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Explore the fundamentals of program management and how to pivot into the role.
What is program management?
🏁 Overview
Here's the most common definition: Program management is the coordinated approach of planning, organizing, and executing multiple related projects to achieve a strategic objective.
🤔 Wait, how is this different from project management?
There is overlap, but they are different!
Project management focuses on carefully planning and leading a single project to achieve a specific goal within a set timeframe.
Program management involves overseeing multiple related projects, ensuring they work together efficiently to achieve broader strategic objectives.
A really great example of this is in the movie Clueless.
Cher and Dionne have an overarching goal to set up Ms. Geist and Mr. Hall (program management). In order to do so, they need to execute on specific tasks, like leave notes in the teachers’ mailboxes (project management).
Project management focuses on carefully planning and leading a single project to achieve a specific goal within a set timeframe.
Program management involves overseeing multiple related projects, ensuring they work together efficiently to achieve broader strategic objectives.
A really great example of this is in the movie Clueless.
Cher and Dionne have an overarching goal to set up Ms. Geist and Mr. Hall (program management). In order to do so, they need to execute on specific tasks, like leave notes in the teachers’ mailboxes (project management).
🎁 What exactly is a ‘program’?
In the context of program management, a program refers to a group of interconnected projects with shared goals, resources, and dependencies.
Project 1 + Project 2 + Project 3 = The Program
Pretend you work for a sports team and your team wants to increase fan engagement. Your program would include projects like, sending a survey to fans to identify gaps, partnering with the social media team to promote fan-created content, collaborating with legal and finance to create a sweepstakes, and liaising with a local non-profit to get players to volunteer.
While there are many tasks and projects involved, these all wrap up to the larger goal of increasing fan engagement.
Project 1 + Project 2 + Project 3 = The Program
Pretend you work for a sports team and your team wants to increase fan engagement. Your program would include projects like, sending a survey to fans to identify gaps, partnering with the social media team to promote fan-created content, collaborating with legal and finance to create a sweepstakes, and liaising with a local non-profit to get players to volunteer.
While there are many tasks and projects involved, these all wrap up to the larger goal of increasing fan engagement.
🎱 Program generator
Still confused? Check out this program generator to get some inspiration! Use your generated example throughout The Program Playground to have an idea to work with.
🤹🏾What skills do I need to be a program manager?
Honestly, you probably already have a ton of transferrable skills and just don’t know it!
- Strategic thinking: Align programs with broader organizational goals, and ensure they contribute to the company's overall success.
- Project planning: Create comprehensive project plans, set clear objectives, establish timelines, allocate resources, and execute tasks in a structured and organized manner. This is where project management skills can come in handy!
- Communication: Convey complex ideas and information clearly and concisely to team members, stakeholders, and executives. This can include presenting, facilitating meetings, writing briefs, providing status updates, etc.
- Time management: Manage multiple tasks and priorities efficiently to ensure that the program stays on schedule and meets its deadlines.
- Stakeholder management: Identify and engage stakeholders, address their concerns, and maintain positive relationships to ensure their support throughout the program.
How can I get started?
🗂️ Use your project management experience
Since project and program management have a lot in common, if you’re already a project manager, you’re ahead of the game. If possible, start taking on bigger, more strategic projects. This will give you a taste of the role and demonstrate to upper management that you’re interested in making the switch.
📚 Mama let’s research
Don't have any project management experience? No problem.
Spend 30 minutes finding program managers on LinkedIn and take a look at their accomplishments, professional journey, and responsibilities. This is an easy way to get more insight into a program manager's day-to-day.
Spend 30 minutes finding program managers on LinkedIn and take a look at their accomplishments, professional journey, and responsibilities. This is an easy way to get more insight into a program manager's day-to-day.
✏️ Courses, Certifications & Certificates
Online courses, certifications, and certificates are great! But it’s also important to be super clear: transitioning into a new role takes time.
While these online resources are beneficial, they’re often only a first step. You’ll need to practice, network, and keep learning to build your skillset and experience.
If you’d like to go a more formal route, you can take a look at the Program Management Professional (PgMP), ~$1k or University of Washington Certificate in Program Management (~$5k)
While these online resources are beneficial, they’re often only a first step. You’ll need to practice, network, and keep learning to build your skillset and experience.
If you’d like to go a more formal route, you can take a look at the Program Management Professional (PgMP), ~$1k or University of Washington Certificate in Program Management (~$5k)
🚧 Start building!
You can read all the program management guides on the internet, but you won’t truly develop your skills until you start doing the work. Start small with some project management responsibilities, and gradually work your way up to implementing larger strategies or managing more extensive programs.
Build at work
Talk to your manager about your interest in program management. Look for ways to improve processes within your department or organization. Implementing process improvements can demonstrate your ability to think strategically and manage change effectively.
Build at home
Organize your family reunion, or plan a group friend trip. Older siblings, you're probably already doing this 🙃.
Build in your community
If you have the time and flexibility, consider volunteering for an organization. This can give you a good understanding of logistics and give you enough exposure to see if program management is a good fit for you.
Build at work
Talk to your manager about your interest in program management. Look for ways to improve processes within your department or organization. Implementing process improvements can demonstrate your ability to think strategically and manage change effectively.
Build at home
Organize your family reunion, or plan a group friend trip. Older siblings, you're probably already doing this 🙃.
Build in your community
If you have the time and flexibility, consider volunteering for an organization. This can give you a good understanding of logistics and give you enough exposure to see if program management is a good fit for you.
What are typical Program Management tools?
✅ Program tracking
Asana: App for organizing, tracking, and managing teams’ work tasks and projects. This is my personal favorite.
Monday.com: Similar to Asana, just another version.
JIRA: Also another tracking tool, but more likely to be used if your role, or program, works with engineering and product.
Monday.com: Similar to Asana, just another version.
JIRA: Also another tracking tool, but more likely to be used if your role, or program, works with engineering and product.
🧠 Program planning
Google Doc: app for real-time collaboration that allows multiple users to edit and share ideas simultaneously
Notion: workspace platform that combines note-taking, project management, and collaboration tools. This is great for personal use too!
Notion: workspace platform that combines note-taking, project management, and collaboration tools. This is great for personal use too!
🗣️ Asynchronous communication
Slack: Commonly used communication tool amongst teams.
Google Chat: Google's version of cross-team messaging.
Microsoft Teams: Microsoft's version!
Google Chat: Google's version of cross-team messaging.
Microsoft Teams: Microsoft's version!
