For most of us in the IT world, two major events over the last twenty years rank as “life changing”.  One is predominantly US-based and the other one caused the entire world to watch with anticipation.  I’m talking about the Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) rules for US organizations and the turn of the calendar from 1999 to 2000.  

Different in their very nature but oh so similar in one aspect.  They became massive umbrellas for all kinds of pet projects that people wanted to get done.  In the case of SOX, that still happens today.  And, while some of those projects are legitimate priorities, many crawl under their respective umbrellas in order to hide and find protection from the budget axes that fly so often.  It’s a bit absurd at times, but I also believe it brings unnecessary risk to our projects our portfolios and our organizations.

Program Management as it Ought to be

Programs are meant to be governing entities that help like projects run smoother and more efficiently.  Often, they provide stepping stone platforms so that early initiatives give way to bigger and more robust projects that bring increasing benefit to companies.  Our US space program followed exactly that model, running from Mercury to Gemini to Apollo to the shuttles and the International Space Station.  And while that isn’t a perfect example, it does show the nature of progressive projects that advance a common cause or principle.

Abusing the Umbrella

So why then do we want to constantly treat a program structure as some sort of “magic umbrella” that will protect every little project tied to it from the storms of the corporate world?  As I’ve experienced it, pet projects and somebody’s herd of “sacred cows” get funneled under an umbrella they have no business being a part of – usually because somebody ranted and raved and demanded to get their way.  Just like in the days of Y2K years ago and SOX (or some other compliance banner) today, all manner of waste and misguided projects get labeled as priorities and find their way under the fringes of an approved program umbrella.  I swear, at times it looks like you need a beach umbrella to keep all the child projects dry.  Only you aren’t stationary at the beach; you are walking down the street in a torrential rain storm and are at risk of losing the whole thing.

It’s time to stop abusing the umbrellas we have and dedicate their governance to what is really relevant and important to the programs they cover.  Everything else needs to stand on its own merit and vie for resources and time like any other project.  Now, I seriously doubt one little rant article by me with make that happen, but for a moment, I can dream and – just maybe – do my part to clean up the lines and priorities of the portfolio.  Time and money are too precious to waste on doing the wrong things.

Bio:

Mark Moore has held multiple professional positions in IT and business for nearly
three decades serving organizations both small and large, public and private.  With over half that time as a project manager, he has successfully managed major initiatives
spanning multiple years with a cost of over $3 Million and teams of over 250 people.  He has been a Project Management Professional since 2002, served as President of the PMI Western Michigan Chapter, and presented at multiple NCPMI Annual Events.  Mark holds a Masters of Education degree from Colorado State University with a concentration in Adult Education and Training.  He is an experienced writer, speaker and presenter on project management and team building topics.  Mark is the Principal Consultant for Broken Arrow Associates, LTD.  He and his family live in a rural area outside of Raleigh, North Carolina.  To contact Mark for opportunities or questions, send an e-mail to info@baa-ltd.com.