functional program integration in today’s complex business environment, Integrated Program Management is an efficient, cost-effective vehicle for implementing innovative program
management techniques in an organization. The following methodologies taught will result in sustained improvement in the organization’s ability to complete any type of integrated program or project efficiently
and successfully:
Initiating the Program
- Form the initial planning team
- Review the proposal
- Develop measurement processes
- Conduct strategic risk planning
Defining and Organizing the Program
- Perform rapid initial planning
- Structure the roles and responsibilities
- Create the program infrastructure
- Integrate the program scope
Planning the Program
- Assess plan quality
- Identify, define, reconcile, and manage interfaces
- Integrate schedules
- Optimize the integrated schedule
- Identify, assess, and manage program risks
- Create baseline program plan
Tracking and Managing the Program
- Manage the program plan
- Create an integrated tracking process
- Manage issues, changes and risks
- Establish communication processes
Closing the Program
- Convert lessons learned to organizational mastery
- Employ efficient closing processes
IP Solutions’ highly knowledgeable and experienced project management experts guide participants through practical, relevant exercises to ensure that everyone leaves class with the skills they need to apply what they’ve learned successfully.
Integrated Program Management may be combined with workshops included in our strategic consulting solutions to create a tailored learning solution for you and your organization. Contact us today to learn more.
