How do you manage program issues and escalate resolutions?

1 Define program issues

A program issue is any problem, conflict, or risk that has materialized and is impacting or threatening to impact the program scope, schedule, budget, quality, or benefits. Program issues can arise from various sources, such as changes in requirements, dependencies, resources, assumptions, or external factors. To manage program issues, you need to have a clear and consistent definition of what constitutes an issue, how to categorize and prioritize it, and who is responsible for resolving it. You can use a program issue log or register to document and track the details, status, and actions related to each issue.

2 Identify and analyze program issues

To identify program issues, you need to have regular and effective communication and collaboration with your program team, project managers, sponsors, and stakeholders. You can use various techniques, such as status reports, meetings, surveys, audits, reviews, or feedback sessions, to collect and share information about the program progress, performance, and challenges. You also need to analyze the root causes, impacts, and implications of each issue, using tools such as fishbone diagrams, Pareto charts, SWOT analysis, or impact matrices. This will help you to understand the severity, urgency, and complexity of the issue and its effect on the program objectives and benefits.

3 Resolve and monitor program issues

To resolve program issues, you need to develop and implement appropriate solutions that address the causes and consequences of the issue and align with the program vision and strategy. You can use techniques such as brainstorming, problem-solving, decision-making, or negotiation to generate and evaluate alternative options and select the best course of action. You also need to assign clear roles and responsibilities, define timelines and deliverables, and allocate resources and budget for the issue resolution. You need to monitor and control the issue resolution process, using tools such as action plans, dashboards, or metrics, to ensure that the issue is resolved within the agreed scope, schedule, quality, and cost.

4 Escalate program issues

Sometimes, you may encounter program issues that are beyond your authority, capability, or capacity to resolve. In such cases, you need to escalate the issue to the appropriate level of management or governance for support, guidance, or intervention. You can use techniques such as escalation matrix, RACI matrix, or stakeholder analysis to identify and engage the right people to escalate the issue to. You also need to communicate the issue clearly and concisely, using tools such as escalation reports, emails, or presentations, to highlight the background, analysis, impacts, and recommendations of the issue. You need to follow up and coordinate with the escalated parties until the issue is resolved or closed.

5 Learn from program issues

One of the benefits of managing program issues is that you can learn from them and improve your program performance and outcomes. You can use techniques such as lessons learned, retrospectives, or post-mortems to capture and share the knowledge, insights, and best practices gained from resolving program issues. You can also use tools such as improvement plans, change requests, or updates to incorporate the lessons learned into the program plan, processes, and practices. This will help you to prevent or mitigate similar issues in the future, enhance your program quality and efficiency, and increase your program value and benefits.

6 Manage program issues effectively

Managing program issues is a critical and challenging skill for any program manager. By following the tips and tools discussed in this article, you can manage program issues effectively and escalate resolutions when needed. This will help you to deliver your program successfully and achieve your program goals and benefits.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?