How does Program Management Fit with Change Management
There are two kinds of change — proactive and reactive. The former is
where we desire to change the way we work; the latter where the change is impacting
on us through no intervention of our own. To be proactive, we start by analyzing
the organization's environment and the changes that are taking place within it,
and determine a new strategy for the organization. Thus, we arrive at a vision
by looking at the gap between where we are now and where we want to be, and setting
out our strategy for closing this gap.
Reactive change is where we react to external changes. This is achieved most
profitably by determining the changes we need to make to our organization to
survive these external changes or better still to profit from them. Interestingly,
proactive change is often brought about from reactive change. Either way, this
leads to a coherent set of programs of projects to achieve the required change.
As Alvin Toffler demonstrated in his book "Future Shock" a few decades
ago, it is hard to avoid change. He not only showed how people react when overwhelmed
by change but also showed that the rate of change in this world is accelerating
continuously. Many of us react in a negative way to change, resenting it and
hoping that it will go away.
In an article I wrote on the ordination of women during the last decade, I
said: "Jesus Christ was the greatest agent of change the world has ever
known. Why is it so many of his followers are averse to change?" In a similar
vein, Charles Handy in his book on "The Age of Unreason" starts with
the story of a member of the General Synod. This member is participating in the
debate on the ordination of women and says in an impassioned voice: "Why
can't the status quo be the way forward?"!
As I said earlier in this paper, program management is a disciplined way of
handling change in an organization in a proactive way, whilst not comprising
the whole of change management. The MSP guide makes this clear in its introductory
background to program management.[2] The
guide says:
"Change is a way of life for all organizations. New types of
business processes are being introduced, supplier relationships are changing,
organization merge and divide in response to political or market forces. Organizations
are also striving to achieve benefits from improving existing practices, to achieve
business excellence, to be better prepared for the future, to enable innovation
and to encourage new ways of thinking about doing business. Where there is major
change there will be complexity and risk. There could be many inter-dependencies
and conflicting priorities to resolve. Program Management provides a framework
for the management of complexity and risk.
"There may be a number of reasons for creating a program. Some of the drivers
for change are: opportunities arising from mergers and acquisitions; developments
in technology; need to improve competitiveness; to comply with industry standards;
developments to become a global player; improving the quality and delivery of
products and services; changes in the economic environment; new sales channels;
adaptation to cope with changing markets; and changes in, or new, government
economic policy initiatives ...
"Program Management provides an organization, a set of processes and outputs,
and ways of thinking that together enable organizations to implement change ..."
In other words, wherever there is (proactive) change, and it is being well
managed, the probability is you will also find program management. Program management
is the technique for managing the introduction of these changes. The focus of
program management is therefore on the discipline and techniques for managing
proactive change. Change management, whilst clearly needing the discipline of
effective program management, also encompasses:
- Analysis of the changing business environment
- Setting the vision
- Analyzing the gap
- Developing the strategy for closing the gap, and
- Ensuring these are subsumed into the day-to-day operation of the business
after the program has delivered the business benefits, i.e. business as
usual.
2. Ibid, p1
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How
and Where do Programs Fit into the Business Organization?
