A series of articles introducing people already trained in Project DPro to the merits of Program DPro
The five principles of Well governed, Participatory, Comprehensive, Integrated and Adaptive were first created for Program DPro. Since then, the latest edition of Project DPro has incorporated the same principles into its philosophy underlining their importance at project as well as program level. According to Program DPro:
Effective program governance provides a clear framework for control, accountability, tolerance, support, and decision-making at all levels.
We can why Well governed is a principle which applies to all the activities performed in the development and humanitarian sectors. Just like projects, programs also have clear levels of accountability. We might argue there is more to be gained by getting the Well governed principle right at program level, as unnecessary bureaucracy is likely to be costlier at this level.
People´s participation is a non-negotiable facet of development interventions and program management is no exception. Although participation in projects can be more extensive, the Program DPro manager will still use the principle of Participation to manage expectations, communicate and engage stakeholders.
The Comprehensive principle means the Program manager must understand how the program´s individual elements interrelate, including how each activity affects the other projects in the program. Moreover, at program level, there can often be benefits of managing the program comprehensively, including securing added value.
The Integrated principle requires the Program manger to take a step back and take a holistic view of the program. Whereas the Comprehensive principle considers the individual parts of the program, the Integrated principle views the program as a whole.
Just like projects, programs must often incorporate change according to the context of implementation. Whereas, change management in projects concerns the agreed change in deliverables, in program management, the Adaptive principle is used to ensure that the program is always best able to achieve the organizational objectives underpinning the program.
In their entirety, the five Program DPro principles highlight both the similarities and differences between management at the project and programs levels. All these principles can be applied in projects, but programs are managed from a more strategic position.
If you enjoyed this series of articles, and would like to learn more about the principles of Program management, you can take one or more of the five Program DPro mini-courses for free.