Check List for Managing a Program

The San Diego Research Center now owned by Argon ST has a nice check list for managing programs. This list is inclusive and not all items may be applicable. But each of these is important to assess.

• A clear, concise statement defining the program has been prepared and reviewed by knowledge parties for consensus.
•  Performance objectives have been written following guidelines and each contains an actual calendar date for completion,
• A Work Breakdown Structure has been developed to a level sufficient to prepare accurate estimates of cost, resources and working times for all program activities.
• A Statement of program scope clearly defines the limits of what will and what will not be done.
• Specifications that must be met are either identified or contained in the program notebook and the Control Accounts Managers (CAM) notebook.
• Tangible deliverables have been identified for specific milestones to permit performance measurement.
• A Linear Responsibility Chart shows involvement of key contributors to the program.
• A working schedule has been prepared with resources allocated so that significant planned overtime will not be required to meet program deadlines.
• A Critical Path Method and Program Evaluation Review Techniques diagram is the basis for all bar-charts working schedules, so that dependencies are known.
• A spend plan cure has been prepared to show cash flow throughout the program’s duration.
• Strengths, Weaknesses as well as Opportunity and Threats (SWOT) analysis have been prepared, with particular attention to program risk.
• Where risks have been identified, contingency plans have been started to deal with them as well as a risk register to tract the potentials for the risk becoming a problem.
• If capital equipment is needed in the program, appropriate requisitions have been prepared, with cost justifications attached. The Program plan was prepared with participation and/or input from the Control Account Managers.
• The program notebook has been signed off by stakeholders and copies distributed to contributors.
• A control system has been established using variance analysis to assess in performance measurement.
• All components of the program measurement system are in place as defined in the Earned Value Management System description.
• Individuals have been selected for assignment to the program whose individual needs will be met through participation, where possible.
• The program is planned to a manageable level of detail at no less that level 3 of the work breakdown structure (WBS).
• Work has been broken down into reasonable durations tasks (work packages) which are assigned with a budget and to a responsible Control Account Manager.
• A post-mortem has been done at each milestone in the program and a final one has been done for the overall program and placed in the program and CAM’s (Control Account Manager) notebooks.
• The program notebook has been placed in a central file for use in the future program planning.
• Members of the team have been instructed to record their working times on the program daily.
• A chart of control accounts (level three of the WBS) has been developed to track earned value against the plan and the contract deliverables of the program.
• All members of the team are clear on the expectations of them in terms of authority, responsibility and accountability.
• The standard operating procedures for empowering people has been applied to every member of the team.
• Limits have been established to determine when the program plan will be revised, such as plus or minus 10% total authorized budget variation, etc.
• The needs of customers have been carefully considered and documented in preparing the program plan.
• Qualitative guides have been developed for non-quantifiable program objectives, such as program performance.
• Checklists have been prepared for major segments of the program so that nothing is overlooked.

Like all check lists, they are conversation starters, not solutions. Ask yourself if any of these things are missing? If they are, what would you expect the undesirable outcomes would be? If these exist, what are you going to do about them?

Over the next weeks, I'll be writing about how to fulfill each of the items in some reasonable and simple way. In other words, what would DONE look like for each of these and what is the evidence they are DONE?