programforvaltningssystem

Programforvaltning, or program management, is the coordinated management of a set of related projects and activities designed to achieve strategic benefits that could not be realized if they were run separately. It focuses on delivering value to an organization by aligning with strategy, managing interdependencies, and optimizing the use of resources across multiple projects.

The scope includes defining the program's business case and benefits, establishing a governance framework, creating an integrated schedule, and ensuring stakeholder alignment. The program manager oversees inter-project dependencies, manages risk at the program level, coordinates resource allocation, and monitors progress toward benefits realization.

Typical lifecycle stages are initiation (articulating goals and strategic value), planning (developing a program roadmap, governance, budgets, and dependencies), execution (coordinated delivery, change management, issue resolution), benefits realization (measuring and tracking realized benefits, ensuring transition to operations), and closure (formal handover and assessment).

Roles commonly involved are the program sponsor, the program manager (or program director), a program governance board, project managers, and a program management office (PMO). Programforvaltning sits between project management and portfolio management: it governs related projects to achieve strategic outcomes, while portfolio management focuses on selecting and prioritizing programs and projects to maximize overall value.

Widely used frameworks include Managing Successful Programs (MSP) and standards such as the PMI Standard for Program Management, as well as BRM and IT governance practices. In Nordic and many European public-sector contexts, programforvaltning emphasizes benefits realization, stakeholder engagement, and governance maturity as core principles of digital transformation and large-scale initiatives.