Concepts
The post-review meetings create robust platforms where experiences are shared, feedback is obtained, and lessons are garnered. For a Program Management Professional (PgMP), these activities are crucial in implementing efficient program management strategies and in recognizing opportunities for improvement and course correction.
Post-Review Meetings and Program Performance Reports
Post-review meetings are harbored to review a program once it’s completed. The primary objective is to examine the program in its entirety and to look at its successes and shortcomings. The meeting is a collaborative activity held with the participation of the program team, stakeholders, and sponsors. It serves as an effective forum to disclose the program’s performance based on several parameters such as scope, time, budget, quality, risks, communication, and stakeholder satisfaction.
A program performance report, on the other hand, is a data-based documentation that offers a quantitative evaluation of the program’s progress and performance. It encompasses a detailed assessment of the milestones, deliverables, program schedule, resource utilization, risks and issues, and financial performance.
Presenting the Program Performance Report in the Post-Review Meeting
A program performance report for post-review meetings should be succinct, methodical and influentially persuasive. A Program Management Professional (PgMP) should focus on presenting the data that can reveal the variances and performance trends.
The sections of a program performance report may include:
- Executive Summary: It should provide an overall program summary including its objectives, major accomplishments, primary issues, and crucial risks.
- Program Status: It includes the current status of the program, focusing on major milestones, deliverables and their actual versus planned completion.
- Schedule Performance: A compare-and-contrast analysis of the planned versus actual timeline should be provided, showing the delays or advancements in the schedule.
- Financial Performance: An evaluation of the program’s financial health, including a comparison between the projected and actual budget usage should be included.
- Key Risks and Issues: The report should also include the identified risks and issues and their corresponding management strategies.
Obtaining Feedback and Capturing Lessons Learned
In a post-review meeting, feedback – both positive and negative, from stakeholders and the program team is invaluable. It helps in identifying strengths and weaknesses of the management approach, and suggests areas for improvement that can be incorporated into future programs.
The meeting is also a key avenue to capture lessons learned. The teams, through their experience of the program, gather a wealth of knowledge that should be documented and shared for future program planning and executing.
For example, a lesson learned might be that a certain technology used in the program was not as efficient as anticipated leading to delays in the schedule. This would then be recorded as a lesson learned to inform decisions in future programs about the use of this technology.
The information captured through feedback and lessons learned becomes an essential part of the organization’s knowledge base, used to promote learning, continuous improvement and advance organizational maturity.
Conducting post-review meetings and presenting program performance are vital to comprehensive program management.
By obtaining feedback and capturing lessons learned, the meeting helps organizations to improve their future program planning and execution, which helps organizations evolve in the most constructive way possible. The Program Management Professional (PgMP) certification provides the skills required to excel in these activities and create a high-performance program environment.
Answer the Questions in Comment Section
True or False: The post-review meeting is not necessary in the program management process.
- Answer: False
Explanation: The post-review meeting is an essential part of the program management process. It provides an opportunity to present the performance report and obtain feedback.
In a post-review meeting, what is the main aim of presenting the program performance report?
- a. To highlight achievements
- b. To pinpoint failures
- c. To obtain feedback and capture lessons learned
- d. To allocate new tasks
Answer: c. To obtain feedback and capture lessons learned
Explanation: While achievements and failures can be discussed, the primary aim is to obtain feedback and identify key takeaways for future programs.
Multiple Select: What are the main objectives of conducting a post-review meeting in program management?
- a. To present the program performance report
- b. To obtain feedback on the program execution
- c. To plan future tasks
- d. To capture lessons learned for future programs
Answer: a, b, and d
Explanation: The core objectives of a post-review meeting include reviewing the performance report, obtaining feedback, and noting down key lessons.
True or False: The feedback obtained during the post-review meeting is not useful for future programs.
- Answer: False
Explanation: The feedback obtained during the post-review meeting contains invaluable information and insights that can be useful for managing future programs.
Single Select: The lessons learned during the post-review meeting are captured by whom?
- a. The Program Manager
- b. The Stakeholders
- c. The Project Team
- d. The Sponsor
Answer: a. The Program Manager
Explanation: The Program Manager is usually responsible for capturing and documenting the lessons learned during the post-review meeting.
True or False: It is not necessary to document the feedback and lessons learned during the post-review meeting.
- Answer: False
Explanation: Documentation is a crucial step in the post-review process, as it ensures that valuable information and insights are not lost and can be referenced in the future.
Which of the following are typically included in the program performance report?
- a) Earned value metrics
- b) Risk and issue updates
- c) Stakeholder feedback
- d) All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above
Explanation: A comprehensive performance report typically includes all these elements to provide a well-rounded view of the program’s performance.
Multiple Select: The feedback obtained in the post-review meeting can pertain to what aspects of the program?
- a. Execution
- b. Efficiency
- c. Risks
- d. Stakeholder satisfaction
Answers: a, b, c, and d
Explanation: Feedback can cover all aspects of the program, including execution efficiency, risks management, and stakeholder satisfaction.
In a post-review meeting, stakeholders’ feedback is _______
- a. Not necessary
- b. Optional
- c. Mandatory
- d. Provided only when asked
Answer: c. Mandatory
Explanation: Stakeholder feedback is crucial in reviewing a program’s performance and planning for improvements in future projects.
True or False: Capturing lessons learned after the program execution is a helpful practice for continuous improvement.
- Answer: True
Explanation: Lessons learned are valuable knowledge that can be used to improve the planning and execution of future programs.
True or False: The program performance report only contains quantitative data.
- Answer: False
Explanation: The performance report contains both quantitative and qualitative data. It covers numerical metrics as well as narrative information, such as risks, issues, and feedback.
The lessons learned in program management are typically recorded in a _______
- a. Performance Report
- b. Lessons Learned Document
- c. Risk Register
- d. Stakeholder Register
Answer: b. Lessons Learned Document
Explanation: The lessons learned are typically recorded in a specific document, known as the Lessons Learned Document, for future reference.
Great topic! The post-review meeting is crucial for evaluating program performance and identifying areas for improvement.
Thanks for the post! Very informative.
How do you structure your performance report for the review meeting?
Appreciate the shared insights. Great help for my upcoming PgMP exam.
What do you think is the most important part of the performance report?
Nice article. Keep up the good work!
This is an excellent resource for those preparing for the PgMP certification.
Make sure to capture all lessons learned effectively. They can be key to future program successes.