difference between a project and a program

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What Is Project Management?

A project is an undertaking by one or more people to develop and create a service, product or goal. Project management is the process of overseeing, organizing and guiding an entire project from start to finish. Here are more facts about project management.

Project Management Helps Teams Work Together

A competent project manager pulls together all of the people involved in a project to ensure that tasks are done cooperatively and with regard to the tasks’ effects on other people’s project outcomes. For example, when a new building is being constructed, a project manager will schedule electrical wiring installation before scheduling installation of light fixtures and electrical equipment. If the lighting crew is scheduled before the structure is wired, the lighting crew wastes time arriving on site only to find they can’t perform their work.

Project managers also schedule meetings between various teams to foster cooperation and increased communication about projects. In the example above, the project manager may schedule a meeting during which the electricians explain the wiring, wall-switch operation and receptacle layout to the lighting contractors. Both teams communicate their needs and concerns to help the project move forward without delays.

Project Management Performs Vital Processes

According to the Project Management Institute, five main management processes are used to see a project through to completion. The five processes are:

Monitoring and controlling

At the initiating phase, key individuals share ideas about a proposed project. In the planning stages, the project is defined and schedules are created to complete the project in a defined time frame. Execution of the project requires organizing and scheduling supplies, materials and workers to complete the project. Monitoring and controlling in project management is the process of inspecting work, crunching budget numbers and keeping track of deadlines. Closing the project involves site cleanup, turning over the project to the owner, collecting payments and scheduling meetings to discuss the lessons learned from a project.

Project Management Focuses on Key Areas of Knowledge

Project management draws on a diverse set of skills. While project managers don’t need to have in-depth knowledge of all key skill areas, they do need to have a basic understanding of the limitations and concerns of each knowledge area. Project managers need to view a project in its entirety and understand the relationships between costs, quality, supply procurement, human resources, communication, risk management and stakeholder management.

Project Management Requires Document Management

A competent project manager organizes all documentation including invoices, e-mails, bids, proposals, permits, and project changes. The project manager ensures documents are submitted on time and to the correct businesses, agencies or individuals. The project manager is also responsible for secure storage of all project documents.

Project Management Helps Meet Goals

Project management is a relatively new field of practice and study but has become a proven method to meet lofty goals and bring diverse groups of people together for a common purpose.

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The Difference Between a Project and a Program

Project vs Program, plus the difference between Project and Program Managers.

What is a project?

A project refers to a specific, singular endeavour to deliver a tangible output.

A project manager is therefore responsible for ensuring a project delivers on its intended output in line with a defined time frame and budget.

What is a program/programme?

A program refers to multiple projects which are managed and delivered as a single package.

A program manager is therefore tasked with overseeing all the projects comprising the program – to ensure it achieves its outcomes.

How projects and programs differ

How are Project and Program Managers different?

The best thing for the organisation running program and projects is that everyone understands the different pressures faced by their colleagues.

So if you are a project manager it’s well worth finding out more about program management and similarly program managers benefit from understanding the challenges that project managers face. APMG has the world's best selection of project and programme certifications which are widely recognised the leading organisations and government.

How do I become a Project or Program Manager?

Get trained and certified.

The Praxis Framework Certification is an effective, respected way to verify both your project and program management knowledge in one fell swoop.

Before Praxis arrived an aspiring project or program manager would have to look at several courses to learn the core skills of a competent, well-rounded manager. Praxis trims the fat - compiling the necessary knowledge into a single course.

Praxis quickly gained prestige amongst the project and program community - its Bridging Course has been endorsed by Australia's leading project management association, AIPM and is also a route to becoming a Chartered Project Professional with the Association for Project Management.

You'll gain a nifty digital badge if you pass the exam so you can showcase your certified status online.

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Integrated Project Portfolio Management

What Is The Difference Between a Project and a Program?

You can arrive at your destination only when the course is correctly set, and all participants know where and why they are going. The project and the program are management categories, where special attention is paid to competent planning. How to understand the difference between them, and what do these differences affect?

