The Roles of a DSDM Program

*To see the roles of a DSDM Project: DSDM Project Management Roles and Responsibilities

1. Business Program Owner
2. Business Change Owner
3. Program Manager
4. Program Technical Architect
5. Program Change Architect
6. Project Teams
7. Stakeholder Engagement Co-ordinator
8. Change Agents
9. Program Support Office
10. Specialists

Role Levels and Categories

There are three role levels to DSDM program Management. They are the Program Management Team, The Capability Delivery Team (CDT), and the Supporting Level. Some of the roles can be shared between people and one person can have more than one role. Some of the roles can also overlap with a DSDM Project, for example, a Program Manager may be a Business Sponsor for a project.

The DSDM Program Management roles are color-coded by primary purpose or type.

Orange represents those roles involved in maintaining or envisioning the interests of the business.

Green roles are those involved in the technology or contributing to the technical solution of the project.

Blue roles are for the leadership of the project and those are just the Project Manager and the Team Leader.

Responsibilities of DSDM Program Roles

Business Program Owner

The Business Program Owner is part of the Program Management Team and they should be taking an active role in the DSDM Program. They are the champion of the program and they have the authority to make the highest level decisions for the program. They need to ensure the long-term success of the program and make sure they are committed to providing the needed funds and resources. They may interact or coordinate with senior-level stakeholders.

Business Change Owner

The Business Change Owner is the senior business role for the program and it is part of the Program Management Team. This role is responsible for ensuring the benefits of the program are realized. They define the benefits and work to make sure the program remains aligned to the defined benefits.

Program Manager

The Program Manager is responsible for all areas of program delivery. Their work ensures that the vision is maintained and the stated capabilities become enabled. They don’t plan the details of each project, but work to ensure that the projects have what they need and are empowered to plan those details. They may take on a Business Sponsor role within a project.

Program Technical Architect

The Program Technical Architect owns the technical architecture and design of the program. They work to ensure that the overall technology of the program is aligned and meets appropriate best standards and practices.

Program Change Architect

The Program Change Architect is responsible for the Business Architecture Model (BAM). They will contribute to the design of the BAM and provide guidance regarding the BAM. This helps to ensure that business architecture is consistent throughout the program.

Project Teams

The Project Teams are the individual groups responsible for delivering pieces or products for the program. They are empowered to produce the vision of the program. This could be a DSDM project or other project type aligned under the DSDM Program.

Stakeholder Engagement Co-ordinator

The Stakeholder Engagement Co-ordinator ensures that stakeholders are effectively engaged within the program and that there is a strategy for the project stakeholder engagement. The work to make the stakeholder communication consistent and aligned to the vision of the program.

Change Agents

Change Agents are part of the supporting level and work to assist the business change owners with the business processes surrounding change management and implementation of the changes.

Program Support Office

The Program Support Office provides the Program Management Team with administrative support and coordination for the program.

Specialists

Specialists are any person that comes in with a needed skill to help support the program.

Sources:

This material (DSDM and Related Images) was created by the Agile Business Consortium. https://agilebusiness.org