Advanced Project Management: Executing Complex

Programs

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Advanced Project Management: Executing Complex Programs

Table of Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 3
Course Overview .................................................................................................................... 3
Program Management ............................................................................................................... 4
The Program Context ............................................................................................................. 4
Program Management Performance Domains ........................................................................ 6
Program Supporting Activities................................................................................................. 8
Program and Project Distinctions ...........................................................................................10
Program Management Complexity ............................................................................................12
Uncertainty and Ambiguity .....................................................................................................12
Complexity in Program Management .....................................................................................14
Competency Model for Program Managers ...............................................................................16
Six Performance Competencies ............................................................................................16
Eight Personal Competencies................................................................................................17
Applying the Competency Model: Performance Competencies..............................................19
Applying the Competency Model: Personal Competencies ....................................................20
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................22
Summary and Implications ....................................................................................................22
Resources.................................................................................................................................22
References ............................................................................................................................22
Subject Matter Expert Biography ...............................................................................................24
Christian Knutson, P.E., PMP ................................................................................................24

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Advanced Project Management: Executing Complex Programs

Introduction
Course Overview

Welcome to Advanced Project Management: Executing Complex Programs.

In today’s fast-paced, competitive and dynamic environment, the ability for an organization or
individual to successfully execute a program is severely challenged. This is because programs
are complex, wrought with uncertainty, and ripe with ambiguity. Efforts to navigate the
complexity of programs often result in the program manager simply expending more of their vital
time to make sense of it all, but there are only so many hours in the week and regardless how
many hours you invest, the program will still be complex.

I’m Christian Knutson, licensed professional engineer and a certified project manager with over
20 years of experience leading infrastructure programs, project teams, and department of public
works organizations for the U.S. Air Force at locations around the world.

In this course, you’re going to be introduced to the Program Management Competency Model,
which was developed to assist organizations and individuals make sense of the complexity of
programs by focusing energy on the development of specific skill sets that yield the biggest
return on investment. The six performance and eight personal competencies highlight areas
where the development of knowledge, skills, and experience will return the greatest rewards for
both organizations and individuals. The biggest reward being the capability and capacity to
better execute complex programs.

During this course, you will also learn the basic fundamentals of a program and program
management according to Project Management Institute’s Standard for Program Management.
You will also develop knowledge about the differences between programs and projects, as well
as what constitutes complexity in program execution.

This course is targeted towards engineers, project and construction managers, and program
managers who want to develop an understanding of both the fundamentals of program
management and understand what knowledge, skills, and experience they will require to
enhance their ability to successfully execute complex programs.

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• According to the Project Management Institute, define program and program management.
• List the five program management domains.
• Differentiate between a project and a program, being able to describe what each is and
illustrate how the two work together to deliver benefits.
• Identify three program management supporting activities.
• Explain why programs are, by their nature, uncertain, ambiguous, and complex.
• List the six performance and eight personal competencies of the Program Management
Competency Model.

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Advanced Project Management: Executing Complex Programs

Program Management
The Program Context

Complexity in projects is a topic that’s been studied much by the project management
community across all industry sectors. As the pace of activity increases, so does complexity, as
the weight of 24/7 communications, virtual teams, and focus on driving down overhead costs
serve as fuel to make life in the program…well, complex. You’ve experienced this situation in
your own program management background and if you haven’t, just wait – you’re going to.

As the complexity increases in a program, the ability of the program manager and his or her
team to deliver stated benefits can be, and often is, negatively impacted.

What does the negative impact look like? Well, deteriorating team and individual morale,
sponsor and client dissatisfaction, cost and time overruns, and poor requirements management
to name a few. These negative impacts have even been quantified, particularly in the IT
industry, by organizations such as the Standish Group.

In their annual reports, interestingly enough called the “Chaos” Report, they’ve consistently
quantified the complexity of projects and programs back to 1994. The verdict? "A staggering
31.1% of projects will be canceled before they ever get completed. Further results indicate
52.7% of projects will cost 189% of their original estimates. The cost of these failures and
overruns are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. The lost opportunity costs aren’t measurable,
but could easily be in the trillions of dollars”.

That is, and should be, sobering news for all of us involved in managing projects and programs.
It highlights the complexity involved in getting it right, even when lots of smart technical and
business people get it wrong.

Although Standish Group reports focus on projects, the challenges they have quantified are also
present in programs, which are comprised of projects and a lot more. Throughout this course,
I’m going to be referring to Project Management Institute’s Standard for Program Management,
working from their 3rd Edition. For over a decade, I’ve worked on programs: endeavors
comprised of projects and other activities that I was managing in a coordinated way to achieve
strategically aligned results. However, until I was exposed to PMI’s standard on program
management, I lacked the context in which I was performing.

This isn’t to say that I was ineffective – I was highly effective. But once I became aware of the
context of program management, my skills and confidence increased; much in the same way
my skills and confidence increased when I became steeped in the knowledge of project
management.

So, let’s start with the basics: what is a program? According to the PMI standard for program
management, which I’ll refer to as the “Standard” from this point forward,

a program is “a group of related projects, subprograms, and program activities managed in a

way to obtain benefits not available from managing them individually.”

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Advanced Project Management: Executing Complex Programs

All projects in a program are related through a common goal, often of strategic importance to an
organization.

