Coping with a VUCA world using MSP

21 Apr 2022 11:02 AM

Blog posted by: Michelle Rowland – Director, A&J Project Management, April 20, 2022.

In today’s constantly-changing world, organizations need to respond rapidly – and with tried and tested best practice approaches.

This world is often described using the terms volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA). And the Covid-19 pandemic has only added to this rapidly changing environment.

With frequent changes to the external context, an organization’s strategy needs to evolve continuously. Therefore, programmes are often set up to enable a response and the programmes also need to constantly adapt as new information emerges.

Why use programme management?

A programme approach helps deliver change for several reasons:

Best practice in programmes

Adopting the best practice guidance in Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) makes programme managers and their organizations more flexible and responsive to a changing environment by progressively delivering benefits.

In other words, a programme will deliver benefits to stakeholders throughout the programme (rather than just at the end!) using an incremental approach. And as new information about external changes emerges, this delivery method means the programme can realign its priorities.

How can professionals deploy the MSP principles, themes and processes to best effect in rapidly changing times?

SP principles and VUCA

MSP’s principles-based framework is relevant to any programme. And several of its principles can help you handle the VUCA world:

Responding to change with MSP themes

Many of the MSP themes (key elements of the MSP framework) enable a rapid response to changes in the environment, while managing the current work effectively and efficiently.

MSP processes and VUCA

Two of the MSP processes are designed specifically to help a programme adapt to the VUCA world:

Working together, the MSP principles, themes and processes provide an integrated framework to guide the effective management of programmes in an ever-changing world.