What are the best ways to maintain program alignment during changing priorities?

Maintaining program alignment amidst shifting priorities requires clear communication, adaptable planning, and consistent reassessment. Regularly revisit goals, openly discuss evolving priorities with all stakeholders, and adjust plans accordingly. Foster a culture of flexibility and collaboration to ensure everyone understands the rationale behind changes and remains committed to overarching objectives. Continuous evaluation of progress against these goals helps realign efforts swiftly, keeping the program on track despite shifting circumstances.

We need to have clear Program charter. Program Vision and Goal needs to be communicated at all layers and all stakeholders. ultimately the same will get into Project charter and Plan. So Continual Communication not just Program Vision but at all phases is key. This helps Transparency and better accountability.

It’s important to communicate the Why. People don’t like frequent changes. Changing priorities frequently can affect morale. You just need to be transparent that you’re reacting to the business landscape. You should also communicate quickly when priorities change. And you’ll need to repeat yourself many times in different forums for the message to stick. Even more so when you have a large audience. Sometimes the message needs to hit people 7 different times for it to stick. Don’t assume everyone will be on the page because you said it once or twice.

One thing I've found helpful is boiling the vision down to three versions - the single statement highline that never changes, the more detailed vision that relies on pillars, goals, and values, and a detailed (10 slides) presentation that expresses that highline, pillars, goals, and values in the specific language and materials that are pertinent to the audience. This helps maintain the singular vision while dealing with the reality of communicating to different groups with different perspectives and needs.

Having a program vision is crucial as it provides a clear direction and purpose for the development team. It serves as a guiding principle, aligning efforts, and ensuring that everyone works towards a common goal. A well-defined vision helps in making strategic decisions, prioritizing tasks, and maintaining focus throughout the development process.

Put your customers first. Identify and document the needs of your customers. Establish a program charter with clear objectives to meet the needs of your customers. Document the program sponsors and stakeholders. Identify who is responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed during program execution. Detail the program governance structure and reporting cadence. Specify the objective and threshold results. Provide detailed timelines to achieve the program objectives. Establish metrics to report progress towards achieving the program objectives. Define your end or enduring state and how the program achieves successful closure or persistent sustainment. Actively engage with your customers to ensure alignment with their needs.

Establishing relationships and communication at wider level across the stakeholders for the evolving situations is a key aspect. This will lead to frank and objective conversations to find potential options ahead and help arrive an acceptable solution.

Regularly scheduled (predictable) and timely updates. But perhaps more importantly, limit the number of people who can communicate official updates. Rumors can kill productivity. Keep communication simple, timely, and clear. Have clear lines of responsibility of who can reprioritize. More projects have been killed in the name of "efficiency" based on rumors than people realize.

Program priorities should be reflected in KPIs, timing and action plan. Changing priorities should also be reflected in the same concepts. changes should be communicated thorugh the communication channels in place. if changes are urgent and/or major additional communication channels need to be put in place until all involved team members are aware and conscious of the changes and their implications.

Establishing a governance approach up front creates the agreed guidelines for communications and decision making. We all know that in a project change is inevitable, so having rules of engagement to handle these is critical. Build a governance model that aligns with your project size, scope, stakeholder alignments and organizational political environment.

Establishing a governance framework in program management is like setting the rules of the game. It involves defining decision making processes, roles and responsibilities to ensure alignment with organizational objectives. This framework acts as your guide, promoting accountability, transparency and effective communication which are essential for successful program delivery.

In the realm of project management, establishing a solid framework is not just a step; it's the bedrock of success. Accountability at every level must be clearly defined to navigate the path to victory. Think of the framework as your compass, guiding you through the complexities of a project. With a robust structure, success isn't a chance; it's a certainty.

We have much evidence that humans need to understand the "why" of their actions and contributions. Essential to every program is to refresh and review continuously the purpose of the program. The governance framework must on an ongoing basis align with the priorities and communicate the purpose of the program.

✅📝 To establish a governance framework, define governance structure, set clear objectives, implement performance measurement, integrate risk management, ensure compliance, prioritize transparent communication, and enforce accountability. 💡 Governance framework should also include mechanisms for accountability, ensuring that individuals and teams are responsible for delivering on their commitments. This might involve setting up review processes, assigning ownership of key tasks, and implementing consequences for subpar performance.

