The Project Manager's Playbook: Managing Risks with Control and Analysis in Primavera P6

 

A project is almost always executed in an uncertain environment and hence will entail risks. Project management, on the other hand, tries to bring certainty into this uncertain work and therefore invariably involves risk management.

Risk management on its own can be – and indeed is – many times a dedicated function of its own for highly risky projects, but that doesn’t remove the role of a project manager. You as a project manager must know risk management irrespective of riskiness – high or low – of the project. However, the reverse, i.e., a risk manager playing the role of a project manager, may not always be true.

Hence, if a project management software tool provides capabilities to manage risks, it’ll stand out among its peers. Primavera P6 Professional is one such software tool and comes with certain integrated risk management capabilities to help PMs.

In this article, we learn more about Primavera P6. This article is about project managers steering their projects with risk management, but is equally applicable to other team members, including the risk manager.

So, let’s start with our project plan first. But before that let’s discuss briefly how Primavera P6 considers project risks.

Primavera P6: Project Risks and Risk Types *** UPDATED ***

Primavera P6 provides the following definition of risk:

Risks are any uncertain events or conditions that, if they occur, have a positive or negative effect on project objectives.

As you can see, a risk can be an event or condition. It can lead to positive or negative effect, impact or consequence. The impact is always on the project objectives.

This leads to another understanding, which is called Risk Types. There are two types of risks considered in Primavera P6:

• Positive risks, which will have a positive effect on the project objectives. These are also called Opportunities.
• Negative risks, which will have a negative effect on the project objectives.  These are also called Threats.

These definitions are quite similar to the ones provided in the RMP Live Lessons course, where risk management is explained comprehensively. 

Now, risk management in P6 considers both, i.e., management of both threats and opportunities. While managing risks with P6, we try to reduce the probability and/or impact of the threats and enhance the probability and/or impact of opportunities.

Primavera P6: Our Project Plan

We have the following project plan, WebMS (Risk Management), created with the help of Primavera P6. 

As shown above, for our project, we have a number activities associated with various work breakdown structure (WBS) elements. For example, under the WBS element of the Design and Development phase, we have four activities, and under Milestones we have two milestones. In P6, milestones are also one of the activity types.

We are going to identify the risks for this project using the capability provided in the software tool.

Primavera P6: Opening Risks Window 

After the risks are identified, to add them into the plan, go to Project menu > Risks to open the Risks window. You can also visualize the Risks window by clicking on the Risks icon on the Project toolbar, shown in the left side of the toolbars.

As you click on the Risks icon on the Project toolbar or go to the Risks command under the Project menu, it will open-up the Risks window as shown below. 

As shown above, in this window we have the following parameters shown:

• Risk ID: The risk identifier, which uniquely identifies the risk,
• Risk Name: The name of the risk.
• Risk Category: The category to which the risk belongs to. The category can be People, Cost, Contract, Time, Project Management or others.
• Risk Type: The type of the risk, which can be only two as we learned before.
• Risk Status: There can be varieties of statues such as Proposed, Active, Closed.
• Risk Owner: The owner of the risk for end-to-end risk management.
• Identified By: The person who has identified the risk.
• Identified On: The date on which the risk is identified.

In addition, there are a number of other parameters, which can be seen in various tabs of the bottom-pane of the Risks window.

Primavera P6: Adding Risks 

Next, to add the risks, go to Edit menu > Add command, while you’re in the Risks window. Otherwise, you can choose to click on “+” icon on the Edit toolbar, which is usually to the extreme right. 

This will add or create a New Risk – displayed as (New Risk) above. This newly created risk will have certain default risk parameters associated. For example, by default:

• Risk ID will be 1. If you add another, Risk ID will be 2 and so on.
• Risk Type will be Threat.
• Risk Status will be Proposed

After you add a number of risks, we have the following view.

As shown, we have three risks, each with a unique Risk ID.

• RISK1 – Poor design specification.
• RISK2 – Key resources unavailable.
• RISK3 – Reuse of previous design module.

While the former two are threats, the latter is an opportunity. Do notice changes in color coding based on risk types.

Primavera P6: Modifying Risk Parameters

As you add the risks, you can see there are a number of default risk parameters. Some of them are:

• Risk ID: Uniquely assigned, though it can be edited.
• Risk Name: Takes user provided name.
• Risk Type: Default one is Threat, but can be changed.
• Risk Status: Default one is Proposed, but can be changed.
• Risk Exposure Start: Default one is the project’s start date.
• Risk Exposure Finish: Default one is the project’s finish date.
• Project Name: The currently opened project.

You can definitely add the other parameters such as Risk Owner, Risk Identifier, Risk Identification date, among others.

For example, to have the Risk Owner, select the particular field and click on the “…” icon. It’ll open the Select Risk Owner dialog box. From these, select the resource and assign the owner by clicking on the “+” symbol as shown below. 

Go on adding the risks, which you and your team have identified. Risk identification is an iterative process and can happen any time during the project life cycle. In our case, after we added the risks, the view comes as shown below. 

