All About Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM®) Framework



Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM®) offers a programme management approach that provides the governance and rigour along with the agility and flexibility organizations demand.

AgilePgM provides programme managers with a disciplined but flexible agile approach to the management of transformational organizational change, allowing for iterative and incremental delivery of outputs and benefits.

Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM®) provides a full programme management framework that can easily fit with existing programme management methods, or it can be used stand-alone.

Agile Programme Management
History of AgilePgM

What is Programme Management?

  • Programme management is concerned with ensuring a programme successfully delivers its outcomes and expected benefits, realized through delivery of new or changed capabilities.
  • There are often requirements for organizations to transform from a current operational state to a new operational state.
  • The reasons and type of change vary greatly, from creating new transport infrastructure to building a new business model.
  • Whilst the reasons and type of change vary, the characteristics are similar; a series of initiatives undertaken to move from the old state to new state.
  • The initiatives may be projects, business change activities or other activities.
  • A programme is formed to manage this series of initiatives and to ensure the new operational state is successfully reached.
  • Programmes vary in terms of size and duration.
  • Given the significant nature of change, many programmes span multiple years.

What is Agile Programme Management?

  • In many ways, programmes are already Agile by nature, in creating fairly autonomous teams to deliver outputs that contribute to the programme outcomes and taking an incremental approach in delivery.
  • Agile Programme Management places more emphasis on incremental delivery.
  • It recognizes that a programme will evolve over time and cannot be fully defined up front.
  • Whilst a roadmap to the future can be created, only the relatively immediate future state can be defined in any detail.
  • Agile Programme Management also embraces an iterative approach, where the best solutions emerge based on frequent review and feedback, ensuring changing circumstances are routinely incorporated into the programme.
  • There is also a culture of empowerment; teams at all levels are free to make decisions within the scope of what they’re asked to deliver.
  • Management becomes facilitative rather than command and control.
  • In summary, the emphasis is on the Agile concepts of empowerment, active stakeholder involvement, iterative development and incremental delivery of benefits whilst maintaining control.
Agile Programme Management Context
Agile Manifesto

The Agile Manifesto

We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value:

Individuals and interactions Over processes and tools
Working software Over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration Over contract negotiation
Responding to change Over following a plan

Benefits of Agile Programme Management

  • Deliver transformational change faster, at a lower cost and with lower risk by continuous realization of benefits and validation of programme goals against business strategy.
  • Complements and works with existing corporate methodologies (e.g. PRINCE2®, MSP, Agile Project Management) and quality & audit processes.
  • Improves rigour and visibility around programme management, leading to a proven track record of successful programme outcomes in a corporate environment.
  • Simply adopt a tried and tested approach rather than developing and integrating a company-specific agile programme management process.
  • Achieve better communication and control over programmes and just in time planning without disrupting the programme budget, timescale and vision.
  • Develop professionalism in employees and include agile certification in employee professional development schemes.
Agile in VUCA Context

Are you ready to become a certified Agile Programme Manager? Click here to explore relevant training and achieve the next level in programme management profession.



AgilePgM Handbook

The AgilePgM Handbook

  • Offers a practical and repeatable methodology that achieves an ideal balance between the standards, rigour and visibility required for good programme management, and the fast-pace, change and empowerment provided by Agile.
  • Based on the Agile Business Consortium's Agile Programme Management Framework.
  • Offers a structured and scalable corporate Agile framework based on proven practice.

Brings together all elements of a programme in an Agile context:

  • Philosophy
  • Principles
  • Lifecycle
  • Roles and Responsibilities
  • Stakeholder Engagement
  • Planning
  • Governance
  • Monitoring and Control
  • Quality

A complete framework for successful Agile Programmes.

5 PRINCIPLES for Effective Agile Programme Management

  1. Programme goals are clearly and continuously aligned to business strategy
  2. Benefits are realised incrementally and as early as possible
  3. Governance focusses on creating a coherent capability
  4. Decision-making powers are delegated to the lowest possible level
  5. Agile programmes are iterative and have the ability to contain both agile and non-agile projects
AgilePgM Principles
Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM) Lifecycle

The Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM) Lifecycle

  1. Pre-Programme
    • To describe the business transformation to be carried out
    • To identify a Business Programme Owner and Business Change Owners
    • To justify that the programme is worth investigating
  2. Programme Feasibility
    • To confirm that the programme is consistent with the business strategy and potentially achievable
    • To develop an outline governance strategy
    • To develop an outline plan for Programme Foundations, including key participants
  3. Programme Foundations
    • To baseline the programme vision
    • To confirm the programme business case
    • To plan the initial tranche(s) and gain approval to proceed
  4. Capability Evolution
    • To plan, initiate and execute projects to deliver the capabilities required for realisation of benefits
    • To measure the benefits being realised through the capabilities
  5. Tranche Review
    • To confirm that sufficient capability has been delivered for the tranche to be deemed complete
    • To plan the next tranche in sufficient detail, to be able to start it and, if necessary, to obtain approval to proceed including all necessary resourcing (e.g. finance, people, etc.)
  6. Programme Close
    • To confirm that sufficient capability has been delivered
    • To review the programme against its vision and business case
    • To close the programme

The Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM) Roles and Responsibilities

DSDM based AgilePM framework is based on following recommended organisational structure:

  1. Programme Management Team consisting of:
    • Business Programme Owner (business/ management role)
    • Business Change Owners (business/ management role)
    • Programme Manager (management role)
  2. Capability Delivery Team consisting of:
    • Programme Change Architect (business/ technical role)
    • Programme Technical Architect (technical role)
    • Project Teams (business/ technical role)
    • Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator (management role)
    • Business Analyst (mix of business and technical orientations) - Equally part of Project level as it is part of SDT level
  3. Supporting roles consisting of:
    • Change Agents (business role)
    • Programme Support Office (management role)
    • Specialists (business/ technical role)
AgilePgM Roles

Why Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM)?

  1. A tried & tested corporate approach:
    1. Enhanced from the Agile Business Consortium's Project Framework (established for over 20 years).
    2. Provides governance & rigour, to agile programme managers, along with the agility & flexibility demanded by organizations today.
    3. Adopted by a wide range of organizations representing various sectors & industries.
  2. Offers a programme management approach that provides the governance and rigour along with the agility and flexibility organizations demand.
  3. Can be used either stand-alone or combined with other recognised methods such as MSP® and PMI.
  4. Also ideal as a wrapper for more limited Agile and non-Agile approaches to ensure the whole programme lifecycle is addressed.
Why Agile Project Management?
AgilePM Training and Certification

Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM) Training and Certification

Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM) certification trainings are provided by APMG International's Accredited Training Organizations (ATOs) across the globe. Tecknologia is also an APMG Accredited Training Organization (ATO) offering Agile Programme Management certification trainings across the globe and in various formats.

Certification Level Course Duration Certificate Valid for
AgilePgM Foundation 2 Days Lifetime

Click on the link for certification level to explore the exam details.

In comparison: Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM®) Vs Managing Successful Programmes (MSP®)

  • MSP is a full programme management framework while AgilePgM is very nimble and focused on agility.
  • MSP is closely aligned with PRINCE2 family of frameworks, maintained by Axelos, while AgilePgM is more aligned with DSDSM and AgilePM/ AgilePBA/ AgileDS frameworks maintained by Agile Business Consortium.
  • MSP was last updated in 2021 while AgilePgM was last updated in 2014
  • AgilePgM has only foundation level. MSP has foundation practitioner level certifications.
  • AgilePgM has no prerequisites for candidates. MSP foundation must be passed in order to attempt practitioner level for MSP.
  • AgilePgM certificate has no expiry date. MSP foundation and practitioner certificates expire three years from issuance date.
MSP vs PMI-PgM

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM)

Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM®) offers a programme management approach that provides the governance and rigour along with the agility and flexibility organizations demand.

Prices vary depending on the mode of delivery, location, deliverables and the quality of training delivery. Typically Agile Programme Management online training costs between £1400 and £2200.

AgilePgM pass marks remain 25/50 (50%). Kindly note that there is only foundation level for ٓAgilePgM and no practitioner level as yet.

Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM) qualification has helped tens of thousands of professionals globally enhance their skills and achieve their professional ambitions. Professionals holding AgilePgM accreditation stand a better chance of being invited for an interview and definitely stand a better chance being offered a role afterwards.

AgilePgM can be a very valuable addition to the list of professional Agile qualifications and accreditations which can help achieve professional growth within organisations, without a need to switch jobs/ employers.

Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM) has been, in the past, and is very much relevant today. Agile believes in being nimble and flexible and so does AgilePgM which provides certified practitioners an added advantage over the crowd.

Programme Management itself is not ideal for beginners. However, it is still a good choice for beginners who aim at pursuing a career in PPM domains and related disciplines. Having AgilePgM qualification early in the career can play the role of a catalyst when it comes to climbing the professional ladder.

While Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM) foundation exam is relatively hard, it is not rocket science and anyone with correct level of attention, training and devotion can definitely achieve success in the exam.

Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM) foundation pass rate (across the market) remains around 90% globally, in first attempt. Tecknologia takes pride in maintaining 99.5% pass rate so far (May 2024).

It is absolutely possible to achieve AgilePgM exam success while relying on self study. However, high quality AgilePgM training can accelerate the process, along with exam success probability, for sure.

Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM) foundation certification is considered to be professional qualifications only. These qualifications are widely recognised and sought after globally, however, they are not the same as a college or university degree. Some quarters believe that AgilePgM foundation qualification is equivalent to UK NQF 5/6 - Tecknologia has no grounds to confirm this.

There is no negative marking in AgilePgM exams. No marks are deducted for a wrong answer.

Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM) foundation certifications has no expired date. Candidate do not need to retake the exam at all.

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