Benefits

For example, a company may engage internal or external IT resources to implement an applicant management system for the Human Resources department. Project deliverables might include implementation of the system, training materials, and a dashboard of system metrics. But the benefits delivered by the project might include faster hiring decisions, a higher quality applicant pool, or a simpler hiring process.

The project manager's role is to shepherd a project through to completion, producing the deliverables defined for the project. If the project assumptions are correct, then the deliverables will bring about the expected benefits. The focus of project work should be on delivering benefits, not simply on producing deliverables. Therefore, while the project manager is delegated authority over the project, project benefits accrue to the project sponsor. Ultimately, project success is achieved by delivering benefits to the sponsor.