“The only constant thing is change”. It was true when Heraclitus said it in Ancient Greece, it is true in today’s AI revolution. So with that mindset, same should be applied about how we govern a project. It has to be nimble but at the same time scalable. From my experience, there are three key factors that if run well will boost the performance of any governance mechanism: 1. Ensuring you have the right set of people engaged. 2. Clear lines of communication incl. frequency and feedback loop. 3. Performance criteria which helps you create the state of urgency.

A governance framework ensures that any change in the project aligns with the broader organizational goals, preventing misalignment and ensuring that the project contributes to the strategic objectives of the organization. Additionally, changing processes can introduce new risks or alter existing risk profiles. By maintaining alignment with the governance framework, project managers can ensure that risks are managed proactively, preserving the project's health and viability. Most importantly, a governance framework ensures that all changes are properly documented and comply with relevant policies, laws, and regulations. This is important for audit trails, legal compliance, and for maintaining an accurate historical record of the project.

Having well defined Project Lifecycle or Project Management Processes is the first step in ensuring project alignment. The project charter and plan should clearly define the alignment to the team or organization's goals. The plan defines the steps of how a goal will be achieved - the how, when and why. Remember its a plan and plans may need to change, so having a well defined change management process will help to ensure that any change in priorities are handled properly throughout the project.

In my experience, it is critical to establish responsibilities owned jointly by multiple roles. One joint responsibility that trips up programs the most is aligning on priorities. Who owns that? Often multiple people need to get in a room with a clear goal in mind, some facts about the work that they are proposing, and come to an agreement on sequencing and staffing. Don’t assume this will work perfectly the first time and free yourself from trying to create the perfect structure, templates, decision criteria on day 1. Focus on getting the right people to the table with as clear a goal as you can articulate and as much facts as they can muster. Don’t leave until you have priorities. Then rinse and repeat to improve on the first time.

When you regularly review your project make sure that you have a good and appropriate cross section of stakeholders present. That way all areas of the business know what's going on but more importantly you can make decisions there and then.

A technique which can help here is RAID i.e document Risk, Assumption, Issues and dependencies and if possible make this part of your project management tool like JIRA. In case for any epic/feature/story there is dependency on different team, you create a ticket of type dependency and associated with both dependent epics

Inadequate dependency management is where most risks materialize and impact the scope, schedule or cost of the project. In my experience, quarterly PI planning is a very helpful cross-functional technique to discover, own and manage dependencies before teams get into execution.

Develop a dependency matrix that also includes systems. Understand the critical operational items by having a full understanding of the BUSINESS of the program. Pay close attention to data that is shared across the program fabric and ensure that a data governance model is created to maintain integrity and ownership properly. Identify the areas of inefficiencies and incorporate strategies to address those as part of program efforts.

I am an advocate for prioritizing what is essential and unknown. The journey of large program work is a journey into uncertainty and discovery. So, discover what you need to - intentionally.

Ceci nécessite d'abord une compréhension et une maîtrise de la théorie de changement de votre programme afin de déceler les relations entre les projets, les composantes/volets, les ressources. La planification fera en sorte que les préalabres soient clairement identifiées et liés aux autres jalons de mise en oeuvre. L'évaluation constante du plan de mise en oeuvre permettra de l'ajuster constamment tout en restant dans le but d'atteindre le changement souhaité.

Dependencies and interdependencies between the program components lead to corresponding risks, issues and actions. Not identifying dependencies can lead to the Program failures or delays. The first crucial step is making sure all stakeholders are part of the identification process of all the dependencies, next is to track them and then making sure the impact is discussed, measured and any course correction required is implemented.

Managing dependencies and interdependencies is crucial for program success. Identifying, analyzing, and documenting these relationships ensures smooth coordination among components. Through proactive monitoring and collaboration with teams, conflicts can be resolved, maintaining alignment and mitigating risks. This comprehensive approach fosters efficiency, enhancing schedule adherence, quality, and cost-effectiveness throughout the program lifecycle.

A strong change control process is of great benefit to any project or program. This governance will cover everything from a small budget oversight to a major shift in the direction of the IT solution, for instance. At times, massive shifts take place and initiatives get put on hold as realignment takes place. It is important to ensure, as the project or program goes through this change, to review and determine if the vision and/or objectives have changed. This must be documented and communicated effectively within the program team, as well as outside of the program team to account for changes to interdependencies. To save costs down the road, it is imperative that change control is done adequately, which includes impact analysis.

