Momentum is a critical, yet often overlooked aspect of program management. In my many years of designing and implementing complex, multi-stakeholder programs, this has been an important learning – that momentum is a major make-or-break factor. This is a result of the human psyche and a very innate bias towards organization and pigeonholing. Why is it that multitasking is something that everyone practices but few are actually good or effective at? It is again a result of this need for organization.

Distraction is a source of chaos. A killer of human focus. Chaos though is also a reality of most projects, unfortunately. Even the best conceptualized projects and programs face the plan-reality dissonance.  Not everything goes as per plan – sometimes the factors affecting a program result in the need for minor tweaks and in other cases, major change of direction. However, it is inevitable that most programs roll out with the need for change and adaptation as they progress.

Maintaining momentum is a key success enabler in this context. It is common knowledge that most programs start with an immense amount of enthusiasm and eagerness, which fades over time. This is a psychological occurrence too – what seems novel and exciting at the start, progressively moves to becoming mundane. This impacts program momentum.

A glossary of physics terms will tell you that “momentum” is defined as “the quantity of motion of a moving body, measured as a product of its mass and velocity”. Or “the impetus gained by a moving object”. While we of course extrapolate this definition to the context of project and program management to imply that a project is moving along at a certain pace (predefined or otherwise), I do have an additional definition here. To me, momentum is also about keeping the focus of project teams alive, particularly when it comes to quality and innovation – the softer side of success in program rollouts.

This momentum isn’t accidental. It doesn’t happen on its own. It has to be built through deliberate rhythm, repeatability and realistic systems; and is something the leadership of the program must build into the system of program implementation. Momentum Maintenance should be an important line item as program managers work through designing implementation plans. It’s like choreography – planning it all out such that periods of high activity and low are planned to keep the traction going and introducing enough forums to ensure program teams stay motivated and focused.

Momentum, in that context, is something you build into the system. It looks at rhythm, repeatability, and steady frameworks that carry progress even on difficult days. It will show how designing for momentum means setting up systems that don’t rely on constant motivation but still move things forward. The idea is that the best momentum is engineered, not improvised. This is where the concepts of design thinking, especially the empathy for, and the foundation of human behaviour, are most relevant. Applying a structured process to this softer side of program rollouts is a critical element of program management – one that can make a major difference in achieving the optimal targeted result.

“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”

– James Clear