For example, while in the Air Force, I managed a $1 billion infrastructure program, comprised of
tens of projects located at numerous sites across Europe. While these projects each had
different scopes, costs, durations, and were in different stages from initiation to close-out, they
each were common in their linkage back to the organization’s strategy.

Programs, like projects, deliver benefits to organizations by generating business value,

enhancing current capabilities, facilitating business change, maintaining an asset base, offering
new services, or developing new capabilities for an organization. I think it’s important to keep
this in mind, as it’s easy to lose sight of the reason we’re managing a project or a program.

Yes, it’s to bring it to completion according to scope, schedule and cost. But there’s a reason
that the project or program was implemented. As a program manager, I believe it’s vital that you
know that reason. Knowing “why” something is being done can be a big help in those moments
when you’re feeling lost amidst the chaos and complexity.

OK, so what is program management, then?

Well, it’s the application of the knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to a program to meet the
program requirements and to obtain benefits and control not available by managing projects
individually.

The real work of the program manager is integrating and controlling the interdependencies
among the components by working in five interrelated and interdependent Program
Management Performance Domains.

Know that the program manager isn’t in the weeds on projects. Instead, he or she is:

• leading and coordinating common program activities, such as financing or procurement

across all of the projects;
• communicating and reporting to stakeholders on all activities within the program;
• responding proactively to risk spanning multiple components in the program…not just one
project;
• resolving scope, cost, schedule, quality and risk impacts within a shared governance
structure, and
• aligning the program efforts with organizational and/or strategic direction.

program management project management

• control interdependencies to • plans to achieve a specific scope

realize specified benefits and driven by objectives of program
outcomes • defined start and end
• no stated end • project managers manage project
• do not manage individual projects team to meet project objectives

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I want to highlight the relationship specifically between programs and projects. Whereas
program management seeks to coordinate its project and program components and control the
interdependencies in order to realize specified benefits and outcomes, project management
develops and implements plans to achieve a specific scope that is driven by the objectives of
the program it is contained within.

A key difference between program and project is the duration of each. A project, as you know,
has a defined start and end point and specific objectives that, when attained, signify completion.
Many programs, however, have no stated end, let alone, an end date. For example, the
construction program that I managed will never end as long as the U.S. elects to continue
having installations located in Europe. Although I’ve moved on, that program still continues.

Another key difference is that program managers manage the program staff, often times within a
Program Management Office, as well as the project managers while providing vision and overall
leadership. Project managers, on the other hand, manage their project team to meet project
objectives. Program managers coordinate efforts between projects, but they do not manage
individual projects. They focus on these core responsibilities:

• planning the program;

• identifying and planning for benefits realization and sustainment – that means after each
project or component is completed, since program components may close-out while the
program continues onward;
• identification and control of the interdependencies between projects;
• addressing escalated issues among the projects within the program – that is, issues the
project manager cannot resolve such as financial, scope, procurement or human resource
issues;
• and tracking the contribution of each project and operations-type work to the overall benefit
realization of the program.

Program Management Performance

Domains

I want to introduce you to the program

management performance domains.

These are similar in concept to the five

project management process groups from
the Project Management Book of
Knowledge®, which you’ll recall are
initiate, plan, execute, monitor and control,
and close.

The five program management

performance domains are: program
strategy alignment, program benefits
management, program stakeholder

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Advanced Project Management: Executing Complex Programs

engagement, program governance, and program lifecycle management. One key difference
from the project management process groups is that with the program management
performance domains, the program manager is performing work in each of these domains
throughout the program. They aren’t sequential. Think of them more as parallel efforts.

With the program strategy alignment domain, the program manager is identifying
opportunities and benefits to achieve the organization’s strategic objectives through program
implementation.

In program benefits management, the focus is on defining, creating, maximizing, delivering

and sustaining the benefits provided by the program.

In performing program stakeholder engagement, one is capturing and understanding

stakeholder needs, desires, and expectations and analyzing the impact of the program on
stakeholders, gaining and maintaining stakeholder support, managing stakeholder
communications, and mitigating/channeling stakeholder resistance. In short, you’re building,
cultivating, and maintaining relationships that will ensure the success of the program and its
components.

With the program governance domain, the focus is on establishing processes and procedures
for maintaining program management oversight and decision-making support for applicable
policies and practice throughout the duration of the program.

And in program life cycle management, one is managing all of the program activities related
to program definition, program benefits delivery, and program closure.

Again, unlike the project management’s process groups, the program management domains run
concurrently throughout the duration of the program. It’s within and through these domains that
the program manager and his or her staff perform their tasks. The nature and complexity of the
program being implemented determine the level of effort required within each domain at any
point in time. Every program requires some activity in each of the performance domains during
the course of the program. And, work within the domains is iterative in nature. That is, it’s
repeated frequently.

Programs provide an important link between an organization’s strategic goals and individual
components – the projects, subprograms, operations and other work – that take place. Seldom
is an organization executing just one project – that project is most likely a single cog in a
machine comprised of multiple activities that are being implemented to make things happen to
fulfill the organization’s business objectives and, ultimately, its strategy.

OK, so now I want to go into more detail about a program’s life cycle phases, because they’re
different than the project life cycle. As I’ve already mentioned, a program can have a very long
life-span…perhaps not even have an end date.