In my experience one of the ways to align and adapt to changing priorities is to take an OKR based approach - Any new initiative should have a clearly defined OBjECTiVE that ties back to the overall goal with measurable impact & its contribution - The new initiative/s should have incremental RESULT measuring criteria identified before it makes it above the cut line Asking the difficult questions upfront to identify measurable results becomes a forcing mechanism for requesting teams to articulate its benefit and way to measure it upfront or deem it as not critical after all. This exercise also feeds into prioritization discussions, drives alignment organically thus resulting in effectively adapting to a change

Embracing change is not just a trait; it's a strategic advantage when executing programs. The ability to adapt with agility is a linchpin for success. A well aligned and communicative team becomes a powerhouse, navigating through uncertainties with precision. In the dynamic landscape of project management, adaptability isn't just a choice; it's the key to unlocking unparalleled success.

In the space of peace, security, and development where I am quite familiar, maintaining program alignment amid shifting priorities necessitates a multifaceted approach: 1. Clear and honest communication is important. 2. Adaptive Management and Flexibility: Flexibility enables program adjustments without compromising core objectives. 3. Strategic Planning: Essential for managing unforeseen risks, a comprehensive risk register at the start of the program is imperative. Moreover, any program design should prioritize continuous monitoring and evaluation. Regular assessments help in ensuring ongoing alignment with evolving priorities and providing a mechanism for program refinement.

Innovation needs processes and systems that allow for change but can still control and track those changes effectively. Develop agile systems to match your team's agile approach.

Whether you are migrating to the cloud or simply doing a people re-org, consider every point the change touches. Financial is not the only factor. Consider morale, attrition it may cause, people and culture aspect, etc. the change may negatively drive the bottom line when the intent was the opposite.

Program managers should set clear expectations with their teams that priorities will likely shift and prepare them for this eventuality. Communication is key; maintaining open lines of communication with stakeholders and the project team ensures that everyone is aware of the changes and understands their implications. It is also important to have a reliable communication strategy to disseminate information about changing priorities effectively. Risk management should be an integral part of the program's strategy to anticipate and mitigate the impacts of priority shifts.

This is where the power of agile can be worth its weight in gold. Agile teams are able to pivot from sprint to sprint. A very clear prioritization activity that will remove an item to add an item is a typical activity on agile teams. Adding on top of an item is only possible if the agile team agree and commit. Educating the wider organization is the key to this. In some cases a team may temporarily bring other colleagues into the sprint on secondment to continue existing work, while taking on an added priority. Even in an non-agile environment, it is possible to utilize some of the agile methodology to help with changing priorities.

There are some very good responses or comments so far regarding the relevance and importance of clarity of original program vision and the established governance arrangements for decision making. Just to add, it is important to continue to assess the programs vertical logic to determine to what extent the changing priorities and other factors external to the program environment necessitates minor adjustments, realignment or reconsideration (including early program termination). The immediate next steps or decision depends on the extent the changes affect the original vertical logic for the program being executed.

Do not get so carried away with innovation that you forget about whay you are doing it and what value it brings. Companies are there to make money and in a defined project timeframe so make sure that you keep an eye on costs and that you can ultimately make a profit.

Ensuring the program benefits are clearly communicated to all stakeholder communities is essential to the success of the program. Keep in mind that this will likely mean utilizing multiple communication forums and styles to reach and engage all stakeholders effectively.

To paraphrase numerous persons, "The best laid plan does not survive the first five minutes of implementation." Or as Eisenhower pointed out, "the very definition of an emergency is that it is unexpected, therefore it is not going to happen the way you are planning." The moral of either quote is that planning is necessary but must always be adaptable. Unexpected events are going to occur regardless of how hard you try to avoid them. Trying to force a plan to work when the unexpected arrives is a recipe for failure. Adaptability is essential. An ideal plan assumes there will be disruptions along each critical path. Try to anticipate them to avoid a crisis but always be to scrape the original and follow a suitable alternative.

OKRs are critical to gaining consensus on what the priorities are and why. They should be measureable outcomes with owners and due dates. Every objective should map to a program benefit, which should be benchmarked and measured along the way to ensure the end game is always front of mind.