How the Projects and Programs are Different?

The most important difference between these concepts is their scale. A program is several projects united by one goal. It is measured not quantitatively but qualitatively and implies a change of state. Terms of project implementation , as a rule, are rigidly defined, and their transfer will inevitably affect the implementation of the program.

There are also differences in the complexity of the implementation of the tasks. The implementation of the project seems to be simpler since, for success, it is enough to achieve goals by a certain period. The program is only a hypothesis, which must be confirmed in practice.

Organization Strategy

The Defining Standards

The organization has one or more portfolios, each of which contains a variety of programs and projects. Portfolio management is about selecting the right mix of programs and projects that an organization should do based on available resources and funding. Program management is about coordinating several related projects over time to produce outcomes that are beneficial to the organization. Projects are designed for the efficient delivery of a specified output.

PMI Standards

The project is a temporary undertaken to create a unique project service or result. The program is a collection of related projects managed in a coordinated manner to achieve benefits and control not possible by managing them separately. Some elements of work may be included in programs that are not within the scope of the individual projects.

Standardization

The definition of a program is consistent, as can be seen in the examples. Programs are the coordination of multiple projects to realize benefits that otherwise would not be possible. The program’s goal of realizing benefits differs from project or project management . These definitions focus on the efficient delivery of products, services, or results (i.e., deliverables). The difference between projects and programs is often described as the “efficient creation of outputs.” Programs are concerned with delivering outcomes.

Measurements of a Project or Program

Program Manager and Project Manager – What’s the Difference?

Usually, both programs and projects are aimed at achieving one common goal and business result. For example, a program for launching a new marketing campaign consists of several projects, including creating content, working on social networks, promoting, and preparing all the necessary materials for the campaign. This is an example of a situation where both a program manager and a project manager are involved in the work. But what are the responsibilities of each of them?

What Does the Program Manager Do?

Program Manager Responsibilities

A program manager can be called a strategic leader. He defines the objectives of the program and its importance for business.

The task of the program manager is to outline a plan and make a list of mutually beneficial projects that must be completed to achieve a common goal. As for the program itself, its manager is engaged in developing and implementing the strategy and the appointment of staff responsible for individual projects.

For example, if a program involves a marketing campaign, a manager may include attracting potential customers, increasing brand awareness, and expanding the target market to the list of goals. The role of the program manager goes beyond the implementation of individual projects and addresses the long-term benefits of the program as a whole.

What Does a Project Manager do?

Project Manager Responsibilities

The project manager manages the implementation of a separate project within the program. He coordinates the timeline, budget, and use of resources and distributes tasks between team members. Also, the project manager reports to the program manager on the progress of work and changes to the original project plan .

The project manager’s role is mainly concerned with practical issues, such as meeting deadlines, staying within budget, and completing reporting materials. His role generally ends with the completion of the project, but it can be helpful to review what went well and what didn’t.

Project manager vs. Program manager comparison table

Projects and programs in use.

The table highlights the key differences between projects vs. programs in use.

Program vs. Project in use

The diagram shows a simplified view of how projects and programs fit within the hierarchy of a business.

Think of the diagram as showing the people running the business at the top of the triangle – the CEO and board. At the bottom of the triangle, we have the individual specialists who are working as part of a project. At the top of the diagram, we have the Business Level, where the board runs the business. People at this level are concerned with, amongst other things, setting strategic direction to implement the vision and managing a portfolio of programs to move towards the vision.

The next level in the diagram is the Program Level. Here, a program can initiate and control multiple projects to realize benefits. The program could also cancel projects if they weren’t the best way to realize the needed benefits due to a change in the business environment.

Finally, we reach the Project Level. Here projects are formed by the Program Level (or in smaller organizations without a program level, directly by the business level). Projects have a defined scope (set of deliverables) and must work efficiently to deliver these to time, budget, and quality constraints.

