Managing Complex Projects and Programs

RICHARD J. HEASLIP, PHD, teaches Program Leadership Skills and Systems in Organizational Dynamics at the University of Pennsylvania. A former Vice President of project, program, and portfolio management in the pharmaceutical industry, Rick is the Founder of Programmatic Sciences, a consultancy that helps organizations to improve their management of uncertain and complex endeavors.

Preface xiii
Acknowledgments xxi


Part 1 Professional Project and Program Management—Yesterday and Today 1


Chapter 1 The Exhilaration and Exasperation of Project and Program Leadership 3


Leading Projects and Programs 4


Chapter 2 The Emergence of Project Management: First–Generation Programmatics 13


Project Management’s Beginnings 13


Project Management Processes 17


A Growing and Challenging Profession 19


Organizational Responses 21


Chapter 3 The Evolution of Project Management: Second–Generation Programmatics 25


Phase–Gate Approaches 25


Circumstance–Specific Approaches 26


Current Perspectives and Needs 29


An Identity Crisis 31


A Time for Action 32


Chapter 4 Rethinking the Roles and Responsibilities of Project Management Professionals 35


The Exasperados 35


Programmaticists and the Management of Complexity 38


A New Credo 40


Understanding Project and Program Complexity 41


Operational Uncertainty and Complexity 43


Outcome Uncertainty and Complexity 45


Stakeholder Uncertainty and Complexity 47


Environmental Uncertainty and Complexity 49


Organizational Uncertainty and Complexity 51


Reactions to the Complexity Framework 53


Use of the Complexity Framework 55


Chapter 5 Stakeholder Views about the Roles and Responsibilities of Programmaticists 61


Diversity of Views 61


Three Conceptions of a Programmaticist’s Role 63


The Traditionalist Perspective 63


The Operationalist Perspective 66


The Inclusivist Perspective 68


Adoption and Value 70


The Need for Different Kinds of Programmaticists 72


Chapter 6 Modern Problems with Traditional Management Models 77


The Two–Party Fully Governed Project Oversight Model 77


Limitations of the Model 81


Problems with Background Documents 83


Problems with Operational Decision Making 86


Problems with Strategic Decision Making 89


Unsatisfied Needs for Expertise 92


A Search for Solutions 94


Chapter 7 Adaptations of the Traditional Two–Party Fully Governed Project Oversight Model 97


Stakeholder Stories 97


Organizational Growth 99


The Benefits of Growth 99


Responding to Growth–Related Challenges 100


Operational, Technical, and Strategic Review Committees 102


The Unintended Consequences of Review Committees 105


Impact on Decision Making and Programmatic Complexity 107


Portfolio Expansion 110


The Benefits of Pursuing Larger Numbers of Projects 110


Responding to Portfolio–Related Challenges 111


Mixed–Function Review and Governance Committees 115


Business Governance Committees 117


More Unintended Consequences 120


Increased Project Size, Uncertainty, and Complexity 122


The Benefits of Large and Uncertain Projects 122


Establishment of Within–Project Infrastructure 123


The Unintended Consequences of Within–Project Infrastructure 126


The Establishment of Specialty Review and Governance Committees 130


The Unintended Consequences of Specialty Review and Governance Committees 133


Challenges Ahead 134


Chapter 8 Moving Forward 137


Other Approaches 137


Downsizing the Organization 137


Transferring Governance 139


Redefining the Role of a Programmaticist 140


Operationalist Approaches Re–Examined 140


Inclusivist Approaches Re–Examined 145


Building a Centaur 148


Elements of an Improved Project


Oversight Model 153


Part 2 The Promise and Practice of Third–Generation Programmatics 155


Chapter 9 Leading Complex Endeavors 157


The Journey So Far 157


Leadership That Resolves Complex Problems 159


Critical Leadership Roles 163


Adaptive Leadership and the Outcome Sage–Programmaticist 168


Chapter 10 A New Perspective on Programs and Program Management 171


From Adaptive Leadership to Program Management 171


What Is a Program, Really? 174


Redefining Program Management 180


Redefining Projects and Project Management 183


Is It a Program or Is It a Project? 185


Barriers to Acceptance 192


Chapter 11 Introducing Third–Generation Programmatics 195


The Complexity–Management Roles of Project and Program Management 195


Defining Third–Generation Programmatics 197


Roles and Responsibilities in the Three–Party System 200


Projects Sponsored by Governing Committees 203


Programs Sponsored by the Governing Committee 204


Subprograms Sponsored by Programs 209


Other Activities Sponsored by Programs 212


Benefits Expected from the Third–Generation Programmatics Approach 213


Benefits of Distinguishing Projects from Programs 214


Benefits of Distinguishing Project Management from Program Management 217


Benefits of Implementing the Three–Party System 223


Chapter 12 The Decision to Implement Third–Generation Programmatics 225


Choosing Between Two–Party and Three–Party Systems 226


Challenges Faced When Implementing Third–Generation Programmatics 229


Organizational Maturity in the Programmatic Sciences 229


Defining Programmaticist Authority and Autonomy 230


(Re–)Assigning Current Project and Program Managers 235


Identifying and Assigning New Project and Program Managers 238


Defining Reporting Relationships for Program and Project Managers 240


Establishing Departments of Program Management and of Programmatic Science 244


Chapter 13 Developing Programmatic Leadership Competencies 247


The Needs of a Leader 247


Defining “Appropriate” Leadership Behaviors 253


Insights from Research on Program Management Competency 260


Leadership Challenges 264


Defining “Ideal” Leadership Systems and Behaviors 268


Chapter 14 Becoming a Third–Generation Programmatics Organization 271


Applying the Principles of Third–Generation Programmatics 271


Twelve Questions to Answer 275


Deciding to Use a Third–Generation Programmatic Oversight System 279


Life, Viewed Programmatically 282


Final Thoughts 283


Afterword 285


Glossary of Newly Introduced Terms 287


Suggested Readings 295


Standards and Guides in Program and Project Management 295


First– and Second–Generation Programmatics 295


Distinctions between Projects and Programs, Project Management and Program Management 296


Complexity Management 296


Program Leadership Competency Development 297


Index 299