| One key element of the Managing Successful | | | | Blueprint Design and Delivery The Blueprint expands |
| Programmes (MSP) methodology is the concept of | | | | upon the Vision Statement. It is a model of the |
| Governance Themes. These nine themes constitute a | | | | future organisation, which is designed to fulfil the |
| governance or control framework for programme | | | | Vision Statement, and describes in detail its working |
| management. The MSP manual presents guidance for | | | | practices and processes, its required information |
| handling each theme in the form of 'Best Practices', | | | | input, and any supporting technology. A Blueprint |
| which have been developed through consultation with | | | | should also contain documentation about the current |
| professional programme and project managers. | | | | state of the organisation, in order to facilitate 'gap |
| Organisation This Governance Theme describes the | | | | analysis', through which an organisation may |
| overall structure, as well as the individual roles and | | | | understand the purpose, and refine the nature of the |
| responsibilities of all those who are involved in the | | | | programme that is to be implemented. |
| programme. The guidance provided ranges from the | | | | Planning and Control The Programme Plan is a key |
| vague ("Responsibilities of the Sponsoring Group: | | | | control document that details how the programme is |
| Championing the programme") to the more | | | | to be run. It provides information about resources, |
| measurable ("Key attributes of the Programme | | | | risk management, individual projects, deadlines, |
| Manager: Good knowledge of techniques for planning, | | | | constraints and scheduling. |
| monitoring and controlling programmes, including risk | | | | The aim of control is to ensure that the programme |
| management"). In all cases, the MSP manual stresses | | | | remains on-track and delivers the desired benefits, |
| that the responsibilities and profiles given must be | | | | and that any accompanying transition is effected |
| tailored to the needs of the individual programme. | | | | smoothly and profitably. This is enabled through |
| Vision Although the MSP methodology is "primarily | | | | planning and preparation, thorough implementation of |
| designed to cater for leading and managing | | | | planned processes and post-programme/-transition |
| transformational change" and is particularly suited to | | | | monitoring and support. |
| programmes managed within environments of high | | | | The Business Case The MSP Business Case, like the |
| complexity, risk and ambiguity, there is one aspect of | | | | PRINCE2 Project Management Business Case, is |
| the programme that should not, except under the | | | | intended to answer the question: is this programme |
| strongest external pressure, ever be altered. The | | | | (or project) worth the required investment? The |
| Vision Statement, a document written by the Senior | | | | information aggregated for this purpose includes: the |
| Responsible Owner and a team of senior | | | | value of the benefits, the associated risks, the cost |
| management and representative stakeholders, | | | | of delivering the Blueprint, and the estimated |
| describes the future state envisioned as the | | | | timescale for achievement. |
| successful fulfilment of programme objectives. | | | | The Business Case is a work-in-progress, and must |
| Leadership and Stakeholder Engagement Engaging | | | | be updated at regular checkpoints throughout the |
| stakeholders, including employees, is essential if a | | | | programme to ensure that the programme's viability |
| programme is to succeed, as without adequate | | | | can be monitored. |
| support from the right people, a programme may | | | | Risk Management and Issue Resolution MSP is a |
| lack the resources that it needs to fulfil the benefits | | | | methodology ideally suited to ambiguous and |
| projected in the Vision Statement. | | | | uncertain programme environments. Managing risks |
| A stakeholder is anybody who has an interest or | | | | and resolving issues is therefore a key MSP |
| investment in the development of the programme. | | | | Governance Theme. Risks are uncertain events that |
| This investment may be low or high, and can be set | | | | would influence the outcome of a programme; an |
| in opposition to the influence of individual (or groups | | | | 'issue' is a risk that has occurred. Risks do not |
| of) stakeholders within a matrix designed to help | | | | necessarily have to be negative, and managing the |
| create and analyse stakeholder profiles. | | | | opportunities that risks can present is an important |
| Benefits Realisation Management The purpose of | | | | part of this Governance Theme. |
| Benefits Realisation Management is the clear | | | | The MSP manual provides a four-step process to |
| identification of benefits, and the use of these | | | | Programme Risk Management: Identification, |
| benefits as a roadmap for the programme. MSP | | | | Assessment, Planning and Implementation. The Issue |
| illustrates this through the Path to Benefit Realisation | | | | Resolution Process is presented in the form of a flow |
| diagram, which details the steps from Project | | | | diagram that follows two basic steps: capture and log |
| Outputs to Strategic Objectives. | | | | the issue, and then perform issue assessment, which |
| The pivotal position of Benefits between Project | | | | places the issue in one of three categories. These |
| Outputs and Strategic Objectives demands that each | | | | three categories each lead to an appropriate |
| project should be initiated and evaluated in terms of | | | | response, which can then be implemented and |
| the programme strategy, ensuring that no | | | | recorded in the Issue Log. |
| programme carries 'dead wood'. | | | | |