Technical Program Assurance

In terms of assurance, the main expectations for program owners/SMEs are to monitor their program’s performance to identify areas of strength and areas for improvement and then to work with management to prioritize improvements.  The following steps and guides will help achieve this expectation:

1. Understand basics of the assurance program (mitigated risk, assurance confidence, current status, program health); click here for an overview
2. Generate a program assurance plan; click here for a template with guidance
3. Periodically review and update the assurance plan
4. Collect data and feedback on an on-going basis
5. Periodically review and analyze this data and feedback; click here for guidance and here for an example 
6. Draw conclusions about performance based on the analysis
7. Discuss the analysis and conclusions with management; click here for examples
8. Identify specific objectives, targets and tasks to improve the program
9. Track improvements using Smartsheet or a similar tool (click here for a template)
10. Periodically update the program dashboard to keep it up to date
11. In conjunction with Performance Support, periodically update the program health analysis for your program

In terms of assurance, the main expectations for managers are to set assurance expectations and to help staff prioritize improvements.  The following steps and guides will help achieve this expectation:

1. Understand basics of the assurance program (mitigated risk, assurance confidence, current status, program health); click here for an overview
2. Set assurance expectations with SMEs
3. Make sure methods to collect data and feedback are available and used
4. Meet with SMEs at least once per year to ask questions about performance and discuss areas for improvement; click here for examples
5. Discuss the ideal state of the program with the SMEs and the steps needed to move toward that vision
6. Work with SMEs to prioritize and set improvement efforts.  
7. Assist SMEs if barriers to implementation arise
8. Periodically check on dashboards and improvement plans
9. Hold SMEs accountable for progress

• Program Health Analysis Process Description
• Assurance Framework Overview 
• Assurance Confidence Guidance

• Program self-assessment guidance
  • Fall protection program – example
• Management review guidance

• Technical Assurance Program Health Heat Map
• Fall protection program dashboard – example
• Biosafety program dashboard – example