Examining the program-project intersection
In some companies, the TPM role is specifically listed as a project manager, not a program manager. For the majority of cases where it does refer to programs, the TPM still manages projects, too. This can lead to ambiguity as to the difference – or if there even is one.
In Chapter 2, we briefly discussed the relationship between a program and a project. A program is made up of projects and works toward the goals of the program while having its own goals.
Figure 3.2 illustrates the specific relationship between the Mercury program and the projects within it:
Figure 3.2 – The Mercury program roadmap
The Mercury program’s goal is related to user reach, and the projects are broken down by OS. This figure shows how the projects fit into the roadmap overall. Since we chose to break the program down by OS, there are currently no inter-dependencies, so the relationship is straightforward....
