Program DevelopmentMaking a difference takes careful planning and thoughtful execution. A proven way to achieve measurable results and realize your organizational goals is through program delivery.

Typically, programs are tied to regional or organizational goals. They are mechanisms for producing specific results with a specific target audience in mind. From the client or stakeholder’s point of view, a good program has a clear purpose, a logical process, and a step-wise approach to achieving results.

From the organization’s point of view, programs organize your resources and processes, and account for the internal and external factors that influence all stages in your step-wise approach to achieving your goals.

The very best programs are win-win in nature. They deliver value to the clients and stakeholders, while also achieving other organizational objectives. This is particularly important when a program is funded with government grants or donors. You must be able to deliver value to your target audience while also achieving your funders’ objectives. This is a balancing act that takes careful planning and well-organized program delivery.

Want to achieve bonus points? Great programs have tight branding that cleverly delivers the value and goal of the program through terminology, imagery, icons, and tag lines.

What’s Involved in Program Development?

Program Development involves several steps that are proven produce a powerful and manageable program. Three of the key steps are explained below.

  1. Developing a Knowledge Base can help you define your ideal client. It helps you deeply understand your target audience as well as economic, social or environmental trends; network factors; risks; threats; and opportunities that can influence your program.
  2. Designing a Program Model involves mapping the inputs and outputs of your program as well as the business processes you will need to manage the process end to end. The Model also accounts for the internal and external factors that can influence any point in the business processes and ultimately the successful implementation of your program.
  3. Defining Your Program Metrics gives you the ability to measure progress towards your program goals. Metrics are often called Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) because they indicate whether your program is functioning as it was intended. Selecting the right KPIs is challenging. Should you focus on upstream or downstream metrics? How many KPIs do you need? How do you collect the data and report on your metrics? These questions will be answered during the program development process.

There are other steps in the Program Development Process, such as defining your team, addressing risk factors, developing a budget, determining your standard business practices, and other steps specific to the program you need to create. Doran Strategic Consulting is experienced in making the Program Development Process simple and efficient. We'd love to help you achieve your goals via a powerful new program.

Key Words: Regional needs, Program Models, Industry-Academic Research, Business-Support Programs, Community Impact, Fee-for-Service, Public-Private-Partnerships, Not-for-Profits, Education & Training, Key Performance Indicators, Measuring Success.

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