PgMP key terms

A group of related projects, subsidiary programs, and program activities managed in a coordinated way to obtain benefits not available from managing them individually.

The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to a program to meet its requirements and to achieve benefits and control not available from managing components individually.

Projects, programs, subsidiary portfolios, and operations managed as a group to achieve strategic objectives and optimize overall investment value.

The ongoing process of ensuring a program's objectives, components, and expected benefits support the organization's mission, goals, and priorities, and are revisited as strategy changes.

A documented justification for investing in a program, describing expected benefits, costs, risks, assumptions, and strategic fit, used to authorize and periodically revalidate funding.

Internal and external conditions such as culture, market conditions, regulations, technology, and available resources that shape how a program is planned and executed.

The organization's plans, processes, procedures, templates, and historical information that a program can reuse and that influence how its work is performed.

The sequence of phases a program passes through, typically definition, benefits delivery, and closure, each with distinct activities, deliverables, and decision points.

The opening phase in which the program mandate is translated into a charter, roadmap, architecture, benefit plan, and governance structure, ending with approval to proceed.

The phase in which components are authorized, executed, and transitioned so that planned benefits are produced, measured, and progressively realized.

The final phase in which components are closed or transitioned, benefit sustainment is confirmed, resources are released, and lessons learned are captured and archived.

A scheduled decision review at the end of a phase where governance examines performance and benefit evidence to authorize continuation, redirection, or termination.

A program element such as a project, subsidiary program, or program activity whose outputs contribute to achieving the program's intended benefits.

A time-based view of the program's components, milestones, major deliverables, and expected benefit delivery across the life cycle, used for planning and communication.

The consolidated document describing how the program will be executed, monitored, controlled, and closed, integrating component plans for scope, schedule, benefits, stakeholders, risk, and governance.

The document authorized by the sponsor that formally initiates the program, stating its purpose, expected benefits, boundaries, and the authority delegated to the program manager.

A statement from senior leadership describing the program's strategic intent and expected benefits, providing the basis for developing the charter and business case.

The structures, processes, and practices used to authorize, direct, monitor, and control a program and to confirm it delivers strategic benefits within acceptable risk.

A senior decision-making body, usually chaired by the sponsor, that provides oversight, approves plans and changes, resolves escalated issues, and authorizes phase transitions and closure.

The executive who champions the program, authorizes funding, provides strategic direction, and ensures intended benefits are realized and sustained.

An organizational unit that supports programs by supplying standards, templates, tools, oversight, and centralized coordination across the programs it serves.

A governance process for reviewing, approving, deferring, or rejecting change requests after assessing their impact on scope, schedule, cost, risk, and benefits.

The defined process of raising issues, risks, or decisions to a higher authority with the information and timeframes needed when they exceed the program manager's authority.

A structured, periodic evaluation of program performance against plans and benefit targets that informs governance decisions such as continuation, adjustment, or termination.

An independent, objective examination of program processes, controls, and compliance with governance requirements, producing findings and recommendations for improvement.

A measurable outcome, tangible or intangible, that is perceived as valuable by one or more stakeholders and that the program exists to deliver.

The progressive achievement of planned benefits, tracked from identification through transition into operations, often continuing after the program itself closes.

A living record of identified benefits with owners, metrics, baselines, targets, dependencies, and current status, used to monitor and report benefit achievement.

A document defining each benefit, its owner, measures, targets, timing, dependencies, and the transition activities needed for it to be realized and sustained.

A diagram linking program components and outputs to intermediate outcomes and ultimate strategic benefits, showing dependencies and assumptions.

The named individual accountable for achieving and then sustaining a specific benefit on time and to target, with authority over the required business changes.

An outcome perceived as negative by one or more stakeholders, which should be identified, quantified where possible, and managed alongside the program's benefits.

The activities and organizational arrangements that ensure realized benefits continue after the program closes and responsibility passes to operations.

The planned transfer of component outputs and benefit ownership to operations or a receiving organization, including readiness, training, and ongoing support arrangements.

A person, group, or organization that can affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by the program's decisions, activities, or outcomes.

A repository recording stakeholders' identification details, roles, interests, expectations, influence, and engagement classification, maintained throughout the program.

The process of assessing stakeholders' power, interest, influence, urgency, and potential impact to determine engagement priorities and appropriate approaches.

A document describing how the program will communicate with and involve each stakeholder group, including objectives, methods, frequency, responsibilities, and feedback mechanisms.

A plan specifying who needs what information, when, in what format, and through which channels, including arrangements for urgent or escalated communications.