PMcrunch

Project managers got to be project managers from a variety of career paths. Many of us have become specialists in certain areas, such as earned value, or scheduling, or critical path methods, or other such specialized techniques within the project management skill set. However, many others of us got here because it represented an opportunity to actually broaden skill sets and qualify us for other positions.

For many, simply having the PMP certification was either required by our companies or was a ticket to a new position because of the high demand for the credential. For those on their way to someplace different, what does it mean and what might be a next step?

Being a project manager, to me, has provided the opportunity to work on a variety of projects, and to transport some skills among those projects along the way. It provides a means of horizontal mobility. What I mean by horizontal mobility is the ability to cross from one department to another, from one technology to another, from one function to another, and from team to team, and, in all these transitions, to bring increased breadth of skills, exposure, and contacts each time.

This is a valuable set of skills and experience that builds up over time. This cross organization, even cross industry skill set brings exposure, contacts, insights, and expertise that become valuable above and beyond being just a project manager. One possible upwardly-mobile move for many project managers, including myself, could be becoming a program manager.

The distinguishing factor, for me, about program management is that it cuts across many domains. It is the programs that cut across many domains. Programs are geared explicitly toward a business goal; they are defined by a business goal. Projects are defined by the implementation of a particular business goal. Programs are higher level in the sense that they may be driven by some goal, such as to build market presence in a certain area.

Building that market presence in a certain area involves understanding aspects of production, processes cutting across human resources, finance, and marketing, driving sales, and, perhaps, even getting involved in product development. Contrast this with projects which are going to be pieces of implementations of those various aspects that fall under the general umbrella of the program.

Program management, being more general management oriented, truly cuts across many disciplines and can be a next step for many project managers. However, my sense is that program management has a certain formality to it that is going to lend itself to larger, more formal organizations. Within a larger organizational structure, I can see this program management opportunity presenting itself more. However, an understanding of program management, whether through a formal career path and certification or just simply to understand the aspects of it and broaden your individual skill set, would be a valuable thing to get your hands around and advance your career in any direction.

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John Reiling, PMP
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