Introduction
Project Management and Program Management being one of the keys to an organization’s growth and success, they are also one of the many underrated and easily neglected job roles in this rapidly growing IT industry market.
Project
A project is a set of tasks or collection of activities that conclusively contributes to the production of a product with respect to the goals and objectives set before the beginning of the project. To be able to successfully achieve the set goals, these tasks must be performed in a specific order.
Program
A program is a set of projects that will be executed in order to serve and achieve the collective goal of an organization with respect to the set strategies for achievements. A program for an organization serves as an important asset that helps achieve the goals of the organization on a most efficient scale by effectively distributing the available resources among every individual project.
Project vs Program Management
To take full advantage of the limited resources or to make the most profit out of the available resources, organizations make use of project management software tools. These tools help in implementing real-time changes into any working project and also staying updated in real-time with the progress of project tasks and activities.
Project Management
In general, project management is the process or technique used to manage all the project tasks and activities for successful execution and to meet all the necessary project requirements. A number of tools and techniques are used to make this possible on a countable scale, and a project manager is held responsible for the success of the project.
Program Management
In simple terms, program management is a methodology of mapping that is used to improve an organization's performance and build global recognition by obtaining complete benefits from its projects.
The governing body of project management, PMI (Project Management Institute), describes program management as a management team coordinating all related projects of an organization and always seeking to obtain benefits from the organization's projects.
Project vs Program Management – Differences
Since we are well introduced with the concepts of Project and Program Management, let's get into their details and discuss their differences and similarities. The key difference that differentiates both Project and Program Management is that project management is completely focused on delivering quality deliverables, while program management is focused on maximizing the benefits to the organization.
The following are a few of the detailed differences that differentiate project and program management:
1. Project vs Program Management - Process
Project management is a temporary process
Any project, irrespective of its type, would definitely end with deliverables. Since project management is all about managing project activities and seeing them through to completion, the project ends as the deliverables are delivered. Hence, Project Management is said to be a temporary process.
Program management is an ongoing process
On the other hand, for a program, the objective is to deliver high-level functionality (a service) or a high-quality product, depending on the level of competition among other organizations. Since this is something that is to be taken care of at every instance of the company's growth, Program Management is an ongoing process.
2. Project vs Program Management – Method
Project management is Technical
Be it a product or a service, project management only focuses on the project outcomes as the deliverable. With the main objective being to deliver the outcome within the estimated time while fulfilling all the requirements within the set conditions, all the project manager's tasks are technical.
Program management is strategic
The role of every program manager is to strategize the organization’s growth and take responsibility for the development of all underlying projects. This also involves controlling and negotiating with the stakeholders about the objectives of a project being delivered or yet to be delivered.
3. Project vs Program Management – Resources
Projects focus on Time and Budget
As obvious as it is, projects are meant to be submitted on time. The primary goal of project management is to complete it within a specified time frame and within the constraints of the available resources. The application of the project deliverables to the company’s success and growth is not the worry of a project manager.
Program focus on companies ROI
Being a program manager, it becomes their complete responsibility to take care of and analyze what values the deliverables bring to the organization. The analysis must also investigate how the investments will generate returns. Hence, creating ROI and generating customer value becomes one of the responsible assets that every program manager must take care of.
4. Project vs Program Management – Management
Project Management handles Conflicts
The most common thing that differentiates project and program management is the difference in skills required for their duties. The conflicts that come with each undertaking are different to some extent. Projects must necessarily deal with such risks because they always result in something new. Project managers work on forecasting conflicts, making plans for how to deal with them, and allocating a set budget for risk.
Program Management handles Changes
Things in program management are different compared to the management duties of project management. Rather than worry about the project risks, program managers would rather plan on working on the changes that the project deliverables bring for the organization. Involving the coordinated functioning of projects, customers, government organizations, and the board of stakeholders, makes this a more complicated task.
Now that we have discussed the differences in management concepts, let’s now explore the differences in their managerial skills.
Project vs Program Management – Skills
Project Manager Skills
– Communication Skills are a must-have for every project manager, irrespective of the organization or their designation. Communication must happen on a regular basis among stakeholders for the purpose of deciding project objectives and for the team to understand the goal of the deliverables.
– Negotiation Skills come in handy when discussing and setting the goals and expectations of a project’s deliverable. This also helps in building the bond among team members.
- Scheduling Skills are the most in demand in every organization, because scheduling project tasks and activities helps in effectively managing deliverables and optimizing resource utilization.