A few things can be noted by looking at the above figure:

• A negative risk or threat is shown with a red colored dice.
• A positive risk or opportunity is shown with a white colored dice.
• Additional risk parameters are shown in the bottom-half of the Risks window. There are various tabs under it such as General, Impact, Activities, among others.

Primavera P6: Determining the Risk Score

This is one of the critical areas in risk management, which confuses many. It’s actually not that complicated once you understand the fundamentals. To have a strong foundational grasp, I’d strongly recommend that you read this article: Risk Matrix reporting.

The Risk Score in Primavera P6 is determined by its own Probability*Impact (PI) matrix. In P6, there are actually two overall risk score fields seen the Impact tab of the bottom pane:

• Pre-response Risk Score: It’s the risk score before a risk response strategy has been applied.
• Post-response Risk Score: It’s the risk score after a risk response strategy is taken. 

As shown above, for both Pre- and Post-response, we have three fields to consider.

• Probability: It’s the chance of risk occurrence
• Schedule: The impact of the risk on schedule should the concerned risk occur.
• Cost: The cost impact of the risk should the concerned risk occur.

In other words, you can say that the Risk Score is calculated based on the values you select for the above three fields under the Impact tab. All these three fields have scales associated.

For the Probability field, the scales are noted in the tables below. 

For the two impact fields of schedule and cost, the scales are noted in the tables below. To reiterate, all these fields will be used to determine the risk score. 

Primavera Risk Analysis (PRA): Additional Impact Types *** NEW ***

As noted above, P6 has three primary impact parameters. However, in the real world, risk managers often require additional parameters such as quality, performance, and others to calculate pre- and post-response scores.

Indeed, risk management literature and real-world applications allow for various types of impact parameters.

In such cases, you can use another software tool: Primavera Risk Analysis (PRA). The PRA software is quite different. Its application to practical projects and use cases are comprehensively explained in the course below.

Practical Risk Management with Primavera Risk Analysis

The course described above has been utilized by professionals as well as aspiring PhDs seeking dedicated and comprehensive risk management for their projects. In fact, many projects demand such rigorous analysis.  

Primavera P6: Risk Response Strategies

Now that we have understood the scales based on which risk score will be determined, let’s see it in action. This goes hand-in-hand with risk response types or strategies. There are many ways you can plan for the risk response types in Primavera P6.

Taking an example, let’s take RISK 1 – Poor design specification. For this risk, the pre-response fields are taken as shown below. 

As shown above, for RISK1:

• Probability = 1 – Very High (70% or higher),
• Schedule (Impact) = 2 – Very High (10% to 20%), and
• Cost (Impact) =3 – Medium (10% to 20%).

Based on the above value under the probability and impact fields, the Risk Score has been auto-calculated as 36.

Next, we’ve to reduce the score of this risk as it’s a threat. To understand more on risk response strategies (or types), I’d strongly encourage you to read this article. Primavera P6 approach to risk management is somewhat similar, though it provides its own risk response types.

For our case in Primavera P6, we will have the Reduce response type and populate the corresponding field. One can also have a detailed risk response description. As you complete doing that, we will have the following view. 

Again, for RISK1, after we took the risk response:

• Probability = 4 – Low (10% to 30%),
• Schedule (Impact) = 4 – Low (1% to 5%), and
• Cost (Impact) = 5 – Very Low (Up to 1%).

After the risk response, the risk score has been reduced to 3, which was 36 earlier!

You continue doing that for all the risks identified for the project and do it iteratively.

Primavera P6: Brief Video Demonstration *** NEW ***

The below video [duration: 8m approx.] prepared in support of this article explains more on the risk management. To get the most out of this article, watch the video along with this article. For the best experience, go full-screen HD mode and plug-in your earphones. Exhaustive explanations are available in Primavera P6 Pro Live Lessons course.

Conclusion

Risk management is essential in any project as outlined in the beginning of this article. It not only protects your project(s) against uncertainty, volatility, and ambiguity, but also results in improved decision-making, ensures regulatory compliance wherever needed and prohibits your project(s) from getting completely derailed.

Usually, the risk is highest during the initial stages of the project and usage of software tools such as Primavera P6 Professional can help mitigate a number of risks. In addition, the Primavera P6 software tool also provides issue management and threshold management capabilities.

Finally, as we close this article, I’d say the following. 

In the realm of projects, certainty is a rare guest. A project, which is a temporary endeavor, unfolds in this landscape of uncertainties. Project management rises in this landscape, and hence, to manage a project is to manage its risks. As we just learned, Primavera P6 is not just about project management but also a partner for you in managing project risks.

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This article was first published by MPUG on September 30, 2025. This an updated version. 

References

[1] In-depth, Practical Course: Primavera P6 Pro Live Lessons, by ManagementYogi.com

[2] RMP Live Lessons – Guaranteed Pass, by ManagementYogi.com

[3] RMP 30/40 Contact Hours, by ManagementYogi.com

[4] Practical RMP with Primavera Risk Analysis, by ManagementYogi.com

PMP 35 Contact Hours Review: Highly Interactive Content and Practice Questions Will Make You a Certified PMP

By Prasad Ramamurthy Kadambi, PMP, CHAMP

In the older process-based model of Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), 6th edition, we haven't formally studied or had an education on the new principle-based approach. 