If you recall, a generic project life cycle is characterized by four distinct phases: starting the
project, organizing and preparing, carrying out the project work, and closing the project. This is
a high-level view, and used as a common frame of reference for comparing projects within in a
program.

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The program life cycle, on the other hand, is characterized by three phases that include:

The Program Definition phase, which typically occurs as the result of an organization’s plan to
fulfill strategic objectives. The main purpose of this phase is to progressively elaborate the
strategic objectives to be addressed by the program, define the expected program outcomes,
and seek approval for the program.

The Program Benefits Delivery phase is iterative in nature and within it, program components
are planned, implemented, integrated, and managed to deliver the program’s intended benefits.
That is, throughout this phase, which will run the longest period of time, projects are initiated,
executed and closed-out and organizational operations are taking place. For example, in a
major construction program, as component projects are completed and brought online,
maintenance and operations or sustainment begins.

The final phase is Program Closure. The purpose of this phase is to control the closure of the
program. Because programs can be large and have a very long lifespan, the closure of the
program can cause significant turmoil if it’s shut down quickly or haphazardly.

Again, although a program can span a considerably long duration, all programs follow a similar
trajectory of initiation through the program definition phase; implementation through the program
benefits delivery phase, and transition and closure during the program closure phase.

Program Supporting Activities

Now, I’m going to unpack the nine program management supporting processes.

Making the comparison to project management, which you’re familiar with, these processes
might sound like the ten Knowledge Areas you’ll find in the Project Management Book of
Knowledge®. They are very similar; however, you have to keep in mind that in program
management, considerations are always going to be addressed at a higher level. While the
processes may use project-level information, the activities and processes generally aggregate
the information to reflect a program perspective.

With Program Communications Management, the program manager and his or her team are
focused on making timely and appropriate generation, collection, distribution, storage, retrieval,
and disposition of program information. This includes linkages between people and information
that is required to support successful decision making by the client, the governance board and
its stakeholders. It’s different from project communications in that it affects a much wider array
of stakeholders who have a widely varying requirement for information types, dissemination
style, etcetera.

Activities for Program Financial Management include identifying the program’s financial
sources and resources, integrating the budgets of the various program components, developing
an overall budget for the program, and controlling costs at the enterprise level throughout the
duration of both the constituent projects and the program. Program level financial estimating,
management and control can be very vexing and very resource intensive. For example, imagine
the level of oversight needed to manage the implementation of a 5-year, $305 billion program

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like the transportation bill signed in 2015. That effort, like many other major infrastructure
programs before it, requires a high-level estimate and management in order to keep the
governance board – in this case Congress – apprised of the program’s financial performance.

One distinct difference between projects and programs is the level of integration that has to take
place. In a program, Integration Management is very important, since it’s most likely that the
various component projects and program activities each contribute to realizing the benefit of the
program. For example, a program I once managed included over ten infrastructure projects
needed to support the new F-22 fighter aircraft at an air force base. Each project by itself
provided a part of what was needed to support the F-22 – training simulators, new maintenance
hangars, etcetera. A good amount of effort was expended by myself and my staff to ensure that
the works were synchronized not only with each other in terms of phasing and interoperability,
but also integrated with existing infrastructure systems and activities at the base.

Among the key activities undertaken in integration management is the creation of the program
charter, program roadmap, and program management plan. Again, all similar in concept to
project-level documents, with the major exception that these documents are very high-level.

One tool at a program manager’s disposal is the ability to procure products, materials, and
services at the enterprise level that will be needed by constituent projects.

Program Procurement Management is a process that targets optimizing procurements for all
component projects. The intent is to gain pricing discounts and economies of scale by
performing contracting functions at the program level across all, or the majority of, projects, thus
reducing time, effort, and costs associated with executing individual purchasing or procurement
actions.

Program Quality Management addresses the activities needed to determine program quality
policies, objectives, and responsibilities to ensure a successful program. As we know, a project
on time and budget but of poor quality isn’t a successful project. Programs are no different.
What is different, again, is the scope and span of the quality management function. Often within
a program there are varying test and quality control methods and activities. Program
management coordinates these different specifications and adds additional ones should they be
required to ensure overall program quality.

Resource Management is another program management supporting process and it differs from
project resource management in that the program manager has to work within the bounds of
uncertainty and balance the needs of the component projects for which he or she is responsible.
Program resource management includes functions you’d expect: ensuring that required
resources such as people, equipment, materials, etcetera, are available for project managers as
required to enable their projects. It also includes synchronizing limited resources across the
projects according to the priority of the project in the program management plan. Seldom do we
ever have adequate resources to do everything that is required, so at the program level, the
program manager is accomplishing high-level critical chain mapping to ensure that resource
availability syncs with the phased-priority of each project.

Also in program management supporting processes is Program Risk Management. A program

risk is an event, or series of events that, if they occur, might affect the success of the entire

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program. At the program level, there are five specific risk management activities that take place
that include:

• Risk management planning, which is conducted during the program definition phase;
• Risk identification, which seeks to determine which risks might affect the entire program;
• Risk analysis, which involves integrating relevant component project risks at the program
level;
• Risk response planning, which involves mitigation planning for those risks deemed a threat
or opportunity that might affect the overall program; and,
• Risk monitoring and control, which involves the activities to monitor the program for new and
changing risks.

