SkillsUp - Program and Portfolio Management (PPM)

Program and Portfolio Management (PPM)

Course objective

To develop a systemic understanding of managing initiatives at portfolio and program levels and to teach participants to:

link organizational strategy with the initiative portfolio
make informed investment decisions between competing projects
manage large change programs
work with risks, quality, and benefits
build an effective governance model, roles, and responsibilities
manage people, stakeholders, and organizational change

Learning Format

Online / practical course
Practical cases, workshops, interactive sessions
Participant support via a private chat during the course

What Will Graduates Gain?

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The problem this course solves

In many companies, initiatives, projects, and programs are launched in a fragmented manner—without a clear connection to strategy, without uniform prioritization criteria, and without benefits management. As a result, resources are scattered, projects compete with each other, decisions are made intuitively, and the real business value of changes remains unmeasurable.

This course will help you build a systematic approach to portfolio and program management — from strategic alignment of initiatives and financial justification to governance, risks, and benefits realization.

You will learn to see projects and programs as tools for implementing strategy, make investment decisions based on value and risk, and manage large change programs, making the management of organizational development transparent, controllable, and effective.

Program

Introduction to Program and Portfolio Management (PPM)

Project, program, portfolio: PMI definitions
Why organizations need PPM
Management levels: strategic, tactical, operational
Overview of PMI standards

PMBOK 8 Principles and the Value-Driven Approach

Project management principles
Value as the key outcome of initiatives
Value delivery system
Leader’s role in value creation

Strategy → Initiatives → Portfolio

Strategic goals and themes
Strategic alignment
Translating strategy into a portfolio
Strategic alignment map

Benefit Realization Management

Concept of benefits
Benefits lifecycle
Accountability for benefits
Benefits map

Building an Initiative Portfolio

Portfolio components
Initiative categorization
Run / Grow / Transform
Portfolio balance

Initiative Selection and Prioritization

Selection criteria
Scoring models
Weighted criteria
Risk-adjusted value

Financial Portfolio Management

Initiative business case
ROI, NPV, Payback
CapEx / OpEx
Portfolio financial funnel

Portfolio and Program Management

Portfolio governance framework
Steering committees
Roles and responsibilities
RACI matrix

Program Management

Definition of a program
Program vs large project
Program components
Program roadmap

Dependency and Integration Management

Inter-project dependencies
Results integration
Change management
Coordination mechanisms

Resources and Capacity Management

Resource management in PMI
Capacity vs demand
Critical roles
WIP limits

Risk Management at the Portfolio and Program Levels

Enterprise risk vs project risk
Risk appetite and tolerance
Risk categories
Risk-adjusted portfolio

Quality and Value Management

Quality assurance and control
Result quality vs process quality
Acceptance criteria
Continuous improvement

People and Stakeholder Management

PMI Talent Triangle
Stakeholder management
Communications
Resistance to change

Metrics, Monitoring, and Reporting

Portfolio KPIs
Earned Value (conceptually)
Dashboards
Regular reviews

Implementing PPM in an Organization

PPM Target Operating Model
Implementation roadmap
Portfolio pilot
Common mistakes

FAQ

What is the main problem of companies that this course solves?

In many companies, projects are launched piecemeal, without a clear connection to the strategy, which leads to the dispersion of resources and intuitive decisions. The course teaches how to build a systematic approach: from strategic alignment and financial justification to risk management and benefit realization.

What key management skills will I learn?

You will learn how to connect an organization's strategy with a portfolio of initiatives and make informed investment decisions between competing projects. You will also be able to manage large change programs, work with risks, build a reporting model and effectively manage people and stakeholders.

In what format does the training take place and how long does it last?

The training takes place entirely online and lasts 8 weeks in total. The program consists of 16 classes, which include analysis of practical cases, workshops and interactive sessions. Throughout the course, participants receive constant support during training in a closed chat.

How do I register for the course and what result will I get?

You will learn to see projects and programs as tools for strategy implementation, making management of the organization's development transparent, manageable and effective. To structure the processes in your company, it is enough to click the "Submit an application" button and join the course.