The principle-based approach is introduced for the first time in PMBOK, 7th edition (PMBOK7).  This edition has twelve principles, eight performance domains, and many Models-Methods-Artifacts (MMAs). 

This course has a dedicated PMBOK7 Management Lesson with 30 videos to exactly bridge that gap – between a processes-based approach and a principle-based approach. 

This inspired me to take-up this course in March, 2026.

PMP 35 Contact Hours Online: Unique Selling Point

This course is a classroom-quality PMP prep experience delivered online. It’s fully aligned with the latest 2025 exam changes across PMBOK 7th and 6th editions as well as Process Group Practice Guide (PG2), and Agile. It is complete and latest aligned coverage when I went for this course in March of this year.

It prepares you for all modern PMP question types multi-response, drag-and-drop, hotspot, and fill-in-the-blank. If you are planning for the PMP exam, there is no surprises on exam day.

As a prior certified PMP, I came to know a number of things on not only the PMBOK7 and PG2 content, but also the latest PMP exam changes.

PMP 35 Contact Hours Online: Review of Key Features

The followings are brief highlights of this course as I’ve gone through it for months.

• A brand-new, standalone lesson on PMBOK7 Management has been added to the course in one of 18 total lessons ensuring focused, in-depth coverage of the 7th edition rather than treating it as an afterthought.
• The course includes 30 videos specifically on PMBOK7, walking you through its principle-based structure in the same simple, highly interactive style as the rest of the course.
• Beyond theory, it includes dedicated PMBOK7 practice questions within its 450+ lesson-end questions and broader 1,600+ question bank, reinforcing principle-based concepts through application.
• The update includes both PMBOK7-Agile and dedicated Agile content, reflecting the 7th edition's stronger emphasis on adaptive and hybrid ways of working.

End Course Assessment

To get the course completion certificate, I had to take an end course assessment with hundred questions to be taken in two hours. The exam was online. Post completion of the exam, the score was displayed instantaneously. 

Below is my score which tested by knowledge, understanding, and application of the latest inclusions in project management, including principles, domains and Agile. 

Post the assessment, I received the completion certificate from Satya. 

Conclusion: Taught by a Human, Not a Machine

Unlike many automated MOOCs, there's no machine-reading or robotic narration. 

As Satya puts it: “A machine can never explain a PMP preparatory course, which is of high complexity. A machine reading course teaches you little to nothing." 

Every lesson of this course carries a real instructor's insight and coaching. All doubts that arise during the learning process will be very promptly clarified by Satya.

It is said that we need to have an aim in front of us and a guru behind to achieve. Satya isn't just an instructor, he's a true guide and guru, blending deep mastery, mentorship, and a genuine commitment to every learner's success.

Brief Profile:

Name: Prasad Ramamurthy Kadambi, PMP, CHAMP

Current role: Project/Program Manager, HP Inc.

Experience: Two decades of driving results at HP Inc. from Senior Quality Analyst and Asset Management to leading complex operations with a PMP-backed, outcome focused mindset.

PMP 35 Contact Hours Online Course:

• PMP 35 Contact Hours Online: Full Money Back Guarantee

PMP LIVE LESSONS - Guaranteed Pass:

• PMP LIVE LESSONS: Guaranteed Pass or Your Money Back

Book  for PMP exam:

• Book for PMP Exam Prep: I Want To Be A PMP

You may also like:

• PMP Success Stories of 2020s
• PMP Success Stories of 2010s

CHAMP Success Story: Bridging Predictive and Agile Worlds with Hybrid-Agile Mastery

By Prasad Ramamurthy Kadambi, CHAMP, PMP 

Introduction

I’ve been a certified PMP and know traditional management well. 

Next, I had the drive to master both structure and agility, delivering complex projects that demand the discipline of predictive planning as shown in PMP and the responsiveness of Agile in CHAMP.

This inspired me to pursue CHAMP certification.

CHAMP Certification Study

When I set out to become a CHAMP, I knew that success would come not from cramming, but from building a genuine understanding of how predictive and adaptive worlds come together.

Initially, I struggled a lot to install MS Project 2019/21/24 Online Desktop Client. Satya helped me to get the software installed on my PC.

I knew it won’t be easy to proceed with the CHAMP certification with my work-schedule as a program manager in a multi-national, where my workload is high. I followed the following action-plan:

• I spent 1.5 hours daily and could spend 8 hours on weekends.
• I took only one set of questions to solve for my practice.
• I have referred only Satya’s Video Lessons for my certification. I’ve had no other references or sources. 

CHAMP Certification Review

True to its claim, CHAMP is the world's only practical, hands-on Hybrid-Agile certification equipping professionals to master Scrum, Kanban, and ScrumBan integration. In the real-world, 80% of organizations actually work in that way. It’s not purely predictive or agile. 

