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For other meanings, see MSP (disambiguation).

Managing Successful Programmes

Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) is a structured yet flexible framework. It allows you to manage and control all the activities involved in managing a programme through providing advice on organisation, processes, communication and ways of thinking. There is a close link between MSP and PRINCE2. “Managing Successful Programmes” is a registered trademark of the U.K.'s Office of Government Commerce (OGC). A programme is made up of a number of projects, which, if co-ordinated or integrated into the programme, are more likely to help an organisation achieve its strategic goals and deliver measurable benefits.

History
Managing Successful Programmes is derived from the earlier Managing Successful Programmes project managment methodology, which was initially developed in 1989 by the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA) as a UK Government standard for information systems (IT) project management; however, it soon became regularly applied outside the purely IT environment. Managing Successful Programmes was released in 1996 as a generic project management method. Managing Successful Programmes has become increasingly popular and is now the de facto standard for project management in the UK. Its use has spread beyond the UK to more than 50 other countries.

The most current revision was released in 2005 by the Office of Government Commerce, and it is currently undergoing a refresh for 2008-9.

Description of the Managing Successful Programmes method
Managing Successful Programmes (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) was first developed by the CCTA, now part of the OGC, in 1989 as a UK Government standard for IT project management. Initially developed only for the need of IT projects, the latest version, Managing Successful Programmes, is designed for all types of management projects. Figure 1 shows the processes involved in managing a Managing Successful Programmes project and how they link with each other, creating the normal content of a Managing Successful Programmes project.



Advantages
Managing Successful Programmes is a structured approach to project management. It provides a method for managing projects within a clearly defined framework. Managing Successful Programmes describes procedures to coordinate people and activities in a project, how to design and supervise the project, and what to do if the project has to be adjusted if it doesn’t develop as planned. In the method each process is specified with its key inputs and outputs and with specific goals and activities to be carried out, which gives an automatic control of any deviations from the plan. Divided into manageable stages, the method enables an efficient control of resources. On the basis of close monitoring the project can be carried out in a controlled and organized way. Being a structured methodology widely recognised and understood, Managing Successful Programmes provides a common language for all participants in the project. The various roles and responsibilities involved in a project are fully described and are adaptable to suit the complexity of the project and skills of the organisation.

Pitfalls
Managing Successful Programmes may be considered as inappropriate for small projects, due to the work required in creating and maintaining documents, logs and lists. This is often a misunderstanding of the scalability that Managing Successful Programmes offers. Because of the various roles and responsibilities involved, participants in the project can easily blame each other when something goes wrong. The SU process should avoid this, but Managing Successful Programmes allows roles and responsibilities to be agreed in writing by the participants instead.

Overview of the methodology
Managing Successful Programmes is a process-driven project management method which contrasts with reactive/adaptive methods such as Scrum. Managing Successful Programmes defines 45 separate sub-processes and organizes these into eight processes as follows:
 * Starting Up a Project (SU)
 * Planning (PL)
 * Initiating a Project (IP)
 * Directing a Project (DP)
 * Controlling a Stage (CS)
 * Managing Product Delivery (MP)
 * Managing Stage Boundaries (SB)
 * Closing a Project (CP)

Starting up a project (SU)
In this process the project team is appointed and a project brief (describing, in outline, what the project is attempting to achieve and the business justification for doing so) is prepared. In addition the overall approach to be taken is decided and the next stage of the project is planned. Once this work is done, the project board is asked to authorize the next stage, that of initiating the project.

SU1 Appointing a Project Board Exec and Project Manager

SU2 Designing a Project Management Team

SU3 Appointing a Project Management Team

SU4 Preparing a Project Brief

SU5 Defining Project Approach

SU6 Planning an Initiation Stage

Planning (PL)
Managing Successful Programmes advocates product based planning which means that the first task when planning is to identify and analyse products. Once the activities required to create these products are identified then it is possible to estimate the effort required for each and then schedule activities into a plan. There is always risk associated with any work and this must be analysed. Finally, this process suggests how the format of plans can be agreed and ensures that plans are completed to such a format.

PL1 Designing a Plan

PL2 Defining and Analysing Products

PL3 Identifying Activities and Dependencies

PL4 Estimating

PL5 Scheduling

PL6 Analysing Risks

PL7 Completing a Plan

Initiating a project (IP)
This process builds on the work of the Start Up (SU) activity and the project brief is augmented to form a Business Case. The approach taken to ensure quality on the project is agreed together with the overall approach to controlling the project itself (project controls). Project files are also created as is an overall plan for the project. A plan for the next stage of the project is also created. The resultant information can be put before the project board for them to authorize the project itself.

