Let's Talk - Project Success factors

A report from the Let's Talk session on 21st March 2025.

Tom Halliwell was the moderator for the session.

Key to Tom's input were recent surveys reports which are referenced in the slides (see below), also in the AI transcript of the session, which is appended below.

Let's Talk - Project Success Factors.pdf

Download PDF • 1.15MB

• Project Success Factors Overview: Tom introduced the topic of Project Success Factors, and emphasized the importance of understanding what defines a successful project.

  • Reports Overview: Tom mentioned three key reports from APM and PMI that provide valuable insights into Project Success. He encouraged participants to access these reports for more detailed information, noting that the APM report from 2015 is supplemented by a 60-page background research report from BMG.

  • Research Timeline: Tom highlighted the timeline of the research, starting from 2015 and ending with the PMI report from the previous year. He emphasized the evolving perspectives on project success over this period.

  • Definition of Success: Tom discussed the challenge of defining project success, noting that traditional metrics like time, cost, and quality are often insufficient. He stressed the importance of considering the value a project brings, which is not always captured in classic definitions.

• Revised Definition of Project Success: Tom discussed the revised definition of project success proposed by PMI, which focuses on delivering value that was worth the effort and expense. He invited participants to share their thoughts on this new definition.

  • PMI's New Definition: Tom explained that PMI's revised definition of project success emphasizes delivering value that justifies the effort and expense. He noted that this definition aims to address the lack of consistency in previous definitions.

  • Participants' Reactions: Tom invited participants to share their thoughts on the new definition. Keith questioned whether project benefits are part of project success, to which Tom confirmed that benefits are considered part of the value a project brings.

  • Business Perspective: Serge Trigaux pointed out that the new definition focuses on the project itself rather than the business impact. Tom acknowledged this and mentioned that value ultimately includes business benefits.

  • Effort and Efficiency: Marcia emphasized the importance of considering how effort was expended, not just the amount. She argued that inefficient or dissatisfying efforts do not contribute to project success or value. Tom pointed out that the effort and expense component of the PMI definition and that this effort and expense was seen to be justified in a successful project was aimed at addressing this point (although clearly the definition is very high level).

• Different Perspectives on Project Success: Tom and Serge Trigaux discussed the varying perspectives on project success, depending on the role of the individual (e.g., project team, management committee, end user). They highlighted the complexity of defining project success and the importance of considering different viewpoints.

  • Role-Based Perspectives: Tom and Serge Trigaux discussed how different roles within a project (e.g., project team, management committee, end user) have varying perspectives on what constitutes project success. They emphasized the importance of considering these different viewpoints to achieve a comprehensive definition of success.

  • Complexity of Success: Tom highlighted the complexity of defining project success, noting that it involves multiple layers and perspectives. He mentioned that internal project goals often focus on project management success rather than overall product success.

  • Timing of Success: Tom raised the question of when to define a project as successful—immediately upon completion or after it has been used by end users for a period of time. He suggested that true success might only be evident after some time has passed.

• Critical Success Factors: Tom presented a list of 12 critical success factors for projects, based on APM's research (2015 report). The list includes capable sponsors, competent project teams, effective governance, clear goals and objectives, and commitment to project success. Participants discussed the importance of these factors and their experiences with them.

  • Participants' Insights: Participants shared their insights on the critical success factors. Marcia highlighted the importance of having a strong project lead in addition to a competent team. Serge Trigaux emphasized the need for effective governance and clear goals and objectives.

  • Governance Importance: Tom shared his experience of realizing the importance of effective governance in project success. He noted that governance impacts decision-making, empowerment, and the speed of decision-making processes.

  • Commitment to Success: Tom discussed the impact of organizational commitment on project success. He mentioned that projects with lower priority often lack the necessary resources and support, affecting their success.

• Non-Project Related Success Factors: Tom introduced a list of non-project related factors that impact project success, based on APM's 2021 report. The list includes technology and data, interpersonal skills, and diversity. Participants discussed the importance of these factors and their experiences with them.

  • Interpersonal Skills: Tom highlighted that interpersonal skills were rated as the most important factor for project success. He noted that effective communication and collaboration are critical for achieving project goals.

  • Technology and Data: Tom mentioned that technology and data are at the top of the list in terms of the number of publications over the 20 year period assessed in the APM report (2000 to 2020). He noted that while technology is important, it is not seen as the most critical factor for project success.

  • Diversity: Tom pointed out that diversity was recognized as important by all research participants, but participants struggled to quantify its overall impact on project success. He noted that diversity was an additional item that emerged during the research.

• Training and Certification: Marcia and Tom discussed the importance of training and certification in project management.

  • Training Prioritization: Marcia argued that training should be prioritized to maximize the use of new technologies. She emphasized the need for training to understand the benefits and applications of new tools and technologies in project management.

  • Mentoring vs Certification: Tom noted that mentoring is often seen as more valuable than professional certification. He mentioned that mentoring provides practical guidance and support from experienced professionals, which is highly valued by project managers.

  • Industry Differences: Tom acknowledged that the importance of training and certification varies by industry. He mentioned that in some industries, professional certification is required to apply for certain jobs, while in others, it is less emphasized.

• Change Management and Agility: Eleonore and Tom discussed the importance of change management and agility in project success.

  • Change Management: Eleonore emphasized the importance of change management in project success. She noted that careful implementation of new ideas and tools is necessary to ensure acceptance and success within the organization.

  • Agility: Tom mentioned that agility, in the context of being adaptable and responsive to change, is critical for project success. He noted that change management is a key component of agility.

• Measuring Project Success: Tom presented PMI's Net Project Success Score as a way to measure project success. He highlighted the importance of defining success criteria upfront, having well-established measurement systems, and measuring performance along the way.

• “Good” Project Example: Tom shared an example of a successful project, the Delhi Metro phase one, which was completed almost three years ahead of schedule and well within budget. Participants discussed the factors that contributed to its success. It was highlighted that finishing 3 years ahead of schedule might suggest less than optimal planning.

• “Bad” Project Example: Tom presented the Sydney Opera House as an example of a project that faced significant delays and cost overruns but ultimately became an iconic and influential building. Participants discussed the challenges and successes of the project.

• “Ugly” Project Example: Tom shared the example of Coca-Cola's New Coke project, which faced backlash from customers when they withdrew classic coke and replaced it with new coke and was eventually discontinued. Participants discussed the importance of understanding customer preferences and the emotional connection to a brand.

• Conclusion and Next Steps: Claude concluded the meeting by thanking participants and inviting them to contact Tom with any questions. He also encouraged participants to suggest topics for future sessions and to consider presenting their own topics.