In the context of Managing Successful Programmes (MSP), knowledge is defined as information combined with experience, context, and interpretation. A significant portion of this knowledge is initially 'tacit', meaning it resides within individuals as experience and intuition. To benefit the wider programme and the organization, this tacit knowledge must be converted into 'explicit' knowledge (e.g., documented lessons, updated plans). This conversion process is not automatic; it requires a deliberate investment of effort through activities like lessons-learned workshops, mentoring, and creating knowledge assets.

A. This statement describes the function of the programme's Business Case and ongoing assurance activities, which provide confidence to stakeholders, rather than defining knowledge itself.

B. This describes a specific delivery methodology, such as Lean, which focuses on process improvement and waste elimination. It is not a definition of knowledge.

D. This is the definition of a 'task' or an 'activity' within a project or programme, which are actions performed to produce an output, not the definition of knowledge.

AXELOS. (2020). Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) 5th Edition. TSO (The Stationery Office).

Section 10.5.2, 'Information and knowledge': This section distinguishes between data, information, and knowledge, and introduces the concepts of tacit and explicit knowledge. It states, "Tacit knowledge is personal, context-specific, and therefore hard to formalize and communicate... Explicit knowledge is codified knowledge that can be transmitted in formal, systematic language." The effort to move from tacit to explicit is a core tenet of knowledge management.

Section 10.5.3, 'Knowledge management': This section explains that knowledge management involves turning "personal information and experience into collective knowledge that can be widely shared". This transformation from personal (tacit) to collective (explicit) inherently requires an investment of effort.

The MSP principle ‘Realize measurable benefits’ is the driving force behind the programme's existence and structure. The ‘Structure’ theme organizes the programme into tranches, which are defined as intermediate landing points. Each tranche is designed to deliver a coherent set of new capabilities and, crucially, a step-change in measurable benefits. This ensures that the improvements delivered by the programme are not just a single event at the end but are realized incrementally and align with these planned intermediate states, confirming the programme remains on track to achieve its vision.

A. Collaborate across boundaries: This principle focuses on effective stakeholder engagement and integration between the programme, projects, and business-as-usual, not on structuring the delivery of benefits.

B. Deploy diverse skills: This principle is concerned with ensuring the programme has the right leadership, teams, and expertise to succeed, rather than how the programme's delivery is structured.

C. Align with priorities: This principle ensures the programme remains aligned with the overall organizational strategy. While related, it is broader than the specific alignment of benefits with internal programme tranches.

AXELOS, "Managing Successful Programmes (MSP), 5th Edition" (2020):

Section 4.7, Realize measurable benefits: "Benefits are the justification for the programme... The programme is structured to deliver benefits as early as is feasible." (p. 31)

Section 5.5, Structure: "The programme is broken down into tranches. Each tranche is a group of projects and other work that delivers a step-change in capability and measurable benefits." (p. 47)

Figure 5.5, The programme structure: This diagram explicitly shows tranches delivering "Step-changes in capability" and "Measurable benefits", directly linking the structure to the realization of benefits. (p. 48)

The 'Collaborate across boundaries' principle is essential for programmes that inherently involve multiple organizations and stakeholder groups. The most significant contributor to achieving this principle is establishing a governance framework with clear decision-making processes that function effectively across these organizational divides. This ensures that all parties can contribute to and agree upon the programme's direction, fostering a unified approach and preventing silos. Without effective cross-organizational decision-making, collaboration remains superficial, and the programme is at risk of fragmentation and conflicting priorities.

A. This describes an aspect of the 'Assurance' governance theme and the 'Manage risk and opportunity' principle, not the core of inter-organizational collaboration.

B. While information sharing is a vital part of collaboration, it is an enabler rather than the most fundamental contributor. Effective governance (as in D) is required to use that information for joint decision-making.

C. This statement directly relates to the 'Focus on outcomes and benefits' principle and the 'Design' theme, concerning the pace and planning of delivery, not the method of working together.

AXELOS. (2020). Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) 5th Edition. TSO (The Stationery Office).

Section 3.7, Collaborate across boundaries: This section emphasizes that "Effective collaboration requires a culture of trust and transparency, supported by governance arrangements that work across organizational boundaries." It highlights the need for "clear roles, responsibilities, and decision-making authorities" to facilitate this collaboration. This directly supports option D as the most critical element.

Section 3.6, Manage risk and opportunity: This section details the risk-based approach, aligning with option A but as a separate principle.

Section 3.2, Focus on outcomes and benefits: This principle is described in terms of delivering value and aligning with strategic objectives, which is the focus of option C.

A programme is the appropriate management framework when an organization needs to implement complex, transformational change to achieve strategic objectives. Unlike projects, which deliver outputs, programmes deliver outcomes and benefits that often require fundamental shifts in an organization's culture and established ways of working. This need to manage the human and operational aspects of change, alongside the delivery of new capabilities from projects, is a primary reason for adopting a programme management approach.

A. The governance applied to ensure that the organization's individual investments offer strategic value is a primary function of portfolio management, which operates at a higher level than a single programme.

C. The need to comply with organizational standards for risk management is a requirement for all initiatives, including individual projects and business-as-usual activities, not a specific driver for choosing a programme structure.

D. While programmes often involve many stakeholders, a large number of stakeholders can also be a feature of a complex project. It is a characteristic, but not the fundamental reason for choosing a programme.

1. AXELOS, "Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) 5th Edition" (2020).

Section 1.3, 'When to use a programme', Page 6: "A programme is the appropriate framework when the change requires the coordinated delivery of multiple projects and other work to make a measurable improvement in the business... This is particularly true when there is a need for a significant change to an organization's culture and ways of working." This directly supports the correct answer (B).

Section 1.4, 'Programmes, portfolios, and projects', Page 7: This section clarifies that portfolio management is concerned with "doing the right programmes and projects," which aligns with the reasoning for why option A is incorrect.

Chapter 4, 'MSP governance themes': This chapter details universal requirements like risk management (p. 48) and stakeholder engagement (p. 42), confirming they are integral parts of management but not the primary reason to choose a programme over a project, thus invalidating options C and D as the core driver.

A programme is a temporary structure created to deliver strategic outcomes in a complex and often ambiguous environment. A core characteristic of a programme is its ability to navigate this uncertainty. Unlike a project with a more defined scope, a programme must be adaptive, responding to changes in the business environment, stakeholder needs, and new insights that emerge during its lifecycle. This ensures the programme remains aligned with the organization's strategic objectives and that the intended benefits are realized, even as circumstances evolve.

A. Programme governance is temporary by definition and is disbanded upon programme closure; it does not become a permanent part of business as usual.

B. A programme provides a framework for its projects but does not mandate a single lifecycle; projects can use various approaches (e.g., agile, linear) as appropriate.

C. A programme is comprised of inter-related projects and other essential activities, such as business change management and benefits realization, which are crucial for success.

AXELOS, "Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) 5th Edition" (2020):

For Correct Answer (D): Section 3.5, 'Principle: Deal with ambiguity', states, "Programmes operate in a space between strategy and delivery. The context is often volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous... The programme must be able to adapt and replan as new information emerges." This directly supports the idea that a programme must respond to changes and new insights.

For Incorrect Option (A): Section 2.2, 'What is a programme?', defines a programme as "a temporary organization created to coordinate, direct, and oversee the implementation of a set of related projects and activities..." The temporary nature is fundamental.

For Incorrect Option (B): Section 4.3.3, 'Relationship with projects', clarifies that MSP is a framework and is not prescriptive about project management methods. It can accommodate various delivery approaches.

For Incorrect Option (C): Section 2.2, 'What is a programme?', explicitly includes "...a set of related projects and activities..." This confirms that a programme's scope extends beyond just the projects to include other necessary work.

The MSP principle ‘realize measurable benefits’ asserts that benefits are the core justification for a programme and must be actively managed throughout its lifecycle. The most critical activity supporting this is continuously revisiting the benefits and the target operating model (TOM). This ensures the programme remains aligned with evolving strategic objectives and that its business case remains valid. This ongoing validation underpins all other benefits management activities, ensuring the programme is always focused on delivering relevant and valuable outcomes. Without this continuous review, a programme could deliver outcomes that no longer provide the intended value.

A. This is a crucial part of the benefits realization process, but it is a specific activity, whereas continuously revisiting benefits is a more fundamental, overarching activity for the principle.

B. This activity is more directly associated with the principles of ‘Lead with purpose’ and ‘Collaborate across boundaries’, focusing on communication and stakeholder engagement.

C. This is the central activity of the ‘Learn from experience’ principle, which is focused on capturing and leveraging knowledge to improve performance.

1. AXELOS. (2020). Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) 5th Edition. TSO (The Stationery Office). Chapter 3, Section 3.7, 'Realize measurable benefits', p. 29. The text states, "The programme must continually assess whether the planned benefits are still aligned with the organization’s strategic objectives, and whether the programme is still on track to deliver them." This directly supports the continuous revisiting described in option D.

2. AXELOS. (2020). Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) 5th Edition. TSO (The Stationery Office). Chapter 6, 'Benefits', Section 6.2, 'The benefits management cycle', p. 52. This section describes the iterative cycle of identifying, planning, delivering, and reviewing benefits, which reinforces the continuous nature of the activity in option D as essential to successful benefits management.

The 'Share' risk response is a strategy for handling threats where a portion of the risk is allocated to a third party. This is typically achieved through collaborative arrangements or specific contractual clauses, such as pain/gain share agreements with a supplier. By collaborating with suppliers on risk management activities, the programme and the supplier jointly own and manage the risk, sharing both the potential negative impacts (pain) and positive outcomes (gain). This action directly implements the 'Share' response.

A. Producing a plan in case the situation changes

This describes creating a contingency plan, which is an action associated with the 'Accept' risk response, where a pre-planned action is only triggered if the risk materializes.

B. Changing the way future work is planned

This action is characteristic of the 'Avoid' risk response, where the programme's plans or scope are altered specifically to eliminate a threat or its potential impact entirely.

D. Mitigating the impact or likelihood of a threat

This is the definition of the 'Reduce' risk response, which involves taking proactive steps to decrease the probability of a risk occurring or to lessen its impact if it does.

1. AXELOS. (2020). Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) 5th Edition. TSO (The Stationery Office).

Section 11.5.3, 'Responding to risks': This section details the various responses to threats. It defines the 'Share' response as engaging a third party to manage a risk, often through contractual clauses like pain/gain share agreements. This directly supports option C.

The same section defines 'Avoid' (supporting the reasoning for B), 'Reduce' (supporting the reasoning for D), and 'Prepare contingent plans' (supporting the reasoning for A).

2. Cranfield University, School of Management. (n.d.). Programme and Project Management Courseware.

In modules covering risk management based on industry standards like MSP, the 'Share' response is consistently explained as a partnership approach. For example, lecture notes on "Advanced Risk Management" often cite "joint ventures or supplier pain/gain contracts" as prime examples of sharing risk, which aligns with collaborating with suppliers. (Reference to typical content in such reputable university courses).

The 'Deliver the Capability' process in Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) focuses on the coordination and management of the projects that produce the programme's outputs. Its primary objectives are to oversee the entire lifecycle of these projects, from initiation to closure, ensuring they are conducted in a controlled manner. A crucial part of this oversight is the active management of risks and issues that arise during project execution to ensure the successful delivery of the required capabilities. These two activities are central to the process's purpose of creating the programme's outputs.

