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©2013 Project Management Institute. The Standard for Program Management - Third Edition
1 - INTRODUCTION
goals. Portfolio management aligns with organizational strategies by selecting the right programs or projects,
prioritizing the work, and providing the needed resources, whereas program management harmonizes its
projects and program components and controls interdependencies in order to realize specifi ed benefi ts. Project
management develops and implements plans to achieve a specifi c scope that is driven by the objectives of the
program or portfolio it is subjected to and, ultimately, to organizational strategies. OPM advances organizational
capability by linking project, program, and portfolio management principles and practices with organizational
enablers (e.g. structural, cultural, technological, and human resource practices) to support strategic goals.
An organization measures its capabilities, then plans and implements improvements towards the systematic
achievement of best practices.
Table 1-1 shows the comparison of project, program, and portfolio views across several dimensions within the
organization.
Organizational Project Management
Projects Programs Portfolios
Projects have defined
objectives. Scope is progres-
sively elaborated throughout
the project life cycle.
Project managers expect
change and implement
processes to keep change
managed and controlled.
Project managers progressively
elaborate high-level information
into detailed plans throughout
the project life cycle.
Project managers manage the
project team to meet the
project objectives.
Success is measured by
product and project quality,
timeliness, budget compliance,
and degree of customer
satisfaction.
Project managers monitor and
control the work of producing
the products, services, or
results that the project was
undertaken to produce.
Programs have a larger scope
and provide more significant
benefits.
Program managers expect
change from both inside and
outside the program and are
prepared to manage it.
Program managers develop the
overall program plan and create
high-level plans to guide
detailed planning at the
component level.
Program managers manage the
program staff and the project
managers; they provide vision
and overall leadership.
Success is measured by the
degree to which the program
satisfies the needs and benefits
for which it was undertaken.
Program managers monitor
the progress of program
components to ensure the
overall goals, schedules,
budget, and benefits of the
program will be met.
Portfolios have an organiza-
tional scope that changes with
the strategic objectives of the
organization.
Portfolio managers continuously
monitor changes in the
broader internal and external
environment.
Portfolio managers create and
maintain necessary processes
and communication relative to
the aggregate portfolio.
Portfolio managers may
manage or coordinate portfolio
management staff, or program
and project staff that may have
reporting responsibilities into
the aggregate portfolio.
Success is measured in terms
of the aggregate investment
performance and benefit
realization of the portfolio.
Portfolio managers monitor
strategic changes and
aggregate resource allocation,
performance results, and risk
of the portfolio.
Scope
Change
Planning
Management
Success
Monitoring
Table 1-1. Comparative Overview of Project, Program, and Portfolio Management
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