With Program Schedule Management, the program manager and his or her team determine
the timing of the component projects needed to produce the program’s benefits, the estimates of
time required to accomplish each one, and identification of significant milestones during the
program’s performance. This process also includes determining the order in which individual
components are to be implemented, the roadmap for the program, and the milestones to be
measured to keep the overall program on track and within defined constraints.

And the final program management supporting process to cover is Program Scope
Management. The program scope defines the work required to deliver a benefit, be it a major
piece of infrastructure, service, or result; at the program level. Scope management aligns the
program scope with the program goals and objectives, and includes decomposing the work into
deliverable component projects. In short, program scope management deals with taking
something at the high-level and is complex, and breaking it down into manageable components.

Program and Project Distinctions

Program management offers organizations an effective framework for managing interrelated

groups of work designed to produce benefits and outcomes not achievable by managing work
as individual initiatives. Unlike projects, which are characterized as unique and temporary,
programs are often large, complex, lengthy, and tend to be less well defined. Two
characteristics distinguish programs from projects: change and uncertainty.

The change management process fills a key functional role in both projects and programs,
enabling stakeholders to carefully analyze the need for proposed change, the impact of change,
and the process for implementing and communicating it. In projects, change management is
often employed to help the project manager, team, and stakeholders monitor and control the
amount of variance from planned cost and schedule and to help ensure results are in line with
what is intended. If a change is required that impacts cost, schedule, scope, quality, or expected
results, then a change request is developed to modify these elements. In short, change
management in projects is used to manage the impact of variance caused by known risks and
by unexpected events the project encounters on its path to completion.

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In programs, change management is used in a forward-looking, proactive manner to adapt the

program to an ever-evolving environment. And, it is also used to limit the variability of schedule,
cost, and results.

To summarize, projects employ change and change management to constrain or control the
impact of variability of the results, while programs proactively use change management to keep
the program itself and program components aligned with the various aspects of the environment
in which they are performed.

With regards to uncertainty, programs and projects both exist in organizational environments in
which the output or outcome of the work may be uncertain. Within the context of the
organization, however, individual projects are considerably more certain than programs. Why is
that? Well, one reason is that the expected results of a project are generally more certain than
those of programs at the time of their inception.

For example, if a program is undertaken to develop a light rail corridor

connecting a city’s international airport to its central business district, with two key intended
benefits being recoupment of investment in 10 years and reducing traffic on congested
highways, there’s a lot of uncertainty here. First, costs on mega-projects like this are often
higher – sometimes 130 to 170 percent over – initial estimates, and second, it’s difficult to
predict with certainty the transport habits of individuals. However, one of the projects in the
program is to build a platform station to allow people to board and the disembark the train. Its
outcome is much more certain – the intended result is to provide access to the train.

In addition, programs often do not have a fully developed scope at initiation. During the
program, scope and content are continually elaborated, clarified, and adjusted to ensure the
program’s outcomes remain in alignment with intended benefits. This results in an initial
program environment that is recognized to be uncertain and vague…and this means that it
takes a management style that is comfortable with, and embraces, uncertainty in order to
address it effectively.

In programs, focus is placed heavily on realizing benefits. A benefit is an outcome of actions,

behaviors, products, or services that provide utility to the sponsoring organization as well as to
the program’s intended beneficiaries. One benefit may be to increase the number of
conferences and events held at the city’s conference center by making access for out of town
guests easy and safe.

Focus is also placed on the multiple components that work together to produce the intended
outcomes of the program. Because of the complexity and duration of programs, the program
manager must take a broad, collective view of all the program’s components to thoroughly
understand and successfully manage the progress and contributions of the component parts.
This distinguishes and differentiates the program management and project management
approaches, and explains the need for both to achieve success on a program.

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Program Management Complexity

Uncertainty and Ambiguity

By nature of the scope, duration – and not to mention a greater variety of stakeholders –
programs are complex and can be ambiguous.

From my own experience, what makes programs complex isn’t the technical challenges. In most
construction projects, the technical aspects can be solved. It’s the non-technical aspects that
create volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity – or VUCA. This is an acronym that I
bring with me from my military service, used to describe situations where clarity and certainty
are lacking. This isn’t to say that programs are chaos – they aren’t. But they do have a great
degree of unknown territory in relation to projects.

One reason that program management is needed, and is beginning to emerge as a distinct
discipline from project management, has to do with uncertainty and ambiguity and how these
two affect decision-making, strategy development, and practices.

Research on factors affecting decision making and choice, as well as management methods in
uncertain environments, has identified how uncertainty and ambiguity influence both.
Uncertainty is often linked to a lack of information and the difficulty in predicting outcomes
based on objectives.

It can be helpful to visualize it as a continuum running from the known – or low

uncertainty…business as usual – to knowable – moderate uncertainty, but can be determined,
like in most projects – to the unknown – or high uncertainty, where deeper research is needed
to find the answer.

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Ambiguity is characterized by numerous solutions and stakeholders lacking a clear path

forward. This means there’s a high likelihood of objectives changing as time goes by, leading to
a continuously altering
landscape.

