Patrice BlanchardExpert in transferring his expertise| Museum Box srlBraine L'Alleud, Brabant Wallon, Belgium
We all think that a successful project meets its milestones, delivers the projected scope and is under budget. But what about project that encounter unplanned impediments and where the PM manages them. Finally the project can be delivered years later with a correct management. It is still not in line with what was originally planned. Is it a success or a failure? How can we measure that clearly? Saving Changes...
In my PMO, success ultimately resides in the ability to prove that the project outcome contributes to the expected business objectives.
This can be contributions to the organizations short, medium or long term goals.
Nailing scope or managing to stay under budget are great "project goals" but do they push your organization forward? That is the phase we want to take project management towards. Saving Changes...
I would just add that sometimes the success of the project is not directly related to the utility of the product nor directly visible on the balance sheets. Sometimes it is about the team itself as an asset to the organization.
I have led projects where where we knew the business case itself did not justify the work, but the strategic value was growing the team or retaining the talented employees as a temporary endeavor in order to have a high functioning team on upcoming projects.
It is why we mentor newer employees. Certainly more experienced people could do the work in less time than it takes to explain, but the immediate efficiency loss can pay off big dividends in the long run. You're increasing both individual capabilities, and also the teamwork. Saving Changes...
- Many years ago we were low bidder for a project in Japan. The main goal was to establish a foot print in the Japanese market. But as a relatively young PM that goal had not been communicated to me. Considering the financial loss, in my point of view the project was a complete failure. Until I understood the corporate goals, and that same project became a tremendous success. (Needless to say, we made some changes and started to realize the value of balanced scorecards.)
- Whose point of view? Marketing? PMO?, Finance?, Are all those points of view properly communicated with clear nuances? ( e.g. via Project Charter, corporate scorecard KPI’s, etc.)
- Saving Changes...
Gianluca MaioloSenior Program Manager| TikTokDublin, D, Ireland
A project is successful when it mets the success criteria (defined in the project charter, business case and then in the project plan).
From a PM perspective a project could be finished on track, on scope and on budget but still being not successful if it didn't not meet the project objective/success criteria. Ideally, the latter need to be defined qualitatively and qualitatively. Saving Changes...