This certification covers all the three and hence unique. 

• Hybrid-Scrum Management 
• Hybrid-Kanban Management 
• Hybrid-ScrumBan Management

As you proceed with the certification course, you will cover many areas such as: 

• Practical hands-on learning for building tracking hybrid projects, 
• Baselining of Hybrid-Agile projects, 
• Earned Value Reporting (EVM), 
• Burndown/burnup charts, 
• Other reporting such as histograms, pie charts, and Cumulative Flow Diagrams (CFDs).

CHAMP Exam Experience

I took two months to prepare for the exam. My strategy to approach the exam was simple – just go by the learnings given in the lessons.

In the exam, there are fifty questions in total. Twenty questions were very tricky and I took more time to answer them.

The questions in the CHAMP certification are exceptionally well-crafted. It’s a true reflection of the rigor and depth this credential demands. They are mostly scenario-driven and decision-oriented, consistently challenging you to think like a practitioner and ask, "What should I do NEXT?"

After completing the course, I took the CHAMP certification exam and I cleared the exam in my first attempt. My score is below. 

Suggestions for Aspiring CHAMPs 

Dos 

Do build strong fundamentals first

Master predictive (waterfall), Scrum, and Kanban individually before attempting to understand how they blend. A shaky foundation makes hybrid concepts confusing.

Do get hands-on with MS Project Agile

Don't rely on theory alone. Practice configuring Sprints, navigating Task Board, Backlog Board, and Current Sprint views, and interpreting burndown charts, CFDs, and EVM metrics. The exam rewards practical familiarity.

Do think in scenarios

Train yourself to ask, "What should I do NEXT?" for Hybrid-Scrum, Hybrid-Kanban, and Hybrid-ScrumBan situations. The exam is decision-oriented, not definition-oriented.

Do understand the "why"

Study Stacey's Complexity Model to grasp when adaptive beats predictive. Context-driven judgment is more valuable than rote memory.

Do practice with tricky questions

Focus on the subtle traps – variance reports, filter behaviours, view differences, and Sprint management commands. These separate a pass from a failure.

Do study consistently

Maintain a steady daily rhythm over last-minute cramming. Reinforcement builds retention and confidence.

Don’ts

Don't memorize blindly

Rote-learning definitions won't help when the exam presents a real-world scenario requiring judgment. Understand concepts, don't just recall them.

Don't ignore the tool

Skipping hands-on MS Project Agile practice is a common pitfall. Many questions are tied directly to tool views, fields, and behaviours.

Don't treat Scrum and Kanban as interchangeable

Understand their distinct rules, boards, and metrics. Confusing the two (especially in ScrumBan) leads to errors.

Don't overlook the "hybrid" glue

The certification is about integration—don't study frameworks in silos without understanding how predictive and adaptive elements coexist in one plan.

Conclusion

CHAMP certification reflects not just theoretical knowledge, but the practical confidence to lead complex projects that demand both the discipline of predictive planning and the responsiveness of Agile.

Brief Profile:

Name: Prasad Ramamurthy Kadambi, CHAMP, PMP

Current role: Project/Program Manager, HP Inc.

Experience: Two decades of driving results at HP Inc. from Senior Quality Analyst and Asset Management to leading complex operations with a PMP-backed, outcome focused mindset.

You may also like:

• CHAMP Success Story: One of the Best Hybrid-Agile Certification Courses I Ever Attended
• CHAMP Success Story: A Niche Certification – Never Seen Anything Like This Before
• CHAMP and MSP 2016 Live Lessons: Excellent Courses for Mastering MS Project in both Traditional and Agile Environments

Management Yogi's CHAMP Certification:

• Certified Hybrid-Agile Master Professional (CHAMP)

Why CHAMP  – Top 10 Reasons:

• Top Ten Reasons To Go For CHAMP Certification
• The Rise of Hybrid-Agile  – Why and How CHAMP is Filling the Gap

Artificial Intelligence, Simulations, Practical Scaled Agile (CIPSA) and the Future

Ich bin dein mensh! It’s not a special prompt used in a Large Language Model (LLM) under the Artificial Intelligence (AI) umbrella, but a German movie in the 2020s meaning I’m Your Man. 

The movie’s lead character is a highly-educated woman in her forties with no husband, or family, but only “career”. Though initially very hesitant, due to strong persuasion by her supervisor, she had to bring an AI-robot home to assist her in her work. Ironically, the robot went on to become her perfect lover! 

The robot looks exactly like a young man (human lookalike), very charming, understands her perfectly and never gets angry – unlike us, the humans. 

Over time, the AI learns from her likes and dislikes, pleasures and pains, highs and lows as well as cooks for her, brings flowers, dances with her, gives caregiving like medicines, and even makes her sleep. One-day the woman falls in love with the AI, and in fact, demands it from the AI-robot. 

When I watched the movie, I kept on thinking:

Can this happen? Is it even possible?