It too can be illustrated by

a continuum from a pre-
existing path – meaning
good clarity in what
needs to happen – to a
developing path – where
things are starting to get
a little out of focus on
where things are going –
to the highest level of
ambiguity, where the path
forward is emerging, or
unfolding.

Bringing it all together,

low uncertainty is the
domain of traditional
management methods and high uncertainty is the domain of change management. In the
bottom left-hand corner, you have the domain of the routine – the process of organizing
resources efficiently and keeping the program functioning. The upper left-hand quadrant is
characterized by power-based actions – for example annual budget allocations or program
defense at the enterprise level – these are situations where outcomes are fairly predictable, but
power struggles arise regarding the allocation of resources.

In cases of high ambiguity, choices are not yet determined, outputs cannot be clearly defined
and decisions still have to be made. Typical actions in this environment include evaluating risks,
routine detailed planning sessions – which take advantage of new information that is developed
– and leadership. You know from your own experiences that in situations with uncertainty and/or
ambiguity, if there’s someone who even appears to be in charge, people tend to follow. So,
leadership plays a highly important role in helping to cage ambiguity and provide parameters so
the program team can focus on reducing it.

Referring to Michael Thiry and his book Program Management Fundamentals, he highlights that
when there is a low level of uncertainty, decisions can generally be made with more accurate
and reliable data…makes sense. However, when ambiguity is high, decision-makers have to
rely more on experience and intuition as available data is often partial or unreliable. This
situation requires a process where results of decisions are continually measured, they are
recorded for the record, and objectives for the program are adjusted accordingly.

In projects, the level of uncertainty and ambiguity will be quite low compared to what you will,
and do, experience in programs. Therefore, you need a framework you can use to help navigate

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through the uncertainty and ambiguity you are certain to face. Thiry suggests a program
decision management process, which is a good way to begin giving structure to any nebulous
situation.

It’s divided into two parts: the decision making, or problem-solving part – a learning or analytical
process – and the implementation part – where you take action. The learning part consists of
identifying the need, stating the problem, generating alternatives and evaluating options and
finally making a choice among the course of action. The implementation part consists of
planning and implementing the selected course of action – or actions – controlling its results and
recycling the data to realign the program’s objectives – or if applied at an enterprise level, even
an organization’s strategy.

Complexity in Program Management

Now, I’m going to take you deeper into the details of complexity in programs, defining what it is
and covering the key factors associated with it. This information will set the stage for the
competency model put forth by Ginger Levin and LeRoy Ward, which I’ll introduce later.

By now you understand the difference between projects and programs, as well as the fact that
with programs you will have more uncertainty and ambiguity. These two characteristics, along
with the interrelationships and interconnections between and among a program’s constituent
projects and non-project work, is what combines to make programs complex.

And to add more fuel to the fire, most programs also have to contend with competition in the
marketplace; technological or regulatory changes; and changes within the performing or client
organization.

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Let’s start with what does complexity mean in the context of project management? Well, it’s
difficult to pin a single definition to it, but Joana Geraldi suggests that “mastering complexity is
not a new challenge, but an old challenge that is being increasingly recognized and accepted”.
Meaning, we all know what complexity is, and what you define as complex may be something
other than complex to another person. Geraldi points out that while projects and project
management are associated with complexity, many have difficulty understanding the concept
and as such, do not look upon a project as a complex system. However, projects are complex
because they represent something unique – no two are the same and because they are unique,
there’s an element of uncertainty in their execution which often times leads to re-work and
added time and costs.

Since the 1980’s, there’s been ongoing research into complexity theory, not just in projects, but
across fields as diverse as astrophysics and zoology. The key concepts of what is called
“complexity theory” that come from three decades of research include these three relevant
items:

• Nonlinearity – which is a state in which there is an interaction between two or more

elements in a system that could not have been predicted at the time the system was
designed.
• Self-organization and emergence – it’s been noted that physical, biological, or social
systems – such as the one in which projects and programs are managed – has a distinct
tendency, when left undisturbed, to organize in ways that are often unpredictable. Now, of
course this could be unpredictably good or unpredictably bad, but this concept has profound
implications in the management of complex projects and programs, especially when the
core team, and extended team members, may not be collocated and operate in a virtual
environment.
• And the concept of Complex Adaptive Systems. This concept is central to understanding
complexity and ways to deal with it. A complex adaptive system, as explained by Levin and
Ward, arises from a self-organizing system that has the capacity to learn from experience.
Additionally, this type of system has many elements that act in parallel, they tend to shuffle
around a lot generating multiple levels of an organization, and will wind down after a while
unless it receives additional outside energy.

In short, with programs you have a state where each of the three key concepts of complexity
theory will be present. They are non-linear, with interactions among components that could
never be predicted at design. They tend to self-organize as the program manager, team
members, stakeholders and others learn what works and doesn’t work, leading to the
emergence of processes and procedures that aim to bring about program success. And they are
complex adaptive systems, requiring energy from strong leadership, resource infusion and
support of the client.

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Competency Model for

Program Managers
Six Performance Competencies

Now, I’m going to begin to unpack the

Levin-Ward program management
competency model by introducing the six
performance competencies. I’ll highlight
the eight personal competencies in
another section.

This model was developed by the

creators in an effort to highlight for both
organizations and individual
practitioners, the performance and
personal competencies needed to
execute complex programs.