This diagram also highlights the difference between the project and the program and portfolio levels of management. The Business Level is responsible for managing a change portfolio, essentially several programs. Within the portfolio, each program is responsible for managing several projects.

Let’s look at a practical example of building a mobile phone. A software project exists for the device’s operating system to make sure it’s updated so that it works with the new hardware (as well as updating key applications). The project will aim to deliver the operating system and applications on time, on budget, and required quality.

The program that sits above this project will be much broader in scope. It’s targeted at delivering a mobile phone that maximizes profit for the business.

Our software projects will be just one of the projects controlled by the program. Other projects could include: Go To Market, Hardware, Tooling, Legal, Business Affairs, Support, etc. In fact, some of these projects may be so large and complex that they may be programs.

One of the key jobs of the program is to manage dependencies between projects. For example, the program must coordinate between the Tooling project and the Go To Market project to ensure alignment around the number of devices that the factory must produce to meet market demand. It will change over time and requires careful coordination, so there isn’t oversupply, which would result in a reduced return on investment.

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Know the Difference Between Projects and Programs

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Programs, on the other hand, are groups of related projects that are run as a group toward producing a common benefit. A project is content-specific, while a program focuses on the benefits. Developing a web application for ticket registration (air, travel, or rail) to generate revenue is an example of a project. Developing a group of functionalities or applications related to analytics and generating leads through marketing for the desired outcome of customer conversion might be a program (with the individual components of its projects).

Due to the value and benefits both bring, skilled project and program managers are always in demand throughout the world. In this article we will discuss the following point of differences between projects and programs:

Benefits Realization

Change management.

Role in organization

Portfolios, Programs, and Projects

A portfolio organizes programs, projects , sub-portfolios, sub-programs, and operations to facilitate business benefits (i.e., maximize profitability). In the diagram below (Diagram 1.0), the organization groups its initiatives, investments, projects, and programs through portfolios or lines of business aligning to the organization's benefits. The program can have a group of projects or programs under them aligned to the respective portfolio or sub-portfolio.

Resources are efficiently utilized (moved, managed, or optimized) between programs and projects to maximize the benefits of the organization. Projects can also exist independently and need not be grouped under programs. Programs will be used in their standard manner within the portfolio, with each program managing its projects’ dependencies, program-level risks, and flow of information between projects.

portfolio

Some Fundamental Differences Between Projects and Programs

Projects are focused on delivering defined outputs; programs are focused on realizing benefits. As a program manager, one of the most important responsibilities is initiating projects to create the outputs required to achieve the program's objectives.

Generally, a project represents a single, focused effort. Programs are collections of projects together that constitute a complete package of work. The program's overall objectives are achieved through the complementarity of the various projects.

The characteristics of projects and programs make them valuable for different reasons. Understanding these differences assist one in determining the application of projects or programs. Although this isn’t a comprehensive list, it provides a broad understanding and provides anyone wishing to take advantage of these tools a strong complete list.

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These are only a few differences between programs and projects. The following topics are more specific to the tactical implementation of these two tools.

Commercial organizations pursue commercial benefits. Non-commercial organizations seek benefits such as improved health, safety, or security. Since projects focus on deliverables that meet objectives, organizations can use projects to ensure controlled change where the projects are concentrated. Businesses can also use programs to realize benefits between projects. To compare the difference in focus on benefits realization between the two, there are two documents that assist a project manager in performing benefits realization:

In comparison, a program (if formal) will document, monitor, and administer benefits identification, benefits analysis and planning, benefits delivery, benefits transition, and benefits sustainment. This demonstrates the level of analysis and control of expected benefits when comparing programs to projects.

The management of change should be considered formal. Whether the change is at the project or program level, change is approved, applied, and verified when it is necessary. Program management ensures a consistent level of performance from the components of the program. Change, therefore, is integrated between projects and between projects and the administrative work that supports the program. In comparison, projects use change to control variance from planned cost and schedule while protecting various aspects and characteristics of the planned outputs.