– Management Skills help deliver the project scope to the team and also optimize the workload. This also involves defining dependencies, designing a project schedule, and tracking and assigning project activities.
Program Manager Skills
– Leadership skills help a program manager oversee the performance of a team and the outcomes of the project. It also involves the ability to analyze the performance of individual team members on different teams.
– Budgeting Skills are the key, since every organization would prefer a program manager that can cleverly optimize the budget for a project.
– Resource Management is the kind of responsibility every program manager takes on to track, allocate, and relocate the resources of the organization among projects.
– Risk Management being a key skill for project and program managers, risks are mostly resolved by project managers, and decisions are made by program managers.
Conclusion
A program is a collection of projects that will be carried out in order to serve and achieve an organization's overall goal in accordance with the established strategies for achievement. A project is a set of tasks or a collection of activities that definitively contribute to the production of a product with respect to the goals and objectives set before the project's beginning.
Project management enables organizations to maintain greater flexibility in their deliverables and their deadlines, while program management enables businesses to better achieve strategic goal alignment, project interdependency, and improved resource management.
Be it program management or project management, SprintZeal has got you covered with everything. We offer industry-grade training and also provide globally recognized certifications that can put your resume on top in any organization.
Explore all our project management courses and enroll now to successfully land your desired profession. Visit our all courses page to explore the variety of services offered for the courses provided. To proceed further or to clarify any course-related doubts, request a callback or text with our course expert now.
Last updated on Apr 24 2023
Last updated on Oct 17 2022
Last updated on Jan 16 2024
Last updated on Jul 15 2024
Last updated on Sep 26 2022
Last updated on Mar 13 2023
What is pass percentage for the CAPM exam?
ArticleIs it worth getting the CAPM certification?
ArticleIs PMP Better than MBA?
ebookIssue Log in Project Management - Uses and Importance
ArticleSupply Chain Response And The Factors Involved In It
ArticleBest Agile tools for Project Managers in 2024
ArticlePMI-PMP® Exam Changes Explained in 5 Minutes
ebookProject Initiation Phase - Importance and Roles Involved
ArticleDelphi Technique and Its Role in Project Management
ArticlePMBOK Guide and Project Management Certification Updates 2024
ArticleHow to Use Google Calendar as a Project Management Tool
Article10 Reasons Why You Should Get PRINCE2 Certification
ArticleCAPM Cheat Sheet 2024
ArticleCAPM Certification Study Guide
ArticleCAPM Certification Exam Preparation Guide 2024
ArticleTop Benefits of CAPM Certifications
ArticleGuide to Advancing Project Management Career with PMP Certification
ArticlePMP Vs PRINCE2 - Which Project Management Certification is Better?
ebookProject Management Interview Questions and Answers for Managers
ArticleProject Management Software to Use in 2024
ebookBest project management certifications in 2024
ArticleProject Feasibility Study in Seven Steps
ArticleCAPM vs PMP – Which Project Management Certification Is Better?
ArticleProject Scope Management Guide 2024
ArticleProject Management Complete Guide 2024
ArticleCAPM Exam – Difficulty, Details and Preparation Tips
ArticleWhat is Project Management?
ArticleWhat is PMI ACP certification?
ArticleIs PMP exam difficult?
ArticleIs PMI ACP worth it?
ArticlePMP or CAPM – which is better?
ArticlePMP or PMI ACP – which certification should you get?