The model consists of six performance competencies and eight personal competencies.
Organizations can use the model to meet their unique needs, as well as helping leadership
make decisions when matching individual program managers to open positions on existing or
emerging programs.

Let’s start with a look at the six performance competencies. These state what the program
manager should do by applying his or her knowledge of program management to deliver
intended outcomes and benefits. The six competencies happen to be aligned with the six
domains of program management. Let’s dive in.

The first competency is defining the program. This includes activities like defining program
objectives and requirements, creating a high-level roadmap, preparing a benefits realization
plan, conducting a stakeholder analysis, and validating the program’s priority and alignment with
strategic objectives. It also means creating or bolstering the business case and getting the
required authorizations to proceed. These are all tasks that require competency in
communications, vision setting, politics and leadership.

Next is initiating. Here, the program manager has to be competent in articulating the program’s
mission statement, developing the overarching WBS and milestone plan, developing the
accountability matrix, establishing project management standards for the component projects,
as well as defining measurement criteria…just to name a few of the skills and knowledge
needed to get things moving.

The third competency needed is in the area of planning. Planning any program requires a
capability to develop a detailed program scope statement and program WBS, establish the
program management plan and baseline, as well as reviewing and leveling resources across
both the program and the components. Also, the competent program manager has to have the

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foresight to start developing the program’s transition plan to sustain benefits after the program
closes down.

Then there’s executing the program. This competency includes activities like implementing the
program management plan and subsidiary plans, consolidating project and program data to
monitor program performance, chartering new projects as necessary, and continuously
motivating team members to ensure standards are maintained, processes are followed, and
information is being disseminated to keep all stakeholders read-in to program performance.

Fifth – monitoring and controlling the program. Here, the competent program manager has
to be able to analyze cost, schedule, and quality variances to the program plan, then make
decisions to correct the variations to get things back on vector. This also includes the capacity
to forecast performance for both the constituent projects and the program.

And finally, closing the program. Here the program manager has to have competency with
activities such as completing the performance reports and lessons-learned analyses, executing
a transition plan to long-term sustainment successfully, and successfully managing review and
close-out meetings with organizational leadership and/or the client, as well as ensuring all
contracts on the program are officially closed-out.

Again, by knowing what competencies are required to perform program management, you begin
to understand what knowledge, skill and experience will be needed to increase the probability of
a positive outcome on the program. Levin and Ward provide a very detailed breakdown for each
of the six performance competencies, highlighted in greater fidelity what each entails. The list,
however, is neither exhaustive nor is it mandatory. Each program is different, requiring a
program manager to tap into different competencies appropriately.

Eight Personal Competencies

As a project manager, you know that interpersonal skills are important. If you grab a copy of the
Project Management Book of Knowledge®, you’ll even find a listing of interpersonal skills
contained in an appendix. Program management is no different – interpersonal skills, called
“personal competencies” in the Levin-Ward model, are vital for a program manager to have.
They enhance his or her ability to successfully implement the professional competencies I just
listed.

The eight personal competencies include:

Communicating. Program managers, like project managers, spend the majority of their time
engaged in communicating. Depending on the source you reference – and I referenced different
sources from PMI – an effective project manager spends 90 percent of his or her time
communicating. In program management, that percentage will only go up as you have a greater
diversity of stakeholders involved. One of the most important skills I’ve learned and developed is
active listening, which as its name suggests, means listening actively by fully concentrating on
what is being said rather than just passively ‘hearing’ the message of the speaker.

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Leading. Because the program manager is a leader through the work they have to do
establishing a vision and guiding the team and stakeholders towards the end state of the
program. Leadership involves, among a lot of other things, setting a vision and establishing
direction for others to follow.

Building Relationships. In program management, you don’t manage stakeholders, you

engage stakeholders. This is one of the domains in the Standard for Program Management®,
which underscores how important the skill of building relationships truly is for effective program
management. Moving beyond identifying who the stakeholders are and developing a plan, as
PMI suggests, for working with these individuals or organizations, it ultimately comes down to
you creating a relationship – the way in which you and the other people or organizations will
regard and behave toward each other.

Next is negotiating. As a program manager, you will have to develop your negotiating chops,
since you’ll be working with a very diverse number of stakeholders, project managers, and staff,
each with their own needs, wants, and requirements. And it’s highly likely that they will not all
be fully aligned, either with each other or with yours. Also, being able to negotiate for additional
resources, keeping your program a top priority in the organization, or convincing your
governance board or senior leadership to make certain decisions is a critical skill to hone.

Thinking critically. A critical thinker is one who has the ability to identify the important
questions to ask and problems to solve, all in a way that defines them clearly. They also have
the ability to think openly, that is, not be influenced by others’ thinking. And they can identify the
assumptions, constraints, implications and consequences of their decisions. This personal
competency is more an introspective skill. To become a better critical thinker – a very important
trait for a program manager – requires one to be willing to accept other points of view and to be
open to new concepts.

OK, we’re covering the eight personal competencies for effective program managers, moving to
number six – facilitating. This isn’t simply facilitating discussions or a meeting – it involves
facilitating the work of project managers or the program team by removing roadblocks to forward
momentum. It also means facilitating the business of the program by establishing policies,
procedures, and processes that will help the team deliver a successful program.