Risk is uncertainty—we don’t know if it will indeed occur, and if it does, it might generate an impact. Projects always work towards minimizing or avoiding risk as it can impact the project severely. Projects exist in an environment where the output, benefits, or outcome of the work may be uncertain and unpredictable. Since projects have more or less fixed constraints at the outset, there is a lower chance of certainty.

In comparison, programs at their start are a little less defined and may have more significant uncertainty than projects, even projects that define the programs. The same occurs throughout the life of the projects— as the projects progress, they become more defined. Programs can change around projects to ensure the stability of the projects and therefore contribute to the projects’ success. This, in turn, ensures less risk for projects and greater risk for the programs

Projects and programs may respond to complexity in different ways and due to different types of complexity, but generally respond to complexity in similar ways: it takes more time and increases uncertainty to both. Program complexity may arise from governance, stakeholders , definition (agreement of the future state among stakeholders), benefits delivery, and interdependency (connections between components). Project complexity arises from organizational complexity (depth of the organization structure as well as the number of organizational units) and dynamic complexity (the project’s behavior and how it changes over time).

Governance is the monitoring, management, and support applied to meet goals. For projects, the goals support the deliverable and its enablement of objectives. For programs, governance establishes program support and maintains oversight. Another difference between projects and programs regarding governance is the way it is implemented. In projects, governance is implemented and integrated through a collection of organizational, project, and stakeholder requirements and constraints.

Role of a Project Manager

The job of the project manager is to lead and manage—direct the team, engage the stakeholders, and influence and motivate. They take over-arching responsibility for the project and use that comprehensive vision to motivate and influence. They may not know how to perform all the skills required to build the deliverable, but through knowledge of management and leadership, they can bring diverse skills together and support an environment that leads to a successful outcome.

Simplilearn offers a great project management package called Digital Project Manager that can empower you to stay relevant and ahead of the curve.

Role of a Program Manager

In comparison, a program manager is authorized to lead the team or teams responsible for achieving program objectives. They maintain responsibility for leadership, performance, and conduct of a program, and build teams capable of achieving those objectives. Therefore, the program manager will monitor outputs and outcomes of component activities and ensure the program adapts appropriately to those activities.

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Although programs may be larger than the sum of their projects, they will be so because they serve the strategic needs of an organization, instead of the tactical demands of the individual projects. These two roles have different focuses, different skills, and responsibilities, and are valued within organizations for various reasons. To understand the components and capabilities of each is to know why organizations value both project and program management. Simplilearn’s PMP Certification Training Course can provide excellent insights into project management and equip you with the right skills and tools to become a great project manager.

1. What is Product Management?

Product management is all about looking after a business product end-to-end. Right from creating it, to fixing problems and upgrading it based on feedback, product management deals with all these things.

2. What is Program Management?

A program has multiple projects involved in it. Program Management is the process of overlooking large scale deliveries.

3. What is the difference between a program and a project?

A project focuses on a single, focused endeavor. Whereas, a program has several projects involved in it.

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Simplilearn is one of the world’s leading providers of online training for Digital Marketing, Cloud Computing, Project Management, Data Science, IT, Software Development, and many other emerging technologies.

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Programs and projects are at the heart of many business endeavors. To use a metaphor, projects are like trains operated by project managers, who help pull the work of a team to achieve goals and ultimately arrive with a finished good or service.

To continue with the metaphor, a program is like a collection of trains running on different tracks, yet headed to the same station, or goal. The program manager is the station conductor, directing the various project trains.

What is program management?

Program management is the process of managing programs mapped to business objectives that improve organizational performance. Program managers oversee and coordinate the various projects and other strategic initiatives throughout an organization.

Program managers also help to drive organizational change by helping with agile transformations, including helping to implement DevOps practices and principles. Program managers may align program management practices and processes with agile values such as collaboration, team autonomy and empowerment, delivering value to customers, and adapting to change in the moment. A program manager can bring agile and DevOps to life for teams across large programs or individual projects by tailoring programs to the specific requirements and opportunities of the business.

