How to Define a Programme with MSP

user Andy Trainer

date 8 Dec 2010

How to Define a Programme with MSP

MSP® (which stands for Managing Successful Programmes) is the de-facto standard methodology for Programme Management in the UK.

Silicon Beach Training offer MSP Training in Brighton, Sussex, including MSP Foundation Training and MSP Practitioner Training

What is a Programme?

Whilst Project Management is about controlling a project, Programme Management is concerned with controlling a group of related projects.

How to Define a Programme with MSP

MSP provides a structured framework for managing programmes, and one of the very first of these steps is to define your Programme.

The basis for developing the programme definition in MSP is The Programme Brief. This also provides the basis for the programme’s strategies and plans for programme governance. The Programme Brief is a very important document, as it provides the basis for deciding whether to even proceed with the programme or not! Detailed planning of the programme is essential, and the Programme Brief is where this is undertaken.

The MSP Programme Brief is used as the starting point for creating a Programme Definition Document. This document outlines

What your MSP programme is going to do
How it's going to do it
Who is involved in the Programme
How the Programme will be controlled
The justification for going forward with the Programme

From this point, the Business Case and governance are now developed.

You can learn more about the structure of MSP by attending one of our accredited MSP Foundation Training or MSP Practitioner Training courses in Brighton, Sussex.