Mentoring. Since most programs will last many years, the program manager can expect to
have staff churn as project managers or program staff leave and are replaced. Program
managers have to serve as a mentor to support new team members, as well as provide support
to retained staff.

And finally, program managers need to be adept at embracing change. Project managers
typically strive to keep changes to his or her project to the absolute minimum possible. Program
managers, on the other hand, recognize that changes will occur on the program and that they
can be positive. He or she has to tap into their critical thinking skills, and keep an open mind to
change, and look for where these changes can make a positive impact on the program.
Changes come from both internal and external factors, so the program manager has to be
looking inward and outward.

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Successful management and delivery of a program requires the program manager to integrate
these professional and personal competencies in a fashion that fits the program, fits the
organization, and supports the program team. I’ve run several programs in my career without
having had the benefit of seeing these fourteen specific competencies aligned in the way Levin
and Ward have done with this model. But after learning this framework, it’s benefited me
because I now have parameters I can use to make sure that I’m bringing the right combination
of knowledge, skills and experience into the programs – and even the projects – I manage.

Applying the Competency Model: Performance Competencies

Earlier, I outlined the program management competency model, which is a useful tool for you to
use to gauge your level of knowledge, skills and experience in program management.

The more complex a program, the greater is the need for you to be able to show at least a
moderate level of mastery in each of the six professional and eight personal competencies.
There is no doubt in my mind that my effectiveness as a program manager increased
significantly between my first foray complex program managing – managing a multi-million-
dollar housing and dormitory program for a major air force constituent – to my more recent
program management experience guiding an environmental security program involving several
governmental ministries in European nations. I grew in my ability in each of the fourteen
competencies in the intervening 15 years, and I’ll continue to grow.

But a model, like theory, is pretty useless unless it’s put to use and you actually do something
with it. As a practitioner, I know this material needs to be made practical to help you and your
organization achieve some level of value. With that promise, let’s take a look at how the Levin-
Ward model can be put to use by both organizations and individuals.

For the most part, engineering and construction organizations, whether public or private, each
share similar enough issues that the model can be used in, let’s say, the Department of State’s
Bureau of Overseas Building Operations or an A/E company in Tulsa. So how do you apply the
model? Well, Levin and Ward present organizational and individual specific questionnaires as
one way to asses one’s level of competency in the fourteen areas. These are very detailed and
something to look at if you’re interested.

However, I’ll synopsize this for you so you can make a quick, value-based decision on whether
you need to do a deeper dive for yourself, or your organization. Let’s start first with performance
competencies:

• First, do you have a high-level understanding of the strategy behind the program being
considered or under implementation? What about the benefits that the client or organization
intends to achieve with the program? How about the stakeholders? Have they been
properly informed?
• Is there a charter for the program? How about a vision? Program management plan or
listing of key stakeholders and resources needed to be successful?
• Do you understand the high-level business case of the program? This isn’t an issue to
simply brush aside as unnecessary – knowing why a program is being pursued will provide

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you with insight in how to motivate your team, help you make resource decisions, and even
enhance your negotiating because you know the purpose.
• Here’s a big one: Is there a PMO? This is a program management office, which is a group or
department within a business, agency or enterprise that defines and maintains standards for
project management within the organization. The PMO, among other actions, strives to
standardize and introduce economies of scale in the execution of projects.
• Is there a documented change management process, and is it followed? Same goes for
decision-making process.
• Is there a benefits realization plan? And is the program manager developing a transition
plan?
• What about a cost management system, and are there regular program management
reviews to assess performance to schedule milestones and budget?
• And the interrelationships between projects and non-project work in the program is not only
understood, but coordinated to optimize resource usage and ensure de-confliction.

Applying the Competency Model: Personal Competencies

OK, now let’s look at the personal competencies:

• Is there regular and effective engagement with clients, stakeholders and project managers
via both formal and informal communications methods? By effective, I mean are the
communications clear, concise, and the message is adjusted to the receiver? I’ve been in
many a program review meeting where the speaker’s message wasn’t adjusted to the
audience, both technically and structurally. Poor communications can lead to loss of
confidence, something no program manager ever wants to occur.
• Do you take ownership of the program? Do you know your level of authority, as well as
when and how to elevate issues to the Governance Board or client for resolution? The first
is leadership 101 – you can’t lead anything effectively unless you take ownership of it. The
second is a skill that comes through experience – knowing when it’s time to ask for
assistance versus attempting to solve the issue. Tip – when elevating an issue, do so with a
range of possible options and your favored, recommended option.
• Programs have a diverse stakeholder audience – is there proactive action taken on
stakeholder concerns with a focus on generating “win-win” situations?
• Is there a regular evaluation of the program environment and assessment of stakeholder
attitudes and perceptions to identify negative influences? Since programs generally run for a
long period of time – perhaps with no end date – it’s vitally important to understand the
prevailing attitude of key stakeholders, especially those who may hold sway over resources.
For example, the military’s annual military construction program is a multi-billion-dollar
Congressional authorization. Those responsible for these programs definitely evaluate the
program environment and assess Congressional attitudes, taking proactive measures when
necessary to ensure resourcing and support.
• Is the vision of the program regularly shared with the program team and other stakeholders
to ensure understanding of the program’s importance? How important is this? A colleague of
mine who was the program manager for a several-billion-dollar power plant project in South
Africa related to me a story of the power of vision in putting a program back on its success