A program manager can bring agile and DevOps to life for teams across large programs or individual projects by tailoring programs to the specific requirements and opportunities of the business.

Portfolio management Portfolio optimization. Business goal alignment. Business value alignment. Program selection Program management Prioritizing and budgeting strategic initiatives. Managing interdependencies between projects. Ensuring resource capacity and availability Project management Delivery of product or service. Managing cost, schedule, and scope. Resource and budget management.

Program management is sometimes confused with project management. Project management is the process of leading a project performed by a team to achieve certain goals, such as building a new product.

A project represents a single, focused piece of work with a specific scope and defined output. Projects can run for several years, but their main focus remains the same. A project’s success can be measured by the delivery of artifacts and deliverables that roll up to a program’s larger goals.

Project management is the process of delivering value that incrementally moves a program forward. Despite the emphasis on artifacts and deliverables, project management still involves strategy and planning, since a project manager must determine how to meet the goals laid out at the beginning of the project. Once a project is underway, a project manager tracks progress, allocates resources, manages risks, communicates, and more.

Program management entails managing a program with multiple, related projects. Since programs are linked to strategic initiatives, they are often long-running and possibly permanent. Programs continue through organizational change, contribute to multiple goals, and contain many projects that deliver specific components of the larger strategic initiative.

At the highest level, a project generally focuses on outputs, while a program focuses on outcomes.

What does a program manager do?

Program Manager meeple in the middle with arrows pointing out to six bubbles with icons that have text below each one: Evaluate the portfolio, Manage risks, Run the program, Engage with stakeholders, Refine the operating model, Support decisions

Program managers need to balance delivering artifacts, engaging with strategic decisions, managing stakeholders, and mitigating risks across the program. In a fully empowered organizational program, program managers should be able to solve — or connect to people who can solve — and plan to mitigate any problem that impacts the strategic initiative they seek to achieve.

Because of the breadth of their responsibilities, program managers play a key enabling role in companies. The role is flexible by design to meet the different challenges that teams encounter while going to production.

On any given day a program manager may do any of the following tasks:

Evaluate the state of the portfolio

A program manager reviews and evaluates a portfolio by connecting with teams to identify any risk mitigation or improvement opportunities. These connections can be coffee chats or team meetings. The program manager’s goal is to stay connected and engaged enough to work in lockstep towards shared goals. This includes connecting with project teams to ensure the project managers are supported and unblocked.

Risk management is a key element of portfolio management. Risks include a project timeline slipping, changing requirements, or the discovery of additional stakeholders. A program manager should be aware of anything that could impact the progress or outcome of the program and related projects. Ideally, a program manager can take corrective actions to reduce or manage risks in the portfolio.

Run the program

Program managers are responsible for running the program, which includes:

Engage with stakeholders

A program manager connects with stakeholders to get a sense of the wider context that surrounds goals. These conversations provide key insights into the overall landscape. By partnering with stakeholders, a program manager can help guide project teams.

Refine the operating model

The operating model shapes how teams progress toward their goals. This can include establishing communication channels and reporting methods, identifying goals, establishing priorities across the entire program. During the course of a program, a program manager optimizes the operating model to increase the likelihood of success and reduce the impact of risks.

Support decisions

Decision-making takes many forms, from running a meeting with decision-makers, to compiling background information on what decisions are needed, or doing a comparative analysis of multiple options. Specific program managers may lean into different areas, depending on their strengths. The program manager reviews outcomes to identify opportunities for improvement in systems, processes, or results.

The focus and scope of each program manager shape the specifics of how they engage with these practices.

What does a project manager do?

A typical day for a project manager can include:

As you can see, program and project managers work on highly related tasks. The primary difference between these two roles is scope and ambiguity:

In conclusion...

The Program Management Institute notes that “organizations with mature program management are far more successful than those without it.” That’s because program management allows organizations to achieve better alignment with strategic goals, management of project interdependencies, better resource management, and more.

