Scribd
Upload
2K views

Difference Between Project and Program

A project is a temporary entity established to deliver specific outputs that are evaluated relative to an approved business case, while a program is a portfolio of multiple coordinated projects managed as a single unit to achieve organizational outcomes and benefits. Key differences include that projects have well-defined scopes and objectives, represent single efforts with tangible outputs, are shorter term, and success is measured by deliverables. Programs have greater uncertainty, represent collections of complementary projects achieving overall objectives, are longer term split into phases, success is measured by business benefits, and have more diverse and competing stakeholders in a more dynamic environment with constrained resources and ill-defined problems and potential solutions open to disagreement.

Uploaded by

Mehwish Jamil
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
2K views

Difference Between Project and Program

A project is a temporary entity established to deliver specific outputs that are evaluated relative to an approved business case, while a program is a portfolio of multiple coordinated projects managed as a single unit to achieve organizational outcomes and benefits. Key differences include that projects have well-defined scopes and objectives, represent single efforts with tangible outputs, are shorter term, and success is measured by deliverables. Programs have greater uncertainty, represent collections of complementary projects achieving overall objectives, are longer term split into phases, success is measured by business benefits, and have more diverse and competing stakeholders in a more dynamic environment with constrained resources and ill-defined problems and potential solutions open to disagreement.

Uploaded by

Mehwish Jamil
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

Difference Between Project And Program

Project:
A project is a temporary entity established to deliver specific (often tangible) outputs in line
and evaluated relative to an (Executive) approved business case which balances the costs, benefits
and risks of the project. The project business case should be managed under change control

Program:
A program is a portfolio comprised of multiple projects that are managed and coordinated as
one unit with the objective of achieving (often intangible) outcomes and benefits for the organization.

1. A project is a well defined charter that spells out exactly what the scope and objectives are for
the objects. On the other hand a program tends to have greater levels of uncertainty.
2. A project represents a single effort. It is a group of people forming a team working towards a
common goal. While a program is different; it is a collection of projects. Together all the projects
forms a cohesive package of work. The different projects are complimentary and help the
program to achieve its overall objectives.
3. Some projects do go on for several years but most of the projects you’ll work on will be shorter
than that. On the other hand, programs are definitely longer. As they set out to deliver more
stuff, they take longer. Programs tend to be split into tranches or phases. Some projects are also
split like this, but not all projects last long enough to be delivered in multiple phases.
4. A project team works towards achieving certain outputs, that is, what you get at the end. For
example, this could be a set of deliverables that form a software package, or a new retail
branch, or whatever it is that you are working on. The benefits of a project tend to be tangible:
you get a ‘thing’ at the end of it. A program team works towards delivering outcomes. Outcomes
can be tangible but are often not. The benefits of a program are the sum of the benefits of all
the different projects and this could amount to a policy or cultural change, or a shift in the way
an organization works.
5. Project success is measured in term of budget, time and scope delivered while program success
is measured in terms of business benefits, ROI, or new capabilities.
6. A project is a relatively limited number of stakeholder while in program there is a significant
number of diverse stakeholders; probable disagreement between them as to the definition of
the problem & the preferred solution.
7. Environment within which the project takes place is understood and relatively stable on the
other hand the environment is dynamic; and programme objectives need to be managed in the
context of the changing environment within which the organization operates.
8. Resources to deliver the project can be reasonably estimated in advance while in program the
resources are constrained and limited; there is competition for resources between projects.
9. In Project the nature of the problem is clearly defined while in program the nature of the
problem is ill-defined; often disagreement between key stake holder on the nature and
definition of the problem.
10. In Project the nature of the solution is a relatively limited number of potential solution while in a
program there is a significant number of a potential solution with often with disagreement
between stakeholders as to preferred solution.

You might also like