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vector. When he took over management, the program was several months behind
schedule, costs were escalating with no end in sight and there was sense of ‘every
contractor for themselves’. One of the first things he did was to meet with the client – the
government agency resourcing the program – to find out why they were expending billions
of dollars to build a power plant in a region where there didn’t appear to be a demand. He
was shown slums and other areas where thousands of people were living in substandard
accommodations, without power. The government was funding the power plant so it would
come online at the same time that new residential developments would be completed to
provide adequate housing with power for thousands of families. With this vision seared into
his mind, my colleague could clearly see what was needed to get the program back on
schedule, properly cost controlled and with contractors and subs working in unison. It all
started with vision.
• Are issues identified by observing trends, discrepancies and unexpected changes so they
can be resolved in a timely fashion? Are these issues logged so if they happen again,
there’s a record to help determine how to better eliminate the issue in the future?
• How about opportunities for program team members to participate in mentoring programs or
in professional organizations if so desired? Do you serve as an informal – or formal –
mentor offering suggestions in a casual and indirect way to help people when struggling?
• And finally, is an atmosphere that is receptive to change promoted? Do you shoot the
messenger or kill the good idea fairy every time a suggestion or recommendation is made?
Are you actively engaging stakeholders to ensure they understand the adjustments that will
be needed, and when, as the program proceeds? By way of example, when my
organization was implementing a program to build out new infrastructure and facilities for the
F-22 fighter jet, the program’s construction bumped-up against a day-to-day flying operation.
The wing commander’s job was to ensure his wing was trained and ready to fly missions, it
wasn’t to construct buildings. However, those buildings had to be built in order to provide the
right infrastructure needed to ensure the jets were properly maintained and the pilots and
maintenance technicians were properly trained. As program manager, it was my
responsibility to continuously articulate how the new buildings would enhance and optimize
flying operations and training – that is, how to convey how change would deliver benefits to
the day-to-day flying operations.

I challenge you to assess where you stand today with regards to each of the six performance
and eight personal program management competencies. Make it a simple thumbs-up or
thumbs-down rating. Or go deeper and write out two or three lines of text to describe how you
rate your performance. Then use this knowledge to determine how you can either make yourself
more competent in those areas where you are weak; or how you can bolster your performance
with assistance from someone or some system.

Being successful in executing a complex program isn’t rocket science. It’s development of
knowledge, skills and experience in what I covered in this course. You start now – where you
are today – and add more knowledge, skills and experience as you go. It was nearly ten years
before I managed my first program, and in the fifteen years since I continue to gain knowledge,
develop and hone my skills, and build my experience.

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Conclusion
Summary and Implications

In this course, I introduced you to the concepts and the context of the program. As you learned,
a program is a group of related projects, subprograms, and program activities managed in a
coordinated way to obtain benefits not available from managing them individually. And program
management is the application of the knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to a program to
meet the program requirements. What makes programs complex, especially in relation to
projects, is that programs are comprised of many component projects, non-project work, sub-
programs – and programs have a longer duration. Sometimes programs operate without a
defined end date.

Leading and managing a program is different than for a project. Project Management Institute in
their Standard for Program Management illustrates this through the five program management
domains: program strategy alignment, program benefits management, program stakeholder
engagement, program governance and program life cycle management. Unlike the sequential
steps of a project’s process groups, these five domains are interrelated and activities occur
throughout the performance of a program. Hence making the program a complex undertaking.

Uncertainty and ambiguity, you learned, are two characteristics present in good measure in a
program. Programs are complex and will be ambiguous.

One way to make sense of the complexity of programs is to develop or hone competencies in
specific skill sets that yield the biggest return on investment.

I introduced you to the Program Management Competency Model developed by Ginger Levin
and J. LeRoy Ward. Its six performance and eight personal competencies highlight areas where
the development of knowledge, skills, and experience will return the greatest rewards for both
organizations and individuals.

The biggest reward being the capability and capacity to better execute complex programs.

Resources
References

Thiry, M. (2010). Program management. Farnham, Surrey, England: Gower.

The standard for program management (3rd ed.). (2013). Newtown Square, PA: Project
Management Institute.

Levin, G., & Ward, J. L. (2011). Program management complexity: A competency model. Boca
Raton, FL: Auerbach Publications.

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Williams, D., & Parr, T. (2006). Enterprise programme management: Delivering value.
Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Geraldi, J. (2008). Patterns of complexity: the thermometer of complexity. Project Perspectives,

Vol. XXXIX, 4-9.

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Subject Matter Expert Biography

Christian Knutson, P.E., PMP

Christian Knutson, P.E., PMP is a practicing civil engineer and program

manager, and an author and podcast host. He has over 22 years of
experience in leadership, management, engineering and international
relations earned from a career in the U.S. Air Force serving at locations
around the globe. Over his two-decade long career, he’s used his soft
skills to effectively lead teams and organizations, negotiate on projects
and programs, and achieve success on high-stake infrastructure projects for clients across
Europe and the Middle East.

He is co-founder of The Engineering Career Coach, a company providing engineers and

engineering companies soft skills, leadership, and strategy development training and facilitation
enabling them to execute their vision.

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