ISO/TC 258 - Project, programme and portfolio management

This document specifies the organizational context and underlying concepts for undertaking project, programme and portfolio management. It also provides guidance for organizations to adopt or improve project, programme and portfolio management using the standards prepared by ISO/TC 258. This document is applicable to most organizations, including public and private organizations and it is not dependent on the size and type of the organization. It is also applicable to any project, programme and portfolio, regardless of complexity, size or duration. Further guidance on project, programme and portfolio management, and the governance thereof, is given in ISO 21502, ISO 21503, ISO 21504 and ISO 21505.

This document gives guidelines for project management. It is applicable to any organization, including public, private and charitable, as well as to any type of project, regardless of purpose, delivery approaches, life cycle model used, complexity, size, cost or duration. NOTE Delivery approach can be any method or process suited to the type of outputs, such as predictive, incremental, iterative, adaptive or hybrid, including agile approaches. This document provides high-level descriptions of practices that are considered to work well and produce good results within the context of project management. This document does not provide guidance on the management of programmes or portfolios. Topics relating to general management are addressed only within the context of project management.

This document defines terms used in the field of project, programme and portfolio management. It can be used by any type of organization, including public or private, and any size or sector, as well as any type of project, programme or portfolio in terms of complexity, size or duration.

This document provides guidance for work breakdown structures for organizations undertaking project or programme management. It is applicable to any type of organization including public or private and any size of organization or sector, as well as any type of project and programme in terms of complexity, size or duration. This document provides relevant terms and definitions, concepts, characteristics, benefits, uses, integration and relationships related to work breakdown structures. It does not provide guidance on the use of processes, methods or tools in the practice of developing and using a work breakdown structure. Annexes A and B provide examples of work breakdown structures and relationships to other breakdown structures.

ISO 21508:2018 provides guidance for practices of earned value management in project and programme management. It is applicable to any type of organization including public or private and any size or sector, as well as any type of project or programme in terms of complexity, size or duration. ISO 21508:2018 provides the following: a) terms and definitions; b) descriptions of the purpose and benefits of earned value management; c) the integration and relationship with project or programme management; d) an overview of the processes and process descriptions; e) basic requirements for an earned value management system; f) use of an earned value management system. ISO 21508:2018 does not provide guidance on the use of specific processes, methods or tools in the practice of earned value management. Annexes A, B and C describe cost, schedule and performance analysis, commonly used formulae with associated interpretations, and the integration of earned value with other project or programme management processes.

ISO 21503:2017 provides guidance on programme management. This document is applicable to any type of organization including public or private and any size or sector, as well as any type of programme in terms of complexity. ISO 21503:2017 provides high-level descriptions of relevant terms, definitions, concepts, prerequisites and practices, including roles and responsibilities that form good practice in programme management. It does not provide guidance on processes, methods and tools.

ISO 21505:2017 describes the context in which the governance of projects, programmes and portfolios is conducted and provides guidance for the governance of projects, programmes and portfolios. ISO 21505:2017 can also be used for assessment, assurance or verification of the governance function for projects, programmes or portfolios. ISO 21505:2017 is intended for governing bodies and executive and senior management who influence, impact or make decisions regarding the governance of projects, programmes and portfolios. It is also intended to provide guidance to those who direct projects, programmes and portfolios, such as sponsors, steering committees, portfolio owners and the project management office. It also can be used by project, programme and portfolio managers, as well as stakeholders involved in the development and implementation of projects, programmes and portfolios. Other audiences who can have an interest in this topic include those advising, informing, assisting or working within projects, programmes and portfolios.

ISO 21504:2015 provides guidance on the principles of project and programme portfolio management. ISO 21504:2015 is relevant to any type of organization including public or private and any size organization or sector. The guidance presented in ISO 21504:2015 is intended to be adapted to suit the specific environment of the project and programme portfolio. ISO 21504:2015 does not provide guidance on project management, programme management, or general business portfolio management (e.g. financial portfolio management).

ISO 21500:2012 provides guidance for project management and can be used by any type of organization, including public, private or community organizations, and for any type of project, irrespective of complexity, size or duration. ISO 21500:2012 provides high-level description of concepts and processes that are considered to form good practice in project management. Projects are placed in the context of programmes and project portfolios, however, ISO 21500:2012 does not provide detailed guidance on the management of programmes and project portfolios. Topics pertaining to general management are addressed only within the context of project management.