Jira Align provides program management features that connect business strategy to technical execution. Its program management features include visual program boards, forecasting and simulation, program tracking, multi-tiered roadmaps, dependency management, and more.

Learn more about Jira Align’s program management features . Also be sure to check out Jira’s Advanced Roadmaps for strategic planning.

Laureli Mallek is a builder at heart who supports organizational effectiveness by removing blockers to fulfilling work. As a program manager and coach, she empowers teams to be more resilient, scalable, and human-centric by crafting tailored solutions that span process improvement, team practices, and leadership development. Laureli has spent much of her career in tech, where she focused on security and privacy at large and small companies.

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The Difference Between a Project and a Program

In this article:

We frequently receive emails enquiring into the difference between projects and programs (or programmes as they’re referred to in the UK). Many of those who email us are under the impression that a program is simply a really big project, and that there are many similarities between projects and programs.

Nothing could be further from the truth! But in order to understand the difference we need to begin by understanding the definition of projects and programs.

Defining a Project

According to PRINCE2, a Project is defined as “A temporary organization that is created for the purpose of delivering one or more business products according to a specified Business Case”.

Defining of a Program

As posted in our very first article , a Program is defined as “A group of related projects managed in a coordinated way to obtain benefits and control not available from managing them individually”.

Another way to understand the difference between projects and programs is to look at how the roles of a Project Manager and Program Manager differ. Again, this is broken down by project vs program:

Programs and Projects and Portfolio

The diagram below shows a simplified view of how projects and programs fit within the hierarchy of a business.

Think of diagram as showing the people running the business at the top of the triangle – the CEO and board. At the bottom of the triangle we have the individual specialists who are working as part of a project.

The next level in the diagram is the Program Level. Here a program can initiate and control multiple projects to realise benefits. Project’s could also be cancelled by the program if it was felt they wouldn’t be the best way to realise the needed benefits due to a change in the business environment.

Finally, we reach the Project Level. Here projects are initiated by the Program Level (or in smaller organisations without a program level, directly by the business level). Projects have a defined scope (set of deliverables) and must work efficiently to deliver these to time, budget, and quality constraints.

Difference between Projects and Programs: An Example

To make the difference between projects and programs more concrete let’s look at a practical example of the difference between projects and programs. In this case we’re going to be building a mobile phone.

In our example a software project exists concerned with the operating system of the device – making sure it’s updated so that it works with the new hardware, as well as making updates to some key applications. The project will aim to deliver the operating system and applications on time, on budget, and to the required quality level.

The program that sits above this project will be much more broad in scope. It’s targeted with delivering a mobile phone that maximises profit for the business. As such our software projects will be just one of the projects controlled by the program.

Other projects could include: Go To Market, Hardware, Tooling, Legal, Business Affairs, Support.

In fact, some of these projects may be so large and complex that they themselves may be programs. A good candidate for this in our example is the Go To Market, but for the purposes of this example we’re going to assume it’s a project.

One of the key jobs of the program is to manage dependencies between projects, for example, the program must coordinate between the Tooling project and the Go To Market project to ensure alignment around the number of devices that the factory must produce to meet market demand. This will obviously change over time and requires careful coordination so there isn’t over or under supply, both of which would result in a reduced return on investment.

There are of course some similarities between projects and programs, namely that they are both concerned with change, that is the creation of something new, and both require the use of a team to get things done. But that is really where the similarities between projects and programs end.

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Difference between Projects and Programs

When you hear the phrases "fully-funded project" or "fully-funded program," do you get a little excited? Do you think about all the possibilities for your project or program? Of course, both projects and programs will have requirements and expectations that must be adhered to for them to succeed. However, you should be aware of some critical differences between the two to make informed decisions about how to approach your project or program.

Projects and programs are two different types of tasks that your manager can assign you. Of course, depending on your job role, you may be required to complete various projects or assignments at work. Still, most of them probably don't require much planning upfront. However, with programs, whether for clients or internal to your company, every detail needs to be planned, and there's usually more room for error when it comes to project delivery.

