X1 Evaluate the generated Value X2 Optimize the Value generation strategy X3 Conduct a focused communication Y1 Evaluate portfolio stakeholder satisfaction Y2 Evaluate the ongoing programs and projects Y3 Plan improvements Y4 Conduct a focused communication Z1 Manage follow-up items Z2 Start, stop, or pause programs and projects Z3 Balance resources 6-Monthly Cycle Monthly Cycle Daily Cycle

Z2 - Start, stop, or pause programs and projects

This management activity belongs to the Daily Cycle. Activities in this cycle may be run at any day to implement the Value generation strategy.

What

This activity gives permission to sponsors to start, stop, or pause their programs or standalone projects based on the Value Generation Matrix.

Why

To ensure alignment, no program or standalone project may be started, stopped, or paused in the organization without the permission of the portfolio manager. Projects that are underneath programs will require permission from the program management system rather than the portfolio management system.

Who

The portfolio manager and the program or project sponsor work together in this activity.

How

Sponsors are allowed to initiate their programs and standalone projects (assign a team to create a high-level plan without executing it) if they need to create a precise Business Case (e.g., in response to requests for proposals from external clients), but they must receive the portfolio manager’s permission before starting the execution (e.g., activity A08 of P3.express). They should also ask for permission before beginning and ending the program or project’s closure process. During program and project closure, the portfolio manager will ensure that the documents are archived properly, among other things.

Sometimes, such as during emergencies, the relative justification of programs and projects changes so dramatically that it makes sense to pause an ongoing program or project and start working on something else. The portfolio manager and the sponsor would discuss such cases in this activity.

When a decision is brought to this activity, the portfolio manager is allowed to make the decision along with the sponsor according to the Value Generation Matrix. If the prior decisions of the portfolio board, as reflected in the matrix, are not enough for making the decision, or the portfolio manager and the sponsor can’t reach an agreement, the portfolio manager should run an exceptional 6-Monthly Cycle.

The portfolio manager must ensure that sponsors are not running too many programs and projects in parallel and are finishing the ongoing ones before starting the next ones in the matrix.

Minor changes in the organization may be best implemented by ad hoc tasks. However, the portfolio manager must ensure that there’s a reasonable number of such tasks and that they don’t replace structured changes (programs and projects).

The organizational processes and policies related to starting and stopping programs and projects, as documented in the Portfolio Description, should be carefully followed in this activity.



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