According to your own experience in project management, what is the key difference between the Outcomes and Deliverables of a project (with examples please)?
Thank you in advance for your answer! Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
A deliverable is something expected from your project: a four-lane highway, a new enterprise resource management system, a hospital wing.
The outcome is the benefit realized from the project deliverable: improved traffic circulation, better accounting and tracking of financial and human resources, new health care service.
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3 replies by Ermias Kidanu, Serges-Roberteau Tchoffo, and Vishakha Rai
May 19, 2020 10:19 AM
Serges-Roberteau Tchoffo
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Well noted, thank you Stéphane!
Jan 08, 2022 1:51 AM
Vishakha Rai
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1 vote from me.
Jul 02, 2023 7:37 AM
Ermias Kidanu
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I read through this thread, all give dear explanations and examples. However, the Summary of Changes in the Preface of "The Standards. . . " & PMBOK Guide 7th edition, seems to signal a major shift in PMI's thinking. It states, ". . . this edition shifts to a principles-based standard to support effective project management and to focus more on intended outcomes rather than deliverables." The consensus here seems to be the opposite, and as a newbie starting my certification journey, what should I make of this?
A deliverable is something expected from your project: a four-lane highway, a new enterprise resource management system, a hospital wing.
The outcome is the benefit realized from the project deliverable: improved traffic circulation, better accounting and tracking of financial and human resources, new health care service.
A deliverable is the final product which is expected by the client(or delivered to the client).
e.g. construction of a House, Hospital, etc.
An outcome is the impact of completing the project.
e.g. business which comes in after construction of the house, growth of the seller company say 10% due to completion of the construction,etc.
A deliverable is the final product which is expected by the client(or delivered to the client).
e.g. construction of a House, Hospital, etc.
An outcome is the impact of completing the project.
e.g. business which comes in after construction of the house, growth of the seller company say 10% due to completion of the construction,etc.
Both Feedbacks cover the difference
One additional hint could be that outcome can be possitive or negative, tangible or intangible. Saving Changes...
RAJESH K LProject Manager, PMP| Bharat Electronics, Bengaluru, IndiaBengaluru, Karnataka, India
As noted by tarun, since outcome can be positive or negative, is it not the responsibility of project management to ensure outcome is always positive. Is this not in scope of project?
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3 replies by ARPAN MAGOO, Khai Ng., and Stéphane Parent
Jun 01, 2020 8:08 PM
Stéphane Parent
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Unfortunately, Rajesh, outcomes are often outside of the project manager's control. The benefits you gain from the project deliverables (i.e., project outcomes) often only materialize much later after the end of the project.
Think about the project that installed a no left turn sign at an intersection. The project was successful, installing the sign within budget and schedule. Unfortunately, the benefits (people turning right only) did not materialize. Is that the project manager's fault if she delivered what was asked of her?
Jun 01, 2020 10:31 PM
Khai Ng.
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The answer depends on the scope of project and the type of organization you are working for, I mean the requesting organization (buyer) or performing organization (supplier). The requesting organization starts up a project with a business case including a list of positive outcomes then if you are PM, it is your responsibility to realize them. In reality, requesting companies will deliver that responsibility to business units with follow-up plan after project closure because outcomes and benefits realization will take time. The listed outcomes are always positive, no organization will initiate a project that will result in negative outcomes. But if you work for a performing organization then, in most cases, you will responsible for the outputs (Deliverables), not outcomes.
Nov 28, 2020 7:57 AM
ARPAN MAGOO
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The outcome has to be analyzed with respect to project significance. For instance, India government is building bullet train with objective and project significance of developing economic corridor between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. To this end, assume that Bullet train is constructed and delivered as deliverable of project and also accepted the by the Employer ( Government). Unfortunately, due to any reason, the outcome of economic corridor is not achieved. There could be numerous reason for industries for not setting up the industry in economic region and as a result the outcome is negative and it happened because of government invested a lot of money for developing infrastructure and ROI is not what to that expectation. That being the case, outcome is negative and objective & project significance is not achieved. Contrary of aforesaid, industries are developed across the corridor and it made objective & project significance to achieve. As a result, the outcome is positive.
Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
May 31, 2020 11:42 PM
Replying to RAJESH K L
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As noted by tarun, since outcome can be positive or negative, is it not the responsibility of project management to ensure outcome is always positive. Is this not in scope of project?
Unfortunately, Rajesh, outcomes are often outside of the project manager's control. The benefits you gain from the project deliverables (i.e., project outcomes) often only materialize much later after the end of the project.
Think about the project that installed a no left turn sign at an intersection. The project was successful, installing the sign within budget and schedule. Unfortunately, the benefits (people turning right only) did not materialize. Is that the project manager's fault if she delivered what was asked of her? Saving Changes...
Khai Ng.IT PMO | IT Project Manager| TTGROUPHanoi, Viet Nam
May 31, 2020 11:42 PM
Replying to RAJESH K L
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As noted by tarun, since outcome can be positive or negative, is it not the responsibility of project management to ensure outcome is always positive. Is this not in scope of project?
The answer depends on the scope of project and the type of organization you are working for, I mean the requesting organization (buyer) or performing organization (supplier). The requesting organization starts up a project with a business case including a list of positive outcomes then if you are PM, it is your responsibility to realize them. In reality, requesting companies will deliver that responsibility to business units with follow-up plan after project closure because outcomes and benefits realization will take time. The listed outcomes are always positive, no organization will initiate a project that will result in negative outcomes. But if you work for a performing organization then, in most cases, you will responsible for the outputs (Deliverables), not outcomes.
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1 reply by PETER BEMBIR
Feb 08, 2022 12:07 PM
PETER BEMBIR
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This is a significant addition to the beautiful explanations.
Saving Changes...
Lakeisha DoylePM ConsultantSterling Heights, Mi, United States
Deliverable: what you are supposed to provide from the project
Outcome: whatever happens (bad/good) resulting from the project, including the deliverables Saving Changes...
Julija AtanasovaPhD(c)| University of TorontoToronto, Ontario, Canada
Deliverables are what you do, these are part of your project, they are agreed upon between the team members with inputs from the stakeholders. You set up a plan and activities to achieve them.
On the other hand, outcomes are what you expect to happen as a result of the project. We use two levels of outcomes in our projects immediate and intermediate. We expect the immediate outcomes to be achieved soon and as a direct result of the deliverables. While intermediate outcomes represent a change that is expected to logically occur once one or more immediate outcomes have been achieved. Saving Changes...
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