By what measure? It is important that the program's desired outputs and outcomes have effective metrics in place so that you can effectively assess if the program's benefits are being realized.

Communication, specifically adapting communication to the specific needs of the audience, is the key to ensuring buy-in from stakeholders, especially during a period of change. Ensure you are equipped to adequately report on wins or future improvements needed, following program closure.

Clear alignment of the value of programs to organizational and stakeholder priorities is essential. This sounds simple, but in practice, it is very difficult. What I have experienced is that many teams and program leaders restate their program benefits in the language of new priorities (“re-brand”) versus take on the challenge of an unbiased assessment. Many senior leaders try to address this issue with “new governance” processes which often fail as the process was not the problem nor is it the salvation. What I have experienced works is individual and organizational courage—the courage to provide assessments without regard to personal or departmental implications. Where courageous, honest leadership is rewarded, organizations thrive.

This section seems like gobbledygook to me. I can imagine the deadening powerpoint that goes with this analysis. Program executive sponsors do not have time for this and it is doubtful that any value would be created. If your governance structure is spending time on this - find a new one

Establish Clear Communication Channels: Regularly communicate changes in priorities to all stakeholders, ensuring transparency and providing a platform for open discussions. This helps maintain program alignment by keeping everyone informed, addressing concerns promptly, and adapting strategies collaboratively.

One thing I’ve found helpful is to provide training if teams need to learn new processes, tools or methods due to realignment. This will enable their continued success. Also, convey exactly how shifting priorities will impact in-flight work to set appropriate expectations among leadership, teams and stakeholders.

Answering simple question first for any program - What and Why we are delivering ? Who (Target audience/customer/stakeholder) and When (timeline) ? Create Program roadmap and Program Charter. Define OKRs. How to report OKRs to leadership team and derive results from them.

Change is a process and everyone goes through the journey at a different rate. Be mindful of that. Educate and empower others to be aware of this and ensure others are able to navigate the curve without too much incident.

Listen to feedback and make adjustments if warranted to mitigate potential downstream issues. Alignment necessitates a degree of flexibility, even if “mid course” corrections are required.

Changing priorities is inevitable but remains one of the hardest aspects of delivery. Depending upon the prerequisites already in place and the level of maturity, the approach varies. Managing the politics involved and being able to provide stakeholders with a path (face saving ways out) helps. Taking stakeholders on the journey of acceptance (risks, trade-offs, impacts, personalisation of benefits, and management of responsibility) also helps as we are often dealing with emotions and alignment of interests. A point of decision making with response to circumstances also facilitates the process. Enabling budget and resources (with required time away from operations and continuity of time) is part of taking stakeholders on the journey.

Something that has helped me in being very successful with the program/process rollout, especially when it is global in scale, is to be able to find regional super users, who can act as the voice for the region, both to provide feedback on the programs, success and pain points to the program manager, and be the person to take any message back to the regional teams on any new updates or significant progress that would be considered meaningful

Before getting technical, focus should be in personal level: 1- Dedication to efficiency 2- Dedication to continuous improvement. 2-Optimize outcome/yield in comparison to resource input. 3-Communicating transparently.

Remember that there is always a cost, whether that be in time, money, or quality. The initial answer should always be, “let me relook at the project plan with these new priorities in mind.” Stakeholders need to understand the costs and you have an obligation to tell them. The goal is a happy stakeholder at the completion of a project. It is a rookie mistake to focus on a happy stakeholder during execution. Stakeholder management does not equal happy stakeholder. Manage expectations, deliver value, close successful projects. That is the goal.

When priorities shift, concise stakeholder assessment and adaptive engagement plans are crucial, ensuring effective communication, addressing concerns, and fostering collaborative decision-making. Thoroughly revising the program plan and business case, including realigning vision, objectives, scope, and resources, ensures alignment with current circumstances and organizational goals. Seeking approval for major changes from sponsors guarantees organizational alignment. Rigorous monitoring and control, facilitated by tools like dashboards and audits, enable effective progress measurement and implementation of corrective actions for program success amid evolving priorities.

Communicating changes with relevant stakeholders can help to build trust and ensure that everyone is on the same page. Be sure to follow-up with stakeholders to notify them when plans change and new urgent tasks arise.