Definition of Program

The program is a framework of work plans that includes a set of complementary projects organized in sequence to achieve economies of scale.

Programs are grouped into a single program when the benefits from their collection outweigh the benefits of managing individual projects. Programs are undertaken to improve overall organization performance by re-engineering business processes, changing management methods, etc.

Implementing programs requires laying down policies, procedures, and practices in a coordinated manner.

Definition of Project

More specifically, the term project can be defined as an activity focused on creating something new with a beginning and ending point.

It is an organizational unit dedicated to achieving a goal by creating a product within a certain amount of time, within budget constraints, and at or above performance levels desired by the project manager.

A project also includes routines and interlinked activities to reach a goal state. Once these routines are complete, they produce a final product ready for delivery to customers.

Projects vs. Programs

The differences between a project and a program are not just semantics. The difference is fundamental, and it's essential to understand it, especially if you plan to create a new project or program.

Here's what most people mean by the terms:

If you're creating a new program for your organization, consider using the following criteria when defining it:

Ease of execution : How easy will it be for others to follow? Is there enough structure so others can easily carry out the work? Is there enough flexibility so that you can adapt as needed?

Sustainability : Can this process be repeated without too much difficulty? Is it sustainable over time? Will it continue to deliver value once completed? Does it have room for growth?

The Critical Difference Between the Two

Here's a distinction that helps me keep things straight: Programs are long-term, multi-phase endeavors with the same basic specs and functions, or at least ones so related that they all share an underlying architecture. On the other hand, projects are short-term, customized initiatives designed to achieve short-lived and temporary purposes. That is, Programs have many phases, while Projects have a multitude of steps.

Both are executed on a timeline, with defined phases and steps to follow. Still, their similarities tend to run out there. Projects and programs serve an essential purpose in business, so it would be unfortunate to overlook either. But suppose you had to choose one or the other for your business. In that case, we believe that projects are generally far more beneficial.

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Key Differences

Know the Differences & Comparisons

Difference Between Project and Program

Last updated on October 25, 2017 by Surbhi S

project vs program

A project differs from a program in the sense that the latter is a bundle of related projects, managed in a coordinated manner, to attain the benefits, which is available only when the projects are managed in groups. There are many students who misconstrue project for the program, so here, in this article, we will explain the difference between project and program.

Content: Project Vs Program

Comparison chart, definition of project.

The term project can be defined as one-time undertaking, to create a new product or service, having a certain beginning and ending point. It is an organisational unit which is explicitly dedicated to the pursuance of a goal, i.e. satisfactory accomplishment of developing a product in time, within the budget, in accordance with the desired performance level.

A project comprises a set of routine and interlinked activities, with a goal, which has a definite goal and requires to be completed with a stipulated time and resources. The projects may vary regarding size, i.e. small, medium, large and very large. After the accomplishment of the project, a final product is received. The basic features of a project are:

Definition of Program

The program can be defined as a framework of plans of work, which comprises of a set of projects that are complementary to one another and aligned in proper sequence to achieve economies of scale. Projects are grouped into a single program when the resultant benefit of the collection supersedes the benefits of managing individual projects. It consists of various projects which are started to reach organisational goals.

It is undertaken to improve the overall performance of the organisation, as it is related to business process re-engineering, change management, etc. Implementation of programs requires laying down of policies, procedures and methods, in a coordinated manner.

Key Differences Between Project and Program

The differences between project and program can be drawn clearly on the following grounds:

The project is undertaken to deliver the required output in a given time, which is also cost effective. On the other hand, programs are implemented by the organisation to get the benefit of synergy. While the project is all about doing the things right, the program is all about doing the right things.

Related Differences

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Bruce Fulton says

July 17, 2018 at 9:23 pm

Projects should have outcomes that can evaluated. No grant maker today will consider funding a project that doesn’t identify outcomes and measures in addition to outputs. This is the Logic Model approach that should be applied to projects to assure that projects are strategic and meet goals through objectives that will result in positive outcomes.

