Measure Project Success
From a PM’s perspective my view of project success is the same as my customer’s (project sponsor). It makes little sense for me as a PM to have any different view. And the PMBOK 5th Edition while adding a small definition of ‘Project Success’ (2.2.3) does not stray from what it has said in the past regarding project success.
Under section 4.1.3.1 PMBOK clearly states (and I whole hardly agree):
5th Ed. Pg. 72 – “Project approval requirements (i.e., what constitutes project success, who decides the project is successful, and who signs off on the project),”
What the PMBOK does say is that the project should be measured in terms of scope, time, cost, quality, resources, and risks. While these are logical areas from which to derive project success criteria from they are by no means the only areas. Some organizations might include unique project factors such as end-user acceptance of new computer system or success of a product in the market place.
PMBOK – Project Success
Regarding success and the last baselines as noted in the lastest PMBOK (Sec. 2.2.3, Pg. 35), I really do not have an issue with this especially in projects where the initial scope is ill-defined or has changed radically over the course of the project.
Neither do I have an issue with the responsibility of the sponsor as the primary promoter (Sec. 2.2.1 Pg. 32) of the project and the one responsibility for the organizational value of the project. I find it curious when a PM finds a need to explain the value and worth of a project to the project sponsor. But I will preface this by saying my experience is limited to IT PM in several industries and not for instance (building or other industrial) construction.
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