| For any organisation or individual that needs | | | | |
| to manage and control related projects | | | | Aims of MSP Programme Management: |
| (portfolio of projects), Managing Successful | | | | |
| Programmes (MSP) programme management is a | | | | - Provide a framework of best practice |
| management tool for bringing together people, | | | | principles - Define and implement the |
| activities and information to achieve the end | | | | governance requirements for the programme - |
| goal. | | | | Enable practitioners to identify the aim of |
| | | | the programme - Envisage benefits for the |
| History of MSP Programme Management | | | | organisation - Adapt theory to practice - |
| | | | Improve decision making and implement |
| MSP programme management was developed by the | | | | beneficial change - To be available for |
| Office of Government Commerce (OGC), an | | | | organisations and individuals |
| independent Office of the UK Treasury, and | | | | |
| supported by a full range of commercial | | | | What MSP Programme Management can do for a |
| partners. It was first released in 1999, and | | | | Business |
| in 2007 a third version was released to | | | | |
| reflect the evolving knowledge of programme | | | | Working with MSP programme management will |
| management. MSP programme management is the | | | | have a benefit for the whole workforce. MSP |
| UK Government Best Practice standard for | | | | has a standard and consistent approach to |
| effective programme management, and is a | | | | programme management. It provides a framework |
| globally recognised qualification. | | | | for practitioners to direct the change |
| | | | process while ensuring the focus is |
| What is Programme Management? | | | | maintained on the business objectives. MSP |
| | | | practitioners will be able to define the |
| A programme is made up of a number of | | | | programme and state how the organisation will |
| projects identified by an organisation that | | | | be different after the change has been |
| will deliver a defined objective, or set of | | | | implemented. They will manage a business |
| objectives, for the organisation. A programme | | | | case for the programme and plan the work so |
| can only succeed if the projects within the | | | | it will have the desired end result. MSP |
| programme are completed, therefore, without | | | | practitioners will organise the workforce to |
| programme management, the projects would be | | | | ensure everyone knows their responsibilities |
| uncoordinated and not integrated into a final | | | | and ensure lines of communication are kept |
| goal. | | | | open. Any issues that arise during the |
| | | | programme will be resolved and quality will |
| Programme management is becoming an | | | | be maintained by auditing, which will ensure |
| increasingly important aspect of managing | | | | standards are being kept. They will identify |
| changes within business - whether it | | | | and manage risks, and keep up to date |
| internal, such as increasing the range of | | | | information of the programme. Resources are |
| products, or external, such as implementing | | | | used efficiently through project |
| new government policy. Programme management | | | | prioritisation, and timescales and budgets |
| is a structured way of handling change | | | | are effectively controlled. Lastly they will |
| proactively and provides a framework for | | | | close the programme and ensure the final goal |
| handling complexity and risk. | | | | has been achieved. |
| | | | |
| MSP defines programme management as "the | | | | MSP programme management is designed to |
| action of carrying out the coordinated | | | | reduce bureaucracy by focusing on what is |
| organisation, direction, and implementation | | | | necessary; avoiding duplication, and |
| of a dossier of projects and transformational | | | | delivering effective control over the |
| activities (i.e. the programme) to achieve | | | | programme. |
| outcomes and realise benefits of strategic | | | | |
| importance to the business." | | | | Conclusion |
| | | | |
| MSP programme management is designed for any | | | | MSP programme management gives added value to |
| organisation or individual that needs a | | | | any organisation that needs to manage and |
| controlled approach to managing programmes, | | | | control a number of projects, by providing a |
| and is intended for Senior Managers, Project | | | | framework for practitioners to work with that |
| Managers, Programme Office Staff, and Project | | | | has been underpinned by current research. |
| and Programme Management Consultants. | | | | |