Program/Project Planning /Monitoring and Evaluation

1. What is a project?

The term project can be defined as one-time undertaking, to create a new product or
service, having a certain beginning and ending point. It is an organizational unit which is
explicitly dedicated to the pursuance of a goal, i.e. satisfactory accomplishment of developing a
product in time, within the budget, in accordance with the desired performance level.

A project comprises a set of routine and interlinked activities, with a goal, which has a
definite goal and requires to be completed with a stipulated time and resources. The projects may
vary regarding size, i.e. small, medium, large and very large. After the accomplishment of the
project, a final product is received. The basic features of a project are:

 It has a purpose.
 It is unique.
 It is time bound.
 It is undertaken by a team.
 It is dynamic in nature.

Project is a great opportunity for organizations and individuals to achieve their business and non-
business objectives more efficiently through implementing change. Projects help us make desired
changes in an organized manner and with reduced probability of failure. Projects differ from
other types of work (e.g. process, task, procedure). Meanwhile, in the broadest sense a project is
defined as a specific, finite activity that produces an observable and measurable result under
certain preset requirements.

A Project is a temporary, unique and progressive attempt or endeavor made to produce some
kind of a tangible or intangible result (a unique product, service, benefit, competitive advantage,
etc.). It usually includes a series of interrelated tasks that are planned for execution over a fixed
period of time and within certain requirements and limitations such as cost, quality, performance,
others.

What is a program?
The program can be defined as a framework of plans of work, which comprises of a set of
projects that are complementary to one another and aligned in proper sequence to achieve
economies of scale. Projects are grouped into a single program when the resultant benefit of the
collection supersedes the benefits of managing individual projects. It consists of various projects
which are started to reach organizational goals. It is undertaken to improve the overall
performance of the organization, as it is related to business process re-engineering, change
management, etc. Implementation of programs requires laying down of policies, procedures and
methods, in a coordinated manner.

What is the difference between project and program?

A project can be described as one-off operation, which has certain objectives and required to be
met within stipulated time. A project differs from a program in the sense that the latter is a
bundle of related projects, managed in a coordinated manner, to attain the benefits, which is
available only when the projects are managed in groups. There are many students who
misconstrue project for the program, so here, in this article, we will explain the difference
between project and program

Comparison Chart
Basis for comparison Project
Meaning A project refers to the
temporary activity, which is
undertaken to create a distinct
product or service, which has
certain objectives.
Focus on Content
Time horizon Short term
Concerned with Specific deliverables, i.e.
product or service
Functional units Single
Tasks Technical in nature
Produces Output
Success Success can be measured in
terms of product quality,
timeliness, cost effectiveness,
compliance and degree of
customer satisfaction.
Program
A program implies a set of
projects which are linked to
one another, in a sequential
manner to attain the combined
benefits.
Context
Long term
Benefits received
Multiple
Strategic in nature
Outcome
Success is measured by the
extent to which program meets
out the needs and benefits, for
which it was conducted.

Key Differences between Project and Program

The differences between project and program can be drawn clearly on the following grounds:

1. The temporary activity, which is carried out to create a distinct product or service, that
has specified objectives, is called project. A bundle of projects which are linked to one
another, rationally to attain the combined benefits, is called program.
2. While the project is content-specific, which focuses on delivering the required result.
Conversely, a program is context-specific, which links different projects that are related
to each other so as to achieve the ultimate goal of the organization.
3. A project is distinct and is for specified duration. On the other extreme, a program is
everlasting and executed in the business to continuously obtain the results of the entity.
4. A project deals with specific deliverables, whereas a program is concerned with the
benefits received, from implementing it.
5. The scope of the program is wider in comparison to the project, the project works on a
single functional unit, while the program works on various functional units.
6. The tasks performed by the project manager, to complete the project are technical in
nature. On the contrary, the tasks performed to implement the program successfully, are
strategic in nature.
7. There is a generation of specific output which is demanded by the project. In contrast, the
program produces the general outcomes which are necessary for the growth and survival
of the organization in the long run.
8. One can measure the effectiveness of the project by evaluating the product quality,
timeliness, cost efficiency, compliance and degree of customer satisfaction. As opposed,
to measure the effectiveness of the program, one needs to check whether it fulfills the
needs and benefits, for which it was implemented.