ArticlePMP Certification Cost Details
ArticleHow to get PMP certification - Guide 2025
ArticleHow to create an effective project plan
ArticleTop Project Manager Interview Questions and Answers 2024
ArticleGuide to Change Management for Organizational Transformation
ArticleResource Manager Interview Questions and Answers 2024
ArticleProject Schedule Management Guide for Beginners
ebookTop Project Manager Qualifications and Career Path in 2024
ArticleNetwork Diagram - Types, Topology and Use in Project Management
ArticleProject Management Life Cycle and Its Phases
ArticleGuide to Project Management Processes, Methodologies and Lifecycles
ArticleProcess Capability Analysis Explained
ArticleFinancial Risk and Its Types
ArticleConstruction Project Management - Roles, Stages and Benefits
ArticleRisk Management Strategies in Project Management
ArticleProject Management Principles - 12 Essentials
ArticleProject Management Framework Guide
ArticleStrategic Management Guide 2024
ArticleProject Management Books List - Best of 2024
ArticleProject Documentation and Its Importance
ebookProject Management Tips - Best of 2024
ArticleProject Management Apps Best of 2024
ArticleDigital Project Manager – Skills, Salary, and Scope
ArticleProject Communication Plan – How to Create and Use
ArticleEarned Value Management and Its Significance
ArticlePlanning Poker Estimation Technique
ArticleProject Management vs Product Management
ArticleProject Crashing in Project Management
ArticleProject Controlling and its Importance in Project Management
ArticleHow to create a work breakdown structure
ebookProject Report and its Significance in Project Management
ArticleProject Budget: Definition, Overview & How to Create One
ebookEstimate at Completion - Formulae and Calculations
ArticleProject Cost Management Guide 2024
ArticleProduct Lifecycle Management
ArticleProject Portfolio Management Guide
ArticleProgram Manager vs Project Manager - Comparison of Roles and Careers
ArticleWBS Dictionary - A Beginner's Guide
ArticleStakeholder Analysis and Stakeholder Management Guide
ArticleProject Management Phases Explained
ArticleProject Management Knowledge Areas
ebookLeadership Theories for Managers
ebookPMP Pass Rate in 2024 - Guide to Clear the PMP Exam
ebookGantt Charts - The Ultimate Guide
ebookConflict Resolution in Project Management
ebookProject Deliverables in Project Management
ebookPERT vs CPM in Project Management
ebookWork Breakdown Structure in Project Management
ebookTop Gantt Chart Makers in 2024
ebookGantt Chart Tools - Best of 2024
ebookNegotiation in Project Management: The Utimate Guide
ebookProject Manager Resume Guide – Best Tips and Examples
ebookProduct Management Frameworks - The Ultimate Guide 2024
ebookProduct Planning - A Beginner's Guide
ebookWhat is Product Management? - A Beginner's Guide
ebookGuide to Project Stakeholder Management
ebookPMP® Certification Salary: Job and Salary Scope in 2024
ebookTop Project Engineer Skills
ebookGuide to Technical Project Management
ebookTop 10 project management competencies
ebookTime Management in Project Management - Steps to Implement it
ebookTop Program Manager Skills of Successful Program Managers
ebookA Brief Guide to Conflict Management Approaches
ebookWhat is a Risk Management Plan? A Comprehensive Guide
ebookWorkflow Diagram - Steps to Create, Symbols, Types, and Uses
ebookBest Practices to Measure Resource Utilization
ebookWorkload Management: How to Optimize Your Team’s Workload?
ebookWhat is Project Execution? A Comprehensive Guide
ebookKanban Methodology in Project Management – A Complete Guide
ebookHybrid Project Management Guide 2024
ebookProject Characteristics: Key Elements in a Project
ebookThe Ultimate Guide to the Waterfall Methodology in Project Management
ebookThe Ultimate Project Kickoff Meeting Guide
ebookProject Timeline: How to Build One, Definitions, and Examples
ebookProject Scope Statement: How to Write One With Example
ebookStatement of Work in Project Management Guide 2024
ebookProject Management in Product Development : Essential Role
ebook10 Best Change Management Tools to Use
ebookMastering Resource Scheduling to Unlock Project Success
ebookProject Risk Analysis: Tools, Templates & Best Practices
ebookHow to Write a Project Summary in 4 Steps
ebookTop Leadership Skills: Mastering the Art of Effective Leadership
ebookHow to Write a Project Descriptions: A Step-by-Step Guide
ebookWhat is Project Monitoring? A Comprehensive Guide
ebookWhat Are Project Fundamentals? A Quick Guide
ebookKanban Board: A Detailed Guide to Understanding and Usage
ebook10 Effective Management Styles for Leaders (With Real-Life Examples)
ebookProduct Manager Career Path: What to Expect
ArticleCareer Path for Program Manager - Strategic Navigation for Professional Growth
ebookExploring Career Path for Product Owner
ArticleAn Ultimate Guide to Project Coordinator Career Paths
ArticleHow to Become an ISO 21502 Lead Project Manager
ArticleWhat are the Basics of ISO 21502 Foundation? A Brief Guide
ebookThe Role and Responsibilities of an ISO 20400 Lead Manager
ArticleEnergy Saving Standards and ISO 50001 Best Practices
ebookComparing Different ISO Certifications for Project and Energy Management
ebookThe Ultimate Guide to ISO Certifications for Effective Project and Energy Management
ArticleWhy ISO 50001 is the Perfect Match for Energy Efficiency?
ArticleAI Tools for Project Managers: A Game Changer for Project Success
Article