Program Strategy Alignment

After you had been assigned to manage an important program in your organization, one stakeholder objected to initiate the program until the program feasibility study is developed. Which of the following is not considered a reason for the organization to have a feasibility study?

• Ensure a program's alignment with the vision, organizational strategy, and objectives

• Clarify and define program requirements and risks

• Clarify and define the program milestones

• Clarify and define program objectives

Answer explanation

Options (A), (B), and (D) are considered reasons for the organization to have a feasibility study, but option (C) is not. Therefore, the right answer is an option (C).

The senior management in your organization is trying to identify the total sum of all tangible & intangible elements that exixt in the organization. To ease this process, they requested all the project & program managers to provide the necessary supporting information. What is the likely outcome of this?

• Identify the business value

• Identify the future goals

• Identify the business needs

• Part of project & program monitoring process

Answer explanation

Business value may be defined as the sum of all tangible and intangible elements of a business where, for example, tangible elements include monetary assets, facilities, fixtures, equity, tools, market share, and utility. Intangible elements may include goodwill, brand recognition, public benefit, trademarks, compliance, reputation, strategic alignment, and capabilities. The business value may also be created through the effective management of ongoing well-established operations.

Who provides the necessary support to the program manager to support program-level change management activities?

• Component project managers

• Program management team

• Program Management office

• Senior Management

Answer explanation

A program management office is an important element of the program's infrastructure and an aid to the program manager. It may support the program manager with the management of supporting program-level change management activities.

A manufacturer of luxury automobiles is keen on entering into a new market, which seems to have much potential. What should be the first step for the company on this venture?

• Establish a joint venture with a local automobile company that has a better understanding of the local market and local regulations

• Prepare a business case to understand the implications of this venture for the overall organization

• Undertake a detailed market study to figure out the demand for luxury automobiles in the target market

• Issue a program charter and appoint a program manager who is a resident of the target market region and an expert in the automobile industry

Answer explanation

Option B is correct. The first step should be to prepare a business case and come up with a business justification. The market study may be a part of the business case preparation activity, but not necessarily so. If there is already data available about the target market, then market research may not be required. Also, establishing a joint venture may or may not be desirable and seems a bit presumptive when the program is still in the evaluation stage. For a similar reason, the issuance of a program charter is a little premature. The business justification need to be created first.

Which statement below is TRUE?

• Project Management drives Organizational strategies

• Program Management drives Organizational strategies

• Organizational strategies drive Project, Program & Portfolio management

• Organizational strategies drive only Portfolio management and not Project, Program management

Answer explanation

Option C is the correct statement.

You need to initiate a program. As a program manager, you document how the projects and other program components configured to deliver the program and the intended benefits. Which program artifact are you preparing?

• Business Case

• Program Roadmap

• Benefits management plan

• Program Charter

Answer explanation

Directly mapped question to standard; please refer to section 7.1.2.1 on Page # 93.

A program manager uses a graph to present senior management about the program's key milestones and decision points where senior management involvement is needed. Which document program manager is using for this presentation?

• Program charter

• Program roadmap

• Benefits management plan

• Program Management Plan

Answer explanation

The program roadmap is a chronological representation of a program's intended direction, graphically depicting dependencies between major milestones and decision points, reflecting the linkage between the business strategy and the program work.

David and Ryan are discussing the program roadmap. David says it depicts how benefits such a system capabilities will be delivered through incremental releases or a series of models. However, Ryan says it can be a valuable tool for managing the organization of a program and assesing a program's progress toward achieving its expected benefits. What is the right description of the program roadmap?

• Ryan's description is right

• David's description is right

• Both are right

• Both are wrong

Answer explanation

Both David and Ryan are right, and they are describing a different aspect of the program roadmap.

Who is responsible for ensuring the alignment of the individual component plans with the program's goals and intended benefits to support the organization's strategy?

• The program manager

• The component manager

• The program sponsor

• The whole program team

Answer explanation

The program manager is responsible for ensuring the alignment of the individual component plans with the program's goals and intended benefits to support the organization's strategy. The component manager (project manager or subprogram manager) is responsible for managing the component within the program. The program sponsor champions the program and is responsible for providing program resources. Therefore, the right answer is an option (A).

You have several programs in your organization, so many initiatives are taken. The organization is validating all the documents to determine which program will be most viable in that context. Which is the document that the organization will approve?

• Business Case

• Benefits Management Plan

• Program Charter

• Raodmap

Answer explanation

Program selection decisions are always based on the business case, which justifies the feasibility and viability of the program. The business case will have cost-benefit justification, resource justification, schedule justification, risk justification, among other details.