What is a Programme? - Best Practices

			
			              Program and Project Management > Best Practices > What is a Programme?
			            
				              What is a Programme?

			                Dennis van der Spoel
A program is more than a collection of projects towards a common goal:

1. First, a program consists of various and different activities, some of which are projects.

2. But there will also be other activities such as improvisations and unplanned processes concerning change, negotiations, conflict management, consulting and decision making that have an unpredictable outcome and therefor cannot be embedded in a project. 

3. Most program managers will also manage routine processes temporarily, such as a program support office or a key department.
			            
			                  		What is a Program Support Office?
														
														Farah Mneimneh
What is meant with program support office mentioned in no 3?
			                  	
			                  			What is a Program Office?

															Jaap de Jonge, Management Consultant, Netherlands
Hi Farah, a program office (PO) is the supporting organization of a program. Normally the program manager/director is the head of it. 

The PO would probably include at least one assistant / secretary. But a program office could consist out of tens or even hundreds of people in a very large, complex program. 

A PO is not very different from any other organization, except that a PO is aimed at supporting/running a program and not at supporting/running a business.

See this discussion for the criteria to distinguish between a project and a program.
			                  		
			                  			What is a Program Office?

															David Dicanot, Analyst, France, Member
			                  		
											Read all responses and join this discussion yourself. 
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