<strong>Miles<strong>to</strong>nes</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Efficiency</strong> June 2015OVERVIEWGovernment agencies must implement rigorous project andprogram capabilities <strong>to</strong> successfully deliver their initiatives.Yet PMI’s 2014 Pulse of the Profession: The High Cost of LowPerformance reveals that only 52 percent of government strategicinitiatives meet their original goals and business intent. Andjust over a third of government agencies report that they fullyunderstand the value of project management. While that shouldbe cause for alarm, there are government agencies that executeproject and program management with notable results. Thisdocument provides a summary of three such programs.In 2013, PMI ® researchrevealed that governmen<strong>to</strong>rganizations risk US$148million for every US$1billion dollars spent. 1Project and Program Management inGovernment Leads <strong>to</strong> Greater Success RatesAlthough formalized project and program management practices have yet <strong>to</strong> be embraced with equal rigoracross all government entities, data reveal that implementing Organizational Project Management (OPM) leads<strong>to</strong> higher rates of project and program success. To identify the success fac<strong>to</strong>rs that will serve <strong>to</strong> inform othergovernment entities, and ideally lead <strong>to</strong> greater adoption of OPM, PMI initiated three case studies <strong>to</strong> illustratewhat successful OPM looks like in government.These case studies explore program management within the Social Security Administration (SSA), the Bureauof Indian Affairs (BIA), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This report summarizes the high-levelfindings and common themes that emerge from these studies, with implications for greater adoption of OPMpractices <strong>to</strong> improve project and program management across government agencies.1PMI’s 2013 Pulse of the Profession: The High Cost of Low Performance2 ©2015 Project Management Institute, Inc.
<strong>Miles<strong>to</strong>nes</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Efficiency</strong> June 2015SUCCESS FACTORSEach of the case studies examines a different aspect of program management within government:• The SSA: the value of a career development program <strong>to</strong> develop highly skilled, trained and qualifiedprogram managers• The BIA: the successful implementation of project management in a program <strong>to</strong> reduce violent crime, and• The FAA: a solid project/program management foundation <strong>to</strong> provide the necessary experience and skills<strong>to</strong> streamline the creation and implementation of new air-safety technology.These case studies illustrate the value of OPM <strong>to</strong> realize program benefits across disparate programs andgovernment agencies. Each also illustrates how OPM aligns organizational goals. And, while on the surface, thesecase studies appear <strong>to</strong> have little in common, they share certain project and program management attributesthat led <strong>to</strong> success for each. These attributes include:Strong Leadership CapabilitiesIn all three programs, the program manager was hands-on andinvolved at every level of the operation, but especially at theimplementation level. His focus on the benefits kept the programon track. 3 He unders<strong>to</strong>od the importance of educating others, evenmen<strong>to</strong>ring where possible. He kept in constant contact, moni<strong>to</strong>ringprogress (or hurdles) closely, and followed up regularly with hiscolleagues. He also served <strong>to</strong> provide coordination between thevarious stakeholders and other parties and often had the clout <strong>to</strong>get others <strong>to</strong> listen. In some cases, he was also quite vocal about“The lead programmanager… provided hisinternal workforce, aswell as external partnersand stakeholders,with a clear roadmapthat would not acceptanything short ofsuccess.”[Transforming AirTraffic within the USNational AirspaceSystem. P. 9]individual successes, serving <strong>to</strong> increase camaraderie and selfconfidencewithin the team. And, lastly, he “had their backs,” andproved <strong>to</strong> be a strong supporter and believer in the program.Commitment <strong>to</strong> OPMPMI’s OPM frameworkprovides specificknowledge activities…which an agency can buildupon and cus<strong>to</strong>m fit <strong>to</strong> itsneeds. 2Each of the leaders, as well as many of the individuals, assigned <strong>to</strong>the programs had project or program management experience, andmany had formalized training with certification. They unders<strong>to</strong>odthe value of a standardized organization, or situation-specific,approach <strong>to</strong> project and program management, including the valueof formalizing principles and practices. For the SSA, the commitmentwas institutionalized through various guidelines, regulations andgenerally accepted practices.2Using PMI Standards Framework <strong>to</strong> Improve U.S. Federal Government Capital Investment Outcomes. John D. Driessnack, Olde S<strong>to</strong>neConsulting, LLC. Pg. 18.3In all three (3) case studies the program/project leader was male.©2015 Project Management Institute, Inc.3
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