Syalomi Natalia says

April 25, 2019 at 5:18 pm

jyoti chamoli says

October 20, 2019 at 4:28 pm

Quite informative

November 24, 2019 at 9:53 am

Diego Florez says

February 15, 2020 at 12:25 am

Very interesting article. I loved how it explained things. Thanks!

Briggs Okundaye says

May 21, 2020 at 2:27 pm

Difference well explained. Clearly cut.

April 1, 2021 at 11:47 am

Aditya Tiwari says

February 23, 2022 at 9:19 pm

It gives me a big help to us during the examination 😅

marie magnifouet says

April 2, 2022 at 1:35 am

Very interesting article 👍🏼

Doris Johnson says

December 18, 2022 at 1:37 am

This information was very informative and clear to understand.

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The difference between a project and a programme

Projects vs programmes

Many believe a programme is simply a larger, longer version of a project. Despite the similarities, they are actually quite different. Briefly, a project is a specific, single task that delivers a tangible output, while a programme is a collection of related projects.

Definition of a project

PRINCE2 defines a project as “a temporary organisation that is created for the purpose of delivering one or more business products according to a specified business case”.

Projects have an end and aren’t designed to last very long. The project manager ensures the project delivers the intended goal, within a defined timeframe and budget.

Definition of a programme

A programme is defined as “a group of related projects managed in a coordinated way to obtain benefits and control not available from managing them individually”.

Programmes are usually long term, sometimes spanning years, and don’t have a fixed deadline. A programme is a framework of related projects aligned in a specific sequence. They have predictable and repeatable elements to minimise or even eliminate risks.

Project and programme key differences

Project vs programme example.

Let’s say a company wants to build and market a new mobile phone. This programme would be a collection of different projects, like one for updating the operating system and another for sourcing the resources and raw materials, along with the legal, business and support elements. Programme management would manage the dependencies , so each project gets what it needs.

Programme and projects flowchart for making a mobile phone

Project and programme similarities

It’s good for project and programme managers to understand the challenges each has to deal with, as both projects and programmes:

Project managers vs programme managers

Project managers focus on the project’s deliverables, making sure the project reaches its intended outcome on time and within the budget.

Programme managers are usually less hands-on, but must view the bigger picture and visualise the benefits that individual projects will have on the whole programme.

The biggest difference is that projects deal with delivering strictly defined outputs within a specific timescale and budget, whereas programmes deal with delivering outputs that benefit the entire organisation. Put simply, projects involve ‘doings things right’ and programmes involve ‘doing the right things’. Similar phrases, but very different meanings.

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What is Program Management vs. Project Management?

To understand the differences between program management and project management, you must first understand the difference between a program and a project.

A program is a large project that is made up of several smaller projects that are dependent on each other. Since programs are so large, they are often managed by a team of people, with projects and tasks delegated across team members. Some functions involved in launching a successful program might include outlining objectives, planning execution, managing operations, and reporting on status. Projects are bundled together into a program when the benefits of managing the collection outweigh managing projects as individual units.

Projects are generally smaller, and often come with cost, date, and resource constraints. Project goals are normally short term, whereas the objectives of a program are focused on a company mission or overarching goal.

Now that you know the difference between a program and a project, what is program management vs. project management?

Program management

Program management is mapping out and defining the list of dependent projects that need to be completed to reach an overall goal. When it comes to the program, a program manager needs to focus on strategy and implementation, and how to delegate projects appropriately. They need to articulate the goals and objectives of the program and how it will impact the business.

Project management

Project management involves managing the operations of an individual project within a program. Project management is a bit more tactical than program management: it mainly focuses on the operational elements of the project such as meeting deadlines, staying within budget, and completing deliverables. The project manager coordinates time, budget, resources and delegates tasks across the team. He reports to the program manager on progress and changes made to the initial project plan.

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Basic Project Management

Advanced Project Management

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