| We often hear or read about various success stories. | | | | However, more resent research by Turner and Muller |
| But what is success and what criteria should | | | | (2005, p59) has concluded that "the leadership style |
| organizations use to identify success? What factors | | | | and competence of the project manager have no |
| lead to a successful project? The purpose of this | | | | impact on project success". It is very interesting to |
| article is to define project success criteria, clarify their | | | | investigate why a highly respectable professional body |
| difference with success factors and analyse their | | | | for project managers published such a contradictive |
| importance in project management methodology.One | | | | position. A possible answer could be found in the fact |
| of the vaguest concepts of project management is | | | | that project manager's results are difficult to prove and |
| project success. Since each individual or group of | | | | even more difficult to measure. If the project is |
| people who are involved in a project have different | | | | successful, senior management will probably claim that |
| needs and expectations, it is very unsurprising that | | | | all external factors were favourable. On the contrary, if |
| they interpret project success in their own way of | | | | it turns to be a failure, project manager easily |
| understanding (Cleland & Ireland, 2004, p2). "For those | | | | becomes the scapegoat.2. The project teamProject |
| involved with a project, project success is normally | | | | managers are very lucky if they have the option to |
| thought of as the achievement of some | | | | choose their project team. More often, their team is |
| pre-determined project goals" (Lim & Mohamed, 1999, | | | | inherited to the project from various sectors of the |
| p244) while the general public has different views, | | | | organisation. It is vital to have a good project team to |
| commonly based on user satisfaction. A classic | | | | work with, with core skills that can be evolved to core |
| example of different perspective of successful project | | | | competences and capabilities for the whole |
| is the Sydney Opera House project (Thomsett, 2002), | | | | organisation. All members of the project team must be |
| which went 16 times over budget and took 4 times | | | | committed to the success of the project and the |
| more to finish than originally planned. But the final | | | | overall mission of the company. Apart from their skills |
| impact that the Opera House created was so big that | | | | and commitment, project team members should have |
| no one remembers the original missed goals. The | | | | clear communication channels to access "both the |
| project was a big success for the people and at the | | | | functional manager and the project manager within a |
| same time a big failure from the project management | | | | matrix organization. Effective management of this dual |
| perspective. On the other hand, the Millennium Dome in | | | | reporting is often a critical success factor for the |
| London was a project on time and on budget but in | | | | project" (PMBOK Guide, 2004, p215).3. The project |
| the eyes of the British people was considered a failure | | | | itselfThe type of a project underlines some factors |
| because it didn't deliver the awe and glamour that it | | | | that are important to success. For example, if a |
| was supposed to generate (Cammack, 2005). "In the | | | | project is urgent, the critical factor in that case is time. |
| same way that quality requires both conformance to | | | | The Wembley stadium is expected to be fully |
| the specifications and fitness for use, project success | | | | operational due to May's 2006 FA Cup Final and that is |
| requires a combination of product success (service, | | | | the primary target. However, the increase of cost "that |
| result, or outcome) and project management success" | | | | has thrown the management's calculations out of kilter" |
| (Duncan, 2004).The difference between criteria and | | | | (Evans, 2005) was not a big issue at that time. The |
| factors is fuzzy for many people. The Cambridge | | | | size, value of a project and it's uniqueness of activities |
| Advanced Learner's Dictionary describes a criterion as | | | | can be a puzzle for the project manager who is used |
| "a standard by which you judge, decide about or deal | | | | to planning and co-ordinating common and simple |
| with something" while a factor is explained as "a fact | | | | activities (Belassi & Tukel, 1996, p144).4. The |
| or situation which influences the result of something". | | | | organizationTop management support is the principal |
| Lim & Mohamed applied those definitions to project | | | | success factor for many independent research groups |
| success and illustrated the difference as show in | | | | (Tukel & Rom, 1998, p48) (CHAOS Report, 2001, p4) |
| Figure 1. It is clear now that critical factors can lead to | | | | (Cleland & Ireland, 2002, p210) (Tinnirello, 2002, p14) , |
| a series of events which ultimately meet the overall | | | | which means that no project can finish successfully |
| success criteria of the project, so they shouldn't be | | | | unless the project manager secures true support from |
| used as synonymous terms.Success CriteriaMany lists | | | | the senior or operational management. It is extremely |
| of success criteria have been introduced in the | | | | difficult to work in a hostile environment where nobody |
| previous decades by various researchers. Primal | | | | understands the benefits that the project will deliver to |
| success criteria have been an integrated part of | | | | the organisation. "Stakeholder management and |
| project management theory given that early definitions | | | | contract strategies (number of and size of the |
| of project management included the so called 'Iron | | | | contracts, interface between the different contracts |
| Triangle' success criteria - cost, time and quality. | | | | and the management of contracts) are separate |
| (Atkinson, 1999, p338)Atkinson continues that "as a | | | | success factors which are also considered part of |
| discipline, