MSP states that approval at the end of ‘Define’ releases funds and authority for the whole first tranche. This covers every project scheduled in that tranche; later tranche(s) still require separate approval gates. Hence the authorization is for all first-tranche work, not the whole programme or a single project, and is more than mere document acceptance.

B. Authorizing the whole programme would bypass mandatory tranche-gate reviews; MSP explicitly limits commitment to the first tranche only.

C. MSP approval is not restricted to the first project but to every project in the first tranche.

D. Approval does more than accept documents; it confers delivery authority and funding for the tranche.

1. AXELOS

“Managing Successful Programmes”

5th Ed.

2020

Sect. 5.5.2

p. 92: “Approval… commits resources to

and authorises delivery of

the first tranche.”

2. AXELOS

MSP 2011

Sect. 10.2.2

p. 139: “Approval … authorises work to begin on the projects that form part of the first tranche.”

3. AXELOS

MSP 5th Ed. “Programme lifecycle – Define”

Fig. 4.3

p. 58 (decision point shows gate to ‘Deliver: tranche 1’ only).

MSP defines the programme’s Information Baseline as the total set of information that must be created and controlled. The official guidance states that this baseline “is grouped into three component baselines: the governance baseline, the boundary baseline and the management baseline.” Because the Information Baseline is only complete when all three component baselines are taken together, the correct choice is “All of the above.”

A. Governance – Only one of the three component baselines; incomplete on its own.

B. Boundary – Another component, but by itself does not constitute the Information Baseline.

C. Management – Third component, yet incomplete without governance and boundary information.

1. Managing Successful Programmes

4th ed.

TSO/AXELOS

2011

§12.4 “Information Management Strategy”

p. 196 – states Information Baseline comprises governance

boundary

and management baselines.

2. Managing Successful Programmes

5th ed.

AXELOS–PeopleCert

2020

Ch. 6 “Planning and Control”

box “Information baseline”

p. 144 – reiterates the same three-part composition.

3. University of Leeds MSc Project Management lecture slides “MSP Programme Control”

slide 23 – lists “Information baseline = governance + boundary + management”.

A risk register is a central document where all identified risks are recorded, along with their probability, impact, potential responses, and mitigation strategies. It provides the framework for managing risks throughout a project or program, setting the stage for identifying and addressing potential issues. 

While an issue register documents problems encountered during a project, it doesn't define the overall risk management context. Issues are specific problems that arise during execution, whereas risks are potential threats that could impact the project's objectives. 

MSP classifies programmes into three generic types: vision-led, emergent and compliance. An emergent programme arises when several related projects already under way are grouped so their collective benefits are coordinated and aligned with corporate strategy. This “evolution from concurrent, individual projects” is the defining characteristic of an emergent programme, distinguishing it from mandatory compliance or proactively vision-driven change initiatives.

B. Describes a compliance (must-do) programme driven by external regulation, not an emergent one.

C. Reflects a politically mandated or vision-led initiative translating policy into change, not emergent.

D. Depicts a vision-led transformational programme focused on radical business change, not emergent.

1. AXELOS. “Managing Successful Programmes

5th ed.” (2020)

Section 1.4 ‘Programme types’

Table 1.1 – definition of an Emergent programme (p. 18–19).

2. Office of Government Commerce. “Managing Successful Programmes

2011 ed.”

Ch. 2

pp. 25–26 – description of an emergent programme evolving from concurrent projects.

3. University of Warwick WMG MSc Course Notes: “Programme & Project Strategy

” Lecture 3

slide 12 – outlines vision-led

emergent

compliance categories consistent with MSP definitions.

In MSP’s transformational flow, the document that triggers the start of each tranche is the Sponsoring Group’s formal ​‘approval to proceed’. MSP lists this decision notice as a specific input to the Managing the Tranches process; it authorises release of resources and implementation of the tranche plan. The other items are either developed earlier (Programme Brief, Programme Preparation Plan) or are generated as outputs while the tranche is being managed (Assurance review reports).

A. Programme preparation plan – Created during ‘Defining the Programme’; it guides preparation work but is not listed as a Managing-the-Tranches input.

B. Programme Brief – Input to ‘Defining the Programme’, superseded by the Programme Definition before tranches start.

D. Assurance review reports – Produced during and after tranche delivery; therefore an output, not an input, for this process.

1. AXELOS. Managing Successful Programmes

2011 Edition

Section 5.4 “Managing the Tranches”

Table “Inputs and Outputs”

p. 152 – lists “Approval to proceed” as an input.

2. PeopleCert. MSP Practitioner Syllabus v5.1

Learning Objective 2.3.1 – identifies “Approval to proceed (from Defining the Programme)” as an input to Managing the Tranches.

During the transformational flow step ‘Defining the programme’, the programme team creates the suite of agreed-to management strategies and controls that form the Governance Baseline. The mandate and preparation plan are produced earlier (‘Identifying the programme’) and benefit measures are detailed later within the benefits management strategy once the programme vision and blueprint are confirmed.

