ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the differences and why the distinctions add value to the participants and to the customers of projects, programs, and portfolios. Projects, programs, portfolios: there seem to be too many P-words, but too little understanding of the domains that compose the project management universe. The contrast in the focus of control between the domains is the key differentiator. The different areas of interest of the stakeholders in the different domains are explained in more detail next with respect to the scheduling knowledge area. Business change projects, for example, are part of this domain. If the role of the operational units is overlooked, the project deliverables may turn out to be impossible to integrate into the organizational environment. The role of the manager in the supplier layer is “project management” because the business layer requires a deliverable from the supplier. However, in larger or more complex programs, the component projects may themselves be organized as programs.