In this article we will explore simulations which are already there and sometimes they go beyond reality as with AI. We also explore AI’s impact on our lives as well as management considering various aspects. I’ll include many examples, including the ones from the Certified In Practical Scaled Agile (CIPSA) framework. See here to know more about CIPSA.

First let’s take an example of a map to understand simulations and AI.

Map to GPS to Simulation 

A paper map simulates space. It presents a static simulation of geography. It's a symbolic abstraction of terrain, borders and mountains. A map informs about the terrain, but is not the terrain itself. 

A GPS goes further. It provides dynamic – not static – simulation by guiding us in real time. It tells where to turn left or right, when to stop, or have an alternate route based on traffic condition. A GPS shapes how we perceive and travel in space. 

Now, AI systems such as driverless cars simulate the cognitive process behind space exploration. It not only tells us how to get somewhere, but where to go, or why it matters. It can factor in our curiosity, context, and our personalized goals.

So, in short: 

A map simulates geography. A GPS simulates navigation. But AI simulates decision-making. 

It’s shown in the below figure.  

In a driver-less car, the decision-making is based on the rider’s habits and likings. In other words, there is a human in the loop (HITL) and it may change the route of the car based on the rider in the car. The simulation in AI shifts from external space to internal cognition. 

Now, as a management professional and leader, you would be wondering:

• How does this fit into traditional or agile management?
• Can it be applied in various fields, e.g., Scaled Agile?
• How can it help us?

Let's take an example of tasks and Scrum board using the CIPSA certification. 

Task to CIPSA Board to Simulation

A task simulates work. Whether it’s a CIPSA Sprint Backlog or individual Team Sprint Backlogs, a task or list of tasks will always be there. It's also applicable in traditional project management.

Now, consider yourself as the Principal Scrum Master (PSM), one of the key roles in CIPSA. You would be adding tasks into a schedule using MS Project (Agile) or other software tools. But the task (or activity) is not the work itself. When resources execute that task or a list of tasks, then only the actual work gets done. 

A physical or digital board, on the other hand, simulates coordination and/or collaboration. 

For example, when the CIPSA team puts tasks as cards on a CIPSA Scrum or Kanban Board (see here), it simulates coordination and collaboration among the individual Scrum teams. This integrated board has various workflow states across individual Scrum or Kanban teams. 

An AI system goes much further in simulation. 

It can simulate a part of your cognitive process and can be a companion. It not only can assist the PSM, the Chief Product Owner (CPO), or the CIPSA team in breaking a story into tasks, but also in anticipating bottlenecks, quickly informing resource overallocations, and how to resolve them. 

So, in short: 

A task simulates work. A CIPSA board simulates collaboration. An AI system simulates cognition. 

You may call it a PSM-Copilot as it simulates certain cognitive aspects of a PSM. It’s shown in the below figure.

From Manualization to Autonomous

The work that we do in our personal or professional lives can be simple, complicated, or complex. Almost all of us take the help of machines or tools in our daily lives. The usage of machine/tools can be low, medium or high. Overall, it can take four forms:

• Manualization: Low on complexity, and low machine use. For example, caregiving.
• Augmentation: High on complexity and still low on machine use. For example, brainstorming with an AI tool.  
• Automation: Low on complexity, but high on machine use. For example, report generation which is completely automated. 
• Autonomous: High on complexity and high on machine use. For example, driverless cars. In fully autonomous cars, humans are not at all needed. 

This is shown in the below figure. 

As shown in the above figure, we have four aspects, but with nuances. 

Manualization usually is low in complexity and machine use. However, in certain areas of manualization, we require a high degree of emotional understanding. For example, the manual work needed for cutting a tree and caregiving are not the same. Caregiving is low-tech, but high-touch.

When the complexity goes up, but we still need human touch to get the work done, we have augmentation. Here the machines enhance our ability to do the work. We have many such examples:

• Brainstorming,
• Planning (some aspects),
• Estimation (story points as can be used in CIPSA Scaled Agile),
• Resource levelling – also used in CIPSA Scaled Agile.

Automation can occur when the work done is typically of low complexity but with rules applied. It has high machine usage. For our case, we can apply automation in:

• Reporting,
• Processes and adherence to processes,
• Triggering alerts and suggested actions to stakeholders,
• Real-time dashboards, among others.

The final one is that of autonomous, where the decision is completely machine driven and the work is of high complexity. Taking some examples, we can have:

• Driverless (autonomous) cars,
• Pilotless planes,
• Drones for monitoring,
• Autonomous drug discovery etc.

As autonomous AI systems start to get into our lives, a question arises–what it means to be a human.

Meaning of Being a Human

We humans are no way perfect – in fact, far from it. We get disappointed, get angry, and have frustrations. At the same time, we fall in love, have kindness, and show genuine empathy. 

We humans grieve and cry when someone near and dear to us passes away. Because we truly feel so. And that’s what makes us human – not just natural intelligence, which animals also have to a certain extent. For example, elephants and dolphins display a few aspects of near-human-level intelligence!   

