MSP Practitioner key terms

A temporary, flexible structure created to coordinate, direct and oversee a set of related projects and change activity, delivering outcomes and benefits of strategic importance to one or more organisations.

A temporary structure created to deliver one or more defined outputs, usually within a fixed scope, cost and schedule, and typically managed under a project management method rather than a programme.

The trigger document that authorises the start of a programme and identifies the sponsor, the strategic need and the expected benefits, providing the basis for the first tranche of work.

A short document produced during Identifying a Programme that captures the mandate, the vision, the blueprint outline and the benefits, and is used to decide whether a full programme definition should proceed.

A concise, compelling description of the future state the programme will create, expressed in outcome terms, which motivates stakeholders and anchors all planning and decision-making.

A model of the future organisation, describing the target operating state and the incremental steps to reach it, covering processes, organisation, technology, information and culture.

A group of projects and change activity that together deliver a coherent set of benefits and culminate in a review point, with each tranche building on the outcomes of the previous one.

A measurable improvement in an outcome perceived as positive by one or more stakeholders, resulting from a change and contributing to strategic objectives; benefits must be quantified, owned and realised.

A measurable decline in an outcome perceived as negative by one or more stakeholders, which must be identified, quantified and managed alongside benefits in the programme's business case.

A document defining an individual benefit: its description, owner, the projects and changes that deliver it, the measures and baselines, and the realisation and review arrangements.

A plan describing how, when and by whom benefits will be measured and realised, including transition activity, measurement methods, baselines and the reviews needed after projects close.

The named individual accountable for realising a specific benefit, typically a business manager who adopts the change and ensures the measured improvement is achieved and sustained.

The justification for the programme, setting out the strategic fit, expected benefits and disbenefits, costs, risks and timescales, and updated at each tranche boundary to support continued investment decisions.

The single individual accountable for the programme's success, owning the vision and business case, securing funding and ensuring the programme delivers the intended outcomes and benefits.

The key decision-making forum of the programme, chaired by the Senior Responsible Owner and comprising business, user and supplier representation, responsible for governance, direction and tranche approval.

The role accountable for embedding change into business operations, preparing affected people, managing resistance and ensuring that benefits are realised after projects deliver their outputs.

The role responsible for day-to-day management of the programme, designing and leading the programme organisation, controlling projects and change activity, and reporting progress to the Programme Board.

The function that supports the programme by providing standards, tools, information management, assurance coordination and governance administration, and which may be an embedded or a central service.

Independent scrutiny of the programme's governance, management and delivery to provide confidence that objectives will be met and that risks and controls are being managed appropriately.

The second process of the programme lifecycle, producing the plans, blueprint, business case, governance arrangements and controls needed before the first tranche can be commissioned.

The process of governing and directing the programme through each tranche, controlling projects, managing stakeholders and dependencies, and preparing for the end-of-tranche review.

The process that coordinates projects and change activity within a tranche so that outputs combine into a new capability, and that manages the transition of that capability into operational use.

A formal review at the end of each tranche that assesses benefits achieved, performance and the business case, and confirms, re-plans or stops the programme before the next tranche.

The combined processes, people, technology and information needed to deliver a business outcome; a programme builds capability that enables benefits when adopted by the business.

A tangible or intangible product created by a project, such as a system or a redesigned process, which contributes to a capability but does not itself deliver a benefit.

The planned process of moving new capability into business-as-usual use, covering readiness, handover, communication and support so that benefits can begin to be realised.

The ongoing operational activity of the organisation into which programme outputs are embedded, and from which benefits are realised after transition is complete.

A relationship between projects, activities or programmes where the progress or delivery of one affects another, requiring active coordination and escalation within the programme.

An uncertain event that, if it occurs, would affect the programme's objectives, assessed for probability and impact and managed through a defined risk management approach.

A problem or unresolved matter that is already affecting the programme and requires a management decision or action, managed through the issue resolution procedure and escalation route.

The procedure for capturing, assessing and deciding on requests to change programme scope, plans or requirements, ensuring impacts on benefits, costs and risks are understood before approval.

The approach defining how the programme will identify, analyse, communicate with and involve stakeholders, including key messages, channels and responsibilities for engagement.

Any individual or group with an interest in, influence over, or affected by the programme, whose needs and expectations must be analysed and managed to support successful delivery.

The arrangements for defining, collecting, storing, controlling and distributing programme information, including the programme's information management strategy and the role of the Programme Office.

A review of the programme's progress and performance at a defined point, comparing actual achievement of outcomes and benefits against the business case to inform continuation decisions.

The final process confirming that all outputs are delivered, benefits are being realised, and that arrangements exist for post-programme review before the programme organisation is disbanded.

The senior individual who champions the programme at executive level, secures its mandate and funding, and provides visible leadership, often combining this with the Senior Responsible Owner role.

A description of how the organisation will operate once the programme's changes are complete, used within the blueprint to define the future state and the steps to reach it.

The individual responsible for delivering a project's outputs to agreed scope, cost, quality and time, reporting to the programme and working within programme-defined controls and governance.