Our office decided we were going to implement a new programme management called MSP Programme Management. My boss has used different management programmes in the past and this time around he decided he was going to use MSP (Managing Successful Programmes) brought out by the Office of Government Commerce, an independent Office of the Treasury.



I must admit I was not looking forward to having another programme management implemented into the workplace as I hadn't found the other ones that helpful. In fact they seemed to create extra work without any benefits being gained. Anyway, my boss told us why he felt MSP Programme Management would be suitable for us: activities can be focused on our business objectives by providing a framework for management to manage and direct the change process; there is overall improved control where costs of introducing new infrastructure and quality regimes can be measured and assessed; changes within the program can be planned and implemented in an integrated manner and current operations are not seriously affected; there is a better management of risk, as the wider context is understood easily and acknowledged; there is a smooth transition from current to future business operations, which prepares us for an efficient migration to new ways of working; there is more efficient management of resources; business benefits are derived through delivery of improved performance; and last but not least there is more efficient control and co-ordination of a complex range of activities due to a definition of roles and responsibilities.

My boss also likes the fact that MSP Programme Management comes with a Vision Statement, a Blueprint, Business Case Model, Project portfolios, and benefit profiles. A Vision Statement “outlines what a company wants to be. It focuses on tomorrow; it is inspirational; it provides clear decision-making criteria; and it is timeless.” A Blueprint is a model of the future business or its working practices, and processes and technology that will be required to deliver the capabilities as specified in the Vision Statement.

Our boss told us he had had training in MSP Programme Management. He had taken the MSP Foundation exam which consisted of 50 questions and lasted 40 minutes. He said the training they had received had enhanced their decision-making power and because he had been properly trained it would mean MSP would be correctly implemented in our workplace. I guess he must know what he's talking about as he said he scored 90% in the MSP Foundation exam and he now has a globally recognized qualification.

When we started to use MSP in our workplace, we found there were clear lines of authority and management and it was flexible enough to respond to changes. There was also training and mentoring to support our teams and individuals at every level.

In conclusion, we are all very happy that our boss has implemented MSP into our work place, even though it wasn't initially greeted with open arms. My boss said MSP Programme Management has been successfully implemented both in public and private sectors alike and I can vouch that MSP has been a huge benefit to our business. There is more efficient use of our resources, we have better management of risk, our timescales, budgets and quality standards are controlled more effectively, our roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, and overall we are running a more successful business. As a direct result of having a more successful business, we have all been given healthy bonuses. So, if your boss informs you MSP Programme Management is going to be implemented in your work place, welcome the opportunity with open arms.