Remember our opening story? 

The AI-robot does all the above, or at least pretends. It pretends to empathize, pretends to care, and does the acting of forgiving or being in love. The robot can mimic our human emotions, too.  

The AI-robot is not only learning from us, with us, and by us, i.e., the humans, but trying to be us. It is the perfect lover as the opening story goes, or the perfect human! 

But then it’s not human. It doesn’t possess many human-like in-born qualities or human-like emotions. 

AI doesn’t feel on its own. It’s programmed to feel. AI doesn’t show real emotions. It’s programmed to show. For us humans though, it comes naturally from birth. From birth, we humans are conscious – not programmed. 

However, in some countries AI robots using human clothes and shorts are seen playing with children, and children are seen as enjoying such companions. It may bring in a completely new generation in the future where robots may be perceived as humans or at least no less than humans. This indeed leads to completely simulated lives and living. 

A Conclusion?

For this article, and perhaps for the first time, I’ve no conclusion as I don’t know where or how it ends! 

Current Gen-AI tools are useful in areas as I explained with our CIPSA example, e.g., building tasks, estimating story points, or resolving over-allocations. 

But the direction for AI seems to be in another way as informed with the previous example of AI robots pushed onto children. The kids are being mentally programmed to think AI as humans and live in a simulation.

In such cases, the boundary between reality and simulation is no longer blurred or invisible. It has ceased to exist.  

So, where does it lead us?

• Will AI replace us humans?
• Will AI do all the jobs done by portfolio, program, or project managers?
• How many of us sit with Agentic AIs in CIPSA Daily Scrums which mimics us and then replaces us?
• How will a PSM or CPO coordinate among the Agentic AIs? How many humans in the loop (HITL) will be there? 
• When is that expected to happen?

As said earlier, these are uncertain, but the current path taken by some organizations is leading to that direction. 

For now, I’m certain about a few things. For example, AI can’t procreate on its own, though there are quite a few attempts to manipulate it.  

So, is our future about complete AI with a few humans? Also, what about the previous questions to managers and leaders? 

Your thoughts and comments are welcome.

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This article is dedicated to the memory of my father, the late Harendra Nath Dash, who passed away seven years ago on June 11, 2019. The world moves forward by people who give, not by people who take. He gave a lot and changed many lives, but took very little back. 

This article is free to read, learn, and share. It’s a tribute to him and his teachings.

References

[1] Certified In Practical Scaled Agile (CIPSA), by ManagementYogi.com

[2] Agile and Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Three Cs of a User Story and Three Cs of a Prompt, by Satya Narayan Dash, CIPSA, CHAMP.

[3] The Future of Project Management: PMBOK 8th Edition with Artificial Intelligence, by Satya Narayan Dash, CIPSA, CHAMP.

The Anatomy of a Benefits Register in Program Management

Just as deliverables are to projects and strategic objectives are to portfolios, so too are benefits to programs! I keep on saying: 

Project delivers. Program coordinates. Portfolio decides.

In other words, a project produces deliverables, a program coordinates for benefits and a portfolio decides on components – determining which to start, stop, suspend, or resume to meet strategic business objectives of an organization.

Benefits may be delivered individually by specific program components or realized collectively through integrated work orchestrated by the program manager. It is the program manager’s responsibility to ensure these benefits are realized in a timely manner. 

Now, irrespective of your desired certification – whether Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP), Program Management Professional (PgMP), or Project Management Professional (PMP) – it pays to understand the concept of benefits and benefits management.

In particular, it’s crucial for program management when you pursue the Program Management Professional (PgMP) certification. 

In fact, there is a dedicated performance domain (PD) called Benefits Management. This directly maps to various phases of the Program Life Cycle Management PD. In addition, there is a distinct principle (PR): Benefits Realization.

 

Benefit and Benefits Register

Benefit is the gains and assets realized by the organization and other stakeholders as the result of outcomes delivered by the program. 

Simply put, the essence of benefits is to capture gains. 

Next, the benefits register collects and lists the planned benefits for the program. It’s the repository where in which benefit profiles are recorded for each benefit. 

One can’t identify all possible benefits at the outset for a program as there can be unplanned, unexpected and/or emergent benefits. However, Benefits Register being the central repository is a powerful tool in Program Management.

The Anatomy of a Benefits Register

Did you notice that I informed about benefit profile, which is recorded in the Benefit Register? A benefit profile is a description of the benefit (to be delivered by a program), its intended beneficiaries, and criteria for its realization. 

When you complete a profile for each benefit, it helps in analysis and planning. 

A benefit profile description includes:

• What part - what the benefit is?
• Who part - who is the benefit is for?
• When part - when the benefit is intended?
• Why part - Why we need the benefit?
• Categorization - the Benefit's categorization
• Criteria for Measurement – Metrics/measure and to determine benefit realization.

Each benefit profile will become a part of the Benefits Register. This in turn supports the Benefits Management Plan (BMP).