2. What is project Management?

Project management is the application of processes, methods, skills, knowledge and
experience to achieve specific project objectives according to the project acceptance criteria
within agreed parameters. Project management has final deliverables that are constrained to a
finite timescale and budget. Another definition is that a practice of initiating, planning, executing,
controlling, and closing the work of a team to achieve specific goals and meet specific success
criteria at the specified time. The primary challenge of project management is to achieve all of
the project goals within the given constraints. This information is usually described in project
documentation, created at the beginning of the development process. The primary constraints
are scope, time, quality and budget. The secondary and more ambitious challenge is
to optimize the allocation of necessary inputs and apply them to meet pre-defined objectives.

Project Management important includes:

  Strategic Alignment
Project management is important because it ensures what is being delivered, is right,
and will deliver real value against the business opportunity.

 Leadership
Project management is important because it brings leadership and direction to
projects.

 Clear Focus & Objectives

Project management is important because it ensures there’s a proper plan for
executing on strategic goals.

 Realistic Project Planning

Project management is important because it ensures proper expectations are set
around what can be delivered, by when, and for how much.

 Quality Control
Projects management is important because it ensures the quality of whatever is
being delivered, consistently hits the mark.

 Risk Management
Project management is important because it ensures risks are properly managed
and mitigated against to avoid becoming issues.
.
 Orderly Process
Project management is important because it ensures the right people do the right
things, at the right time – it ensures proper project process is followed throughout
the project lifecycle.

 Continuous Oversight
Project management is important because it ensures a project’s progress is tracked
and reported properly.

 Subject Matter Expertise

Project management is important because someone needs to be able to
understand if everyone’s doing what they should.

 Managing and Learning from Success and Failure

Project management is important because it learns from the successes and failures
of the past.
3. Try to illustrate the project management process?

Project Initiation

Initiation is the first phase of the project lifecycle. This is where the project’s value and
feasibility are measured. Project managers typically use two evaluation tools to decide whether
or not to pursue a project:

 Business Case Document – This document justifies the need for the project, and it
includes an estimate of potential financial benefits.
 Feasibility Study – This is an evaluation of the project’s goals, timeline and costs to
determine if the project should be executed. It balances the requirements of the project
with available resources to see if pursuing the project makes sense.

2. Project Planning

Once the project receives the green light, it needs a solid plan to guide the team, as well as keep
them on time and on budget. A well-written project plan gives guidance for obtaining resources,
acquiring financing and procuring required materials. The project plan gives the team direction
for producing quality outputs, handling risk, creating acceptance, communicating benefits to
stakeholders and managing suppliers. The project plan also prepares teams for the obstacles they
might encounter over the course of the project, and helps them understand the cost, scope and
timeframe of the project.

3. Project Execution
This is the phase that is most commonly associated with project management. Execution is all
about building deliverables that satisfy the customer. Team leaders make this happen by
allocating resources and keeping team members focused on their assigned tasks.

Execution relies heavily on the planning phase. The work and efforts of the team during the
execution phase are derived from the project plan.

4. Project Monitoring and Control

Monitoring and control are sometimes combined with execution because they often occur at the
same time. As teams execute their project plan, they must constantly monitor their own progress.

To guarantee delivery of what was promised, teams must monitor tasks to prevent scope creep,
calculate key performance indicators and track variations from allotted cost and time. This
constant vigilance helps keep the project moving ahead smoothly.

5. Project Closure

Teams close a project when they deliver the finished project to the customer, communicating
completion to stakeholders and releasing resources to other projects. This vital step in the project
lifecycle allows the team to evaluate and document the project and move on the next one, using
previous project mistakes and successes to build stronger processes and more successful teams.

Although project management may seem overwhelming at times, breaking it down into these
five distinct cycles can help your team manage even the most complex projects and use time and
resources more wisely.

References:
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_management
 https://www.villanovau.com/resources/project-management/5-phases-project-
management-lifecycle/
 https://www.apm.org.uk/resources/what-is-project-management/
 https://keydifferences.com/difference-between-project-and-program.html