Program Management

Program Management

Business Case Analysis (BCA)

A Business Case Analysis (BCA) is a document that provides a best-value analysis that considers not only cost but other quantifiable and non-quantifiable factors supporting an investment decision. A BCA should aid the decision maker in making an informed product support strategy decision. It should be tailored to inform the Program Manager of the costs, […]

Program Management

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Program Management

5 Steps in the Research Process

The research process entails systematically acquiring knowledge, resolving issues, or addressing particular inquiries. It is a series of systematic procedures that a researcher must undertake to generate valuable knowledge relevant to the project and focused on the relevant subject matter. The process is iterative, with each subsequent step influenced by the preceding one. The successful

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Program Management

Security Classification Guide (SCG)

The Security Classification Guide (SCG) is part of the Program Protection Plan (PPP). It details how the information will be classified and marked on an acquisition program. It’s the written record of an original classification decision or series of decisions regarding a system, plan, program, or project. The SCG addresses each Critical Program Information (CPI),

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Program Management

Cross-Functional Team

A cross-functional team is a group of people with different functional expertise working toward a common mission and goal. It may include people from finance, marketing, operations, and human resources departments. It may include employees from all levels of an organization (Intra) and may also include people from outside (Inter) an organization (in particular, from

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Program Management

Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) – Overview

A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is a written document describing a cooperative relationship between two parties wishing to work together on a project or to meet an agreed-upon objective. An MOA serves as a legal document and describes the terms and details of the partnership agreement. It is more formal than a verbal agreement but

Program Management

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Program Management

Total Life Cycle Systems Management (TLCSM)

Total Life-Cycle Systems Management (TLCSM) is a system development approach of managing the development of a system from inception to disposal. The Program Manager (PM) is the single point of accountability for accomplishing program objectives for TLCSM. Consequently, the PM is responsible for the implementation, management, and/or oversight of activities associated with the system’s development,

Program Management

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Program Management

Team Development Stages

In 1965, Bruce Tuckman discovered that teams go through a team-building process comprised of five stages of growth: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and finally Adjourning.  Teams do not typically go through the team-building process on their own accord.  Teams must be led through the process by their Program Manager (PM). Below is a detailed explanation

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Program Management

SWOT Analysis

Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, Threat (SWOT) analysis provides direction and serves as a basis for the development of marketing plans. It accomplishes this by assessing organizations: [1] Strengths: what an organization can do Weaknesses: what an organization cannot do Opportunities: potentially favorable conditions for an organization Threats: potentially unfavorable conditions for an organization. Definition: A SWOT

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Program Management

Social Engineering

  Social engineering is a discipline in an acquisition that refers to efforts to influence popular attitudes and social behaviors on a large scale.  Program managers spend time social engineering the aspect of their program to get approval, change opinions and/or educate the people around them.  In the political arena, the counterpart of social engineering

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Program Management

Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)

A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) describes the participation of various organizations, people, and their roles in completing tasks or deliverables for a project. The Program Manager (PM) uses it to clarify roles and responsibilities in a cross-functional team, projects, and processes. A RAM has four primary assignments: Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed (also called a RACI

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Program Management

Programmatic Environmental Safety and Occupational Health Evaluation

Programmatic Environmental, Safety and Occupational Evaluation (PESHE) is an overall evaluation of a programs Environmental, Safety and Occupational Health (ESOH) risks and is required for all programs.  The PESHE is part of a program’s Risk Management/Reduction program with the goal to eliminate ESOH hazards, where possible, and manage their associated risks where hazards cannot be

Program Management

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Program Management

Program Manager (PM)

In Program Management, the Program Manager (PM) is the designated individual with the responsibility for and authority to accomplish program objectives for the development, production, and sustainment to meet the user’s operational needs. Definition: A Program Manager is the individual responsible for the overall COST, SCHEDULE, and PERFORMANCE of a variety of projects across a

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Program Management

Program Management Review (PMR)

A Program Management Review (PMR) is a structured program review that is conducted by the Program Manager (PM) with all key Stakeholders.  A PMR might be conducted at a specific milestone on a program or on a predictable schedule (Monthly, Quarterly, or Semi-Annually).  The PMR should focus on the main deliverables in the Statement of

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Program Management

Program Deviation Report (PDR)

A Program Deviation Report (PDR) describes deviations (also called “breaches”) to the Acquisition Program Baseline (APB) to the Defense Acquisition Executive (DAE) and Component Acquisition Executives (CAEs). [1] When the Program Manager (PM) has reason to believe that the current estimate for the program indicates that a performance, schedule, or cost threshold value will not

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Program Management

Problem Solving

  Problem-solving is a mental process and is part of the larger problem process that includes problem finding and problem shaping. Considered the most complex of all intellectual functions, problem-solving has been defined as a higher-order cognitive process that requires the modulation and control of more routine or fundamental skills. Problem-solving occurs when an organism

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