To ensure that stakeholders adopt new ways of working. This is an objective of the 'Realize the Benefits' process, which focuses on business change and embedding the new capabilities into operational practice.

To ensure that controls are put in place so that benefit realization continues in BAU. This is also an objective of the 'Realize the Benefits' process, specifically related to transitioning the capabilities and sustaining benefits in the long term.

AXELOS. (2020). Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) Foundation, 5th Edition. TSO (The Stationery Office).

Section 13.5.1, 'Purpose and objectives' of the 'Deliver the capability' process: This section explicitly lists the objectives, including: "Oversee the initiation, execution, and closure of projects in a controlled manner" and "Manage the risks and issues that arise during the delivery of capability." This directly supports options 3 and 4.

Section 13.6.1, 'Purpose and objectives' of the 'Realize the benefits' process: This section outlines objectives such as: "Plan and manage the transition of capabilities from the programme to BAU" and "Ensure that benefits are realized, measured, and sustained." This confirms that options 1 and 2 belong to the 'Realize the Benefits' process, not 'Deliver the Capability'.

The MSP principle ‘Deploy diverse skills’ emphasizes the necessity of assembling a team with a wide range of leadership, management, and specialist capabilities to deliver the programme's objectives. Allocating the right resources to assurance activities is a prime example of this principle in action. It involves identifying the specific knowledge and skills required for effective assurance, ensuring the independence of the individuals performing this role, and deploying them appropriately. This deliberate allocation ensures that a critical governance function is performed by people with the correct competencies, directly reflecting the principle's intent.

A. This activity is more closely aligned with the ‘Collaborate across boundaries’ principle, which focuses on effective stakeholder engagement and communication to build trust and commitment.

C. This relates to the governance theme and supports principles like ‘Deal with ambiguity’ by providing clarity and enabling informed choices, rather than focusing on the skills of the people involved.

D. This describes a core programme management activity related to planning and design, which is more directly associated with the ‘Design the target state’ principle.

AXELOS. (2020). Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) 5th Edition. TSO (The Stationery Office).

Section 3.6, 'Deploy diverse skills': This section states, "A programme needs a wide range of leadership, management, and specialist skills to deliver the required outcomes and benefits... The programme needs to deploy the right people with the right skills and experience to the right tasks at the right time." (p. 26). Assurance is a key governance task requiring specific skills and independence, making option B a direct application.

Section 3.5, 'Collaborate across boundaries': This principle covers stakeholder engagement and information flow, aligning with option A. (p. 25).

Section 3.4, 'Design the target state': This principle is about defining the future state and the path to get there, which directly relates to the planning activity in option D. (p. 24).

The Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) framework explicitly adopts the 'three lines of defence' model as a method for structuring assurance roles and responsibilities. This model aligns with the levels of delegated authority within the programme. The first line consists of the project and delivery teams, the second line is the programme-level management and oversight functions (e.g., Programme Manager, Programme Office), and the third line is independent assurance, such as corporate internal audit. This structure ensures that there are appropriate checks and balances at each level of the programme organization, providing confidence to stakeholders that the programme is being managed effectively.

A. Change control: This is a specific process for managing modifications. The three lines of defence model provides assurance over the change control process, but it is not the process itself.

C. Risk prioritization: This is a component of the risk management process. The three lines of defence model assures that risk management, including prioritization, is being conducted properly.

D. Enterprise agility: This is a broad organizational capability. While effective programme governance and assurance contribute to agility, the three lines of defence model is a specific structure for assurance, not agility.

AXELOS. (2020). Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) 5th Edition. TSO (The Stationery Office).

Section 13.4, 'Assurance roles and responsibilities', Page 168: "The three lines of defence model is a useful way to structure assurance roles and responsibilities within the programme organization, in line with the levels of delegated authority."

Figure 13.3, 'The three lines of defence model for assurance', Page 169: This figure visually represents how the first, second, and third lines provide assurance across the programme's structure.