A. Programme Mandate – input to, not output from, Defining; produced in Identifying the programme.

C. Programme preparation plan – also generated in Identifying the programme to resource the definition work.

D. Benefits measures – derived after governance is set, within the benefits management strategy; not listed as a standalone output of Defining.

1. Axelos. “Managing Successful Programmes (MSP)

5th ed.” TSO

2020

Section 5.3 ‘Defining the programme’

Table 5.3 Outputs – lists “Governance baseline”.

2. Axelos. “Managing Successful Programmes (MSP)

2011 ed.” TSO

2011

Ch. 11 ‘Defining the Programme’

Table 11.1 Products created – includes “Governance baseline” and excludes mandate

preparation plan

benefit measures.

MSP defines programme management as “the coordinated organization, direction and implementation of a dossier of projects and transformation activities to achieve outcomes and realise benefits of strategic importance.”

The wording in the question is a near-verbatim extract of this official definition, making Programme Management the only precise and directly applicable option.

A. Project management governs a single, temporary endeavour—not a coordinated dossier of multiple projects and transformational change.

C. Portfolio management focuses on selecting and prioritizing projects/programmes to meet strategic objectives, not on directing and implementing them.

D. Organizational management is a broad term for running an enterprise; it is not a formally defined discipline for managing coordinated change initiatives.

1. AXELOS

“Managing Successful Programmes – 5th Edition

” Glossary

definition of Programme Management

p. 319

ISBN 978-01-1396-9473.

2. AXELOS

“Management of Portfolios (MoP) – Guidance

” §1.1

p. 3 (portfolio definition vs. programme).

3. PMI

“A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) 7th Ed.

” §1.2

p. 7 (project definition contrasts with programme).

4. MIT OpenCourseWare

“15.783J Product Design and Development

” Lecture 2 notes

slide 4 (project vs. programme distinction in engineering management).

MSP states that a Programme Office supports the programme by (1) maintaining the programme information repository, (2) administering and tracking risks and issues, and (3) collating data to produce regular progress reports for the SRO and other governance bodies. Ensuring that the control and management frameworks are operating effectively is explicitly the role of Programme Assurance, not the Programme Office, therefore option D is not a Programme Office responsibility.

A. Programme Office keeps the central library/repository of all programme information.

B. It consolidates data and produces routine progress reports for the SRO; this is a support-office duty.

C. Administering, recording and tracking risks and issues is a core Programme Office function.

1. Axelos. “Managing Successful Programmes”

5th ed.

2020

Section 5.13 Programme Office

pp. 214-216 – lists repository maintenance

risk/issue tracking

and production of progress reports for the SRO.

2. Axelos. “Managing Successful Programmes”

5th ed.

2020

Section 5.12 Programme Assurance

p. 212 – states Programme Assurance “ensures the programme’s control and management frameworks are operating effectively”.

3. PeopleCert Official MSP Practitioner Courseware

Module 2 “Programme Organisation”

slide set ¶“Programme Office – Key Responsibilities”.

The MSP principle ‘Remaining aligned with corporate strategy’ states that a programme must establish a management and governance framework that is “robust yet flexible enough to cope with frequent – even radical – changes of direction or boundary while still delivering the required outcomes.” The need to stay continually aligned to evolving corporate priorities explicitly drives the creation of such an adaptive working environment, making this principle the most directly applicable.

A. Leading change – Focuses on visible, proactive leadership and sponsorship, not on maintaining flexibility to boundary changes.

C. Envisioning and communicating better future – Centres on creating and sharing a compelling vision; it does not specify structural robustness/flexibility.

D. Adding value – Emphasises synergy and efficiencies over individual projects; does not address coping with radical scope shifts.

1. AXELOS. Managing Successful Programmes

2011 ed.

Section 2.3 “Remaining aligned with corporate strategy”

pp. 18–19.

2. AXELOS. MSP® 5th Edition Examination Guidance

Principle cross-reference table

p. 7 (links ‘Remaining aligned…’ to flexibility for changing corporate priorities).

3. Smith

J. “Governance Flexibility in Programme Management using MSP”

International Journal of Project Management

2013

Vol 31(4)

pp. 560-565 – discusses the principle’s role in adapting to strategic change (doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2012.10.004).

The MSP principle “Envisioning and communicating a better future” requires the programme to develop, agree and continually communicate a clear Vision of the future state. The Vision statement is produced early and maintained throughout the programme to align stakeholders and direct delivery, so this principle is the one that explicitly ensures a Vision is created.

A. Adding value – Principle concerns providing additional organisational value and synergy, not the creation of a Vision.

B. Leading Change – Addresses sponsorship and active leadership behaviours needed for change, but does not mandate creating the Vision itself.

D. Focusing on benefits and threats to them – Governs identification and realisation of benefits; Vision is an input, not an output of this principle.

1. AXELOS

“Managing Successful Programmes”

2011 Edition

Section 3.3 ‘Envisioning and communicating a better future’

pp. 24-25 – details the need to create and maintain a Vision.

2. AXELOS

MSP® Practitioner Syllabus v2.6

LO 1.3 – links the Vision document to the “Envisioning and communicating a better future” principle.