Benefit Profile

In the below figure, I’ve outlined a benefit profile which will give an understanding of the benefit’s attributes and measures. The reference for it taken from the Project Management Institute (PMI). 

As noted earlier, this benefit profile will be recorded in the Benefits Register and will used throughout the program life cycle, though it’s first created during Benefits Identification stage.

Sample Benefits Register

Now, you’d thinking how does a Benefit Register look like? I’ve already provided a sample in a previous article of Benefit Management in Project (see here). This is replicated below.

I’m going to expand a bit more on it to have the below Program Benefits Register.

As I expand on Benefits Register with the categorization and attributes, I’ve the following representation. In the real-world program management, one can maintain a spreadsheet, e.g., XLSX file. 

The previous table is continued below. I’ve kept the first column of Benefit ID below for continuity.  

Did you notice the entry of key stakeholders above? 

This is because benefits are fundamentally about gains realized by the beneficiaries (or stakeholders). 

Elements of Benefits Register

Next, let’s go through the elements of the above Benefit Register. Do note that the Standard for Program Management (SPgM) only informs about the Program Benefits Register, not the Benefit Profile!

• Benefit ID – The benefit identifier, which uniquely identified the benefit.
• Benefit Label (Name) – The name of the benefit.
• Benefit Description – The illustration of the benefit.
• Benefit Categorization – The category to which a benefit belongs to. One a benefit can belong to multiple categories!
• Benefit Owner – The person or group who will own the benefit.
• Expected Timing – This can be divided into two, i.e. Start Date and End Date. This informs when the benefit is expected to be delivered.
• Mapping – Mapping of planned/expected benefits to the program component(s). 
• Risks – The risks assessment of the benefits and probability of achieving the benefit.
• Dependencies – Dependencies for the benefit.
• Assumptions – Assumptions associated with the benefit.
• Metrics – The metrics needed to measure the benefits.
• Target Value – The target value of the benefits – preferably quantifiable.

I’ve not added all the fields in the spreadsheet shown above, e.g., Risk Probability. Each program benefit should be assigned a risk probability. Indeed, several factors can drive the probability. For example, the number of components needed to realize the benefit can be one of the factors. 

Taking another example, one of the attributes can be the status or progress indicator for each benefit. This also can be added to the above spreadsheet. 

The depth and breadth of attributes will determine the intensity with which you – the Program Manager – will track the benefits coming from the program components. 

In Summary

In my earlier linked article, I’ve informed about Benefits Management Plan being used in the PMP certification. 

A number of PMP certified professionals pursue PgMP certification. When you go for the Program Management Professional (PgMP) certification, the Benefits Register is one of the key artifacts to know along with:

• Program Benefits Management Plan,
• Program Benefits Management phases (multiple ones),
• Program Benefits Map,
• Program Principle – Benefits Realization (a distinct principle), and
• Program Performance Domain – Benefits Management (a dedicated domain). 

That's quite a few! Isn't it?

However, when you follow and prepare with ManagementYogi’s courses and/or books, you’ll learn them not only in-depth, but also in a practical manner. You're also going to remember them. 

References

[1] Benefits Realization Management for Projects, by Satya Narayan Dash, CIPSA, CHAMP.

[2] Portfolio Management - Benefits Dependency Map, by Satya Narayan Dash, CIPSA, CHAMP.

[3] The Standard for Program Management, by Project Management Institute (PMI).

Program Management Demystified – What It Is and What It’s Not

  

Program management is often misunderstood as simply “managing multiple projects”. In reality, it is a strategic discipline focused on managing related initiatives to achieve broader organizational outcomes leading to benefits aligned with strategic objectives. 

Unlike project management, which zeroes in on delivering specific outputs or deliverables within the defined constraints of scope, schedule and cost, program management connects the dots among the interrelated group of projects, subprograms and program activities – known as program components. 

A program aligns its components with business goals, manages interdependencies, and ensures that the combined value exceeds the sum of individual efforts. In fact, in the Standard for Program Management (SPgM), there is a principle (PR): Synergy.

The Synergy PR explicitly tells this: we create more than what is possible/achievable by a program’s individual component parts.

In this article, we will know more on Program Manager and act of doing so – Program Management. I’ll try to remove many misconceptions and will follow the same pattern as used in CIPSA course – What It’s and What It’s Not.

I'd also suggest that you read this article in combination:

Decoding A Program – What It Is and What It's Not

Now let's dive-in.

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1. Not only Knowledge and Skills, but also Principles.

Program management is not only the application of knowledge and skills, but also principles.

For the first time, in the NEW Standard for Program Management (SPgM), PMI has added a number of principles which permeates across various performance domains. Yes, knowledge and skills are needed to perform program management. However, principles are equally important. 

For example, there is principle of Governance, which is a must-have in order to manage programs effectively. 

2. Not only a Manager, but also a Leader.

The program manager is both the manager and leader of the program.

As the SPgM notes and I quote verbatim:

"Program management is led by a program manager, who is the person authorized by the performing organization to lead the team or teams responsible for achieving program objectives."