IP1 Planning Quality

IP2 Planning a Project

IP3 Refining the Business Case and Risks

IP4 Setting up Project Controls

IP5 Setting up Project Files

IP6 Assembling a Project Initiation Document

Directing a project (DP)
These sub-processes dictate how the Project Board should control the overall project. As mentioned above, the project board can authorise an initiation stage and can also authorize a project. Directing a Project also dictates how the project board should authorize a stage plan, including any stage plan that replaces an existing stage plan due to slippage or other unforeseen circumstances. Also covered is the way in which the board can give ad hoc direction to a project and the way in which a project should be closed down.

DP1 Authorising Initiation

DP2 Authorising a Project

DP3 Authorising a Stage or Exception Plan

DP4 Giving Ad Hoc Direction

DP5 Confirming Project Closure

Controlling a stage (CS)
Managing Successful Programmes suggests that projects should be broken down into stages and these sub-processes dictate how each individual stage should be controlled. Most fundamentally this includes the way in which work packages are authorized and received. It also specifies the way in which progress should be monitored and how the highlights of the progress should be reported to the project board. A means for capturing and assessing project issues is suggested together with the way in which corrective action should be taken. It also lays down the method by which certain project issues should be escalated to the project board.

CS1 Authorising Work Package

CS2 Assessing Progress

CS3 Capturing Project Issues

CS4 Examining Project Issues

CS5 Reviewing Stage Status

CS6 Reporting Highlights

CS7 Taking Corrective Action

CS8 Escalating Project Issues

CS9 Receiving Completed Work Package

Managing product delivery (MP)
This process consists of three sub-processes and these cover the way in which a work package should be accepted, executed and delivered.

MP1 Accepting a Work Package

MP2 Executing a Work Package

MP3 Delivering a Work Package

Managing stage boundaries (SB)
The Controlling a Stage process dictates what should be done within a stage, Managing Stage Boundaries (SB) dictates what should be done towards the end of a stage. Most obviously, the next stage should be planned and the overall project plan, risk log and business case amended as necessary. The process also covers what should be done for a stage that has gone outside its tolerance levels. Finally, the process dictates how the end of the stage should be reported.

SB1 Planning a Stage

SB2 Updating a Project Plan

SB3 Updating a Project Business Case

SB4 Updating the Risk Log

SB5 Reporting Stage End

SB6 Producing an Exception Plan

Closing a project (CP)
This covers the things that should be done at the end of a project. The project should be formally de-commissioned (and resources freed up for allocation to other activities), follow on actions should be identified and the project itself be formally evaluated.

CP1 Decommissioning a Project

CP2 Identifying Follow-on Actions

CP3 Project Evaluation Review

Techniques
The Managing Successful Programmes methodology works with most project management techniques but specifically describes the following:
 * Product Based Planning
 * Change Control
 * Quality Reviews

Exams, accreditation and training
Accreditation is governed by the passing of two exams – the Foundation and the Practitioner. The Foundation Exam is a one-hour, multiple choice exam. The Practitioner Exam is three-hour, and it has just been changed to an objective-testing multiple-choice exam with only the official Reference Manual allowed. i.e. It is no longer completely open book. The text can be annotated but must not include any additional attachments. In the UK, exams are administered by the APM Group. It is possible to check whether an individual has passed the Foundation and Practitioner exams.

It is possible for individuals with project management experience to self-study for the exams but a number of training organisations offer courses, many of which also include exam entry in the fee. In the UK there is a non-mandatory accreditation scheme for training providers, run by the APM Group.

Managing Successful Programmes practitioners must retake the practitioner exam every 5 years to remain accredited.

Scalability
Project management is a complex discipline and it would be wrong to assume that blind application of Managing Successful Programmes will result in a successful project. By the same token, it would be wrong to assume that every aspect of Managing Successful Programmes will be applicable to every project. For this reason every process (see below) has a note on scalability. This provides guidance to the project manager (and others involved in the project) as to how much of the process to apply. The positive aspect of this is that Managing Successful Programmes can be tailored to the needs of a particular project. The negative aspect is that many of the essential elements of Managing Successful Programmes can be omitted sometimes resulting in a PINO project – Managing Successful Programmes in Name Only. In order to counter this, APM Group have defined the concept of a Managing Successful Programmes Maturity Model.

List of project management topics