Project vs Program

John Spacey, June 23, 2017

A project is a managed initiative of fixed duration, budget and scope. A program is a long running initiative with broad strategic goals. The following are key differences between the two:

Time

Projects have a start and end date. Programs may be ongoing or have an end date that is years in the future.

Complexity

Programs are a way to break complex missions into manageable chunks of work. As a general rule, programs accomplish far greater complexity than a single project. For example, a program may involve multiple concurrent projects that have interdependencies.

Objectives & Goals

A program has broad strategic goals such as transforming an organization's business model, product offerings or cost structure. A project may have objectives that are a step towards strategic goals but aren't end-goals in themselves.

Budget

A project has a baseline scope, budget and schedule. A program may be tied to an organization's annual budget process whereby it submits a request for funds each year.

Calendar

A project may run independently of a firm's financial calendar. A program may be required to report into a firm's quarterly results.

Level

Programs are often visible to a firm's executive team and board of directors. Projects may be much lower level, reporting to a program management team or middle management.

Change

Programs expect change and projects control change. Programs may accept all ideas for change into a backlog and prioritize things into projects. Projects are meant to deliver a fixed set of requirements with a stable scope.

Overview: Project vs Program
Type	Program Management
Difference	Projects are initiatives of fixed duration, budget and scope. Programs are long-running initiatives designed to achieve a strategic goal or business transformation.
Example	A program to transform a packaged software firm's business model to a software-as-a-service model that involves 50 projects to rewrite 50 software products to be cloud services.
Related Concepts	Program Management » Project Management » Goal vs Objective » End-Goals » Middle Management » Requirements »