You, the Program Manager, are the leader of the program. Make no mistake about it. However, leadership and management are not the same. To know more leadership, you can read this comprehensive article. The prior linked article is about project managers, but many aspects will be applicable to Program Managers, too. 

3. Not Just Traditional, but also Agile.

While planned benefits' delivery in phase-based manner is well-understood, program benefits can also be delivered in an Agile mode.

Programs can have phase- or gate-based approach to deliver the benefits. One can also deliver the benefits in an Agile mode. 

For the planned/target benefits to delivered in Adaptive mode, the approach is to deliver in an increment manner, i.e., we get incremental benefits. In Agile approach, iterations are typically used and incremental benefits are given at the end of every iteration.

Agile at Scale framework, such as Certified In Practical Scaled Agile (CIPSA), can be used for incremental delivery. 

4. Not only Vertical, but also Horizontal. 

Program managers look at both the aspects for communications – vertical and horizontal. 

When I say both vertical and horizontal areas of program, there are many aspects to it.

As a Program Manager, you have to provide solid horizontal and vertical communications with the stakeholders. Another aspect is horizontal coordination with other program managers under the same portfolio, but also vertical support for the top leadership. After all, a program should be strategically aligned. 

5. Not a Politician, but Politically Savvy.

A program manager is not a career politician playing politics, but should be politically savvy showing sensitivity to diverse interests.

Your job is that of a program manager, not of a politician. Many don't touch this aspect of politics, but I certainly will! A number of organizations have too much political climate, where rarely anything gets done, other than playing politics. This is one of the key reasons for their failures. 

However, as a program manager, you need to be politically savvy. You need to be politically aware and pay close attention to the interest of the program stakeholders – especially stakeholders with high power, interest, and influence. However, you've to act with integrity. 

6. Not only Benefits, but also Strategic Alignment.

Programs delivery benefits taking a number of related components. Programs are also aligned with strategic objectives of an organization. 

Programs are typically initiatives within a portfolio. When a program is initiated a program manager is assigned. It's the job of the program manager to not only deliver the benefits, but also continuously align the program with strategic objectives while being in pursuit of the benefits to be delivered. 

In other words, the benefits and value to be delivered are important to an organization's strategic business objectives.  

7. Not only the Mentor, but also a Facilitator.

Program Managers wear many hats, including those of a mentor and facilitator depending on the context and situation.

A Program Manager (PgM) acts as mentor while ensuring that standards and practices are understood and followed.

Coming to the role of a facilitator, here is an example. Program is a team of teams. But some teams may not be under the direct authority of you, the Program Manager. In such cases, facilitation may be required. 

Note: There is another principle called Team of Team (ToT PR) specifically for program management.

8. Not Managing Operations, but Managing Program Components.

Program Managers don't manage operations, but manage the program itself.

A program manager considers the program elements such as projects, subsidiary program and program related activities. Operations, usually, are not under the scope of the management because operations are ongoing in nature. 

However, operational activities that directly related to a program's components may be considered as program-related activities. This is distinction is very important to know.

9. Not One Governance Body, but Multiple Governance Bodies.

In practice, most program managers have to deal with multiple governance bodies, not just one!

The program management standard talks about approaches, principles, performance domains and practices for most of the programs, most of the times. 

Nevertheless, considering governance, most program managers will have to deal with multiple governance bodies, not just one body. On ground, governance functions are performed through multiple governance bodies. 

10. Not only Top-Down, but also Bottom-Up. 

As a program manager, you've to be familiar with management of both types of programs: top-down or bottom-up. 

In a top-down approach, programs are taken fresh to pursue new goals and objectives. This are usually initiated with a Portfolio. See PfMP Live Lessons – Guaranteed Pass for more details on portfolio and the initiatives within. An example can be an initiation of a program within a portfolio as part of organization's strategic planning cycle.

On the other hand, it's possible that some of the projects are already running and it was decided to run them together as a program. These projects/subprograms have relatedness and interdependencies and hence, they are better managed as a program. 

Again, you – the program manager – have to know both these approaches and how to conduct various program activities in both the cases.

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Summary Table – Program Management 

Conclusion

Program Management is not merely coordinating projects but goes beyond. It’s about creating alignment, enabling strategic execution, and driving long-term value for your organization by delivering benefits.  

Above all, it's applying the program management principles, which are woven with the various program management performance domains. 

When done well, program managers and program management become the bridge between organization’s vision and ground execution with a set of interrelated components. 

As I wrote in the beginning, it’s about synergy–creating more than what’s possible by individual component parts. Indeed, it is!

You may also like:

[1] Guaranteed PfMP Live Lessons Course, by Satya Narayan Dash, CIPSA, CHAMP.

[2] Guaranteed PMP Live Lesson Course, by Satya Narayan Dash, CIPSA, CHAMP.

[3] Guaranteed RMP Live Lessons Course, by Satya Narayan Dash, CIPSA, CHAMP.

[4] Guaranteed ACP Live Lessons Course, by Satya Narayan Dash, CIPSA, CHAMP.