Book Review

Program Management for Improved Business Results

Reviewed by Scott Lissit, PMP 

	Authors	Russ J. Martinelli, James M. Waddell, Tim J. Rahschulte
	Publication	John Wiley and Sons, 2014, Hard cover, 2nd edition, ISBN 978-1-118-62792-1, $65 list price
	Purpose	A how-to manual for implementing program management focused on achieving business results
	Audience	Senior management seeking ways of improving business results, current program managers who want to improve their effectiveness, project managers who want to understand program management and how they fit in to the broader structure.
	Availability	Available online, hardcover and e-book editions

As someone who has worked in many program offices in my career, I was interested in reviewing this book to learn how program management could be implemented to truly add value to an organization. I wasn’t disappointed. The book presents in detail all the key ingredients needed to build a serious program management office focused on achieving business results.

The book is written by three Portland area experts who have experience in program management as practitioners (Intel), consultants, and teachers (Program Management Academy and George Fox University). They each have MBAs, which gives them the perspective of program management as a critical business function within an organization. This is the second edition which includes feedback from the readers of the first edition.

The book is well organized and simple to navigate, divided into five parts and thirteen chapters. Part 1 sets up the framework for program management, defines business success, and makes the case for aligning program management with the desired results. Part 2 goes into more detail on the “whole solution”, including an Integrated Program Team (IPT) and how to manage programs. Part 3 details best practices, metrics and tool sets. Part 4 focuses on the program manager, their roles, responsibilities and needed competencies. Part 5 discusses organizational considerations, explaining the challenges of transitioning to program management, and the attributes of a successful Program Management Office. The three appendices contain actual case studies. Drawings and diagrams are used effectively throughout to illustrate the concepts presented.

The authors define Program Management as “achieving a set of business goals through the coordinated management of interdependent projects over a finite period of time.” This sets the framework for the entire book, which stays laser-focused on the connection between business results and program management. Chapter 1 does an excellent job of differentiating program management from both project management and portfolio management, which are potential areas of confusion. For example, Program Management is “a function used to determine the business and execution feasibility of a single idea”, whereas Portfolio Management is “a process utilized to evaluate, prioritize and select a collection of new ideas that best contribute to strategic goals.”

What stood out for me was the integrated approach described for programs. As a former systems engineer, this concept resonated with me. First introduced in Chapter 4, The Whole Solution, the authors present programs as a remedy for the “increasingly complex and uncertain business environment,” by producing a fully “integrated solution.” For instance, a program manager might be responsible for cross-project deliverables such as design, engineering, manufacturing and sales & marketing for a product or a program could be used to organize a new initiative by its core components. An example would be a cell phone program which is divided into enclosure, power supply, radio, software, and circuitry projects. Success is then measured in business terms such as profitability, technology leadership, and productivity.

One strength of the book is the detailed, how-to approach taken by the authors. It’s clearly targeted at organizations that are serious about implementing program management offices and improving business performance. The authors seem determined to give those managers everything they’ll need to be successful. On the downside, their approach is somewhat complex and makes the book a fairly dense read. At times, I felt overwhelmed by the level of detail provided. Casual or first-time program managers might find it challenging to implement all of the book’s recommendations without some guidance or mentoring.

In conclusion, the book is an excellent guide on how to implement a program office within an organization, and would be a valuable reference for senior executives, program managers and project managers who are serious about achieving results.

About the Reviewer

Scott Lissit, PMP is a Senior Project Manager at the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), under contract through David Evans & Associates, where he manages large engineering projects. Scott has been a PMP since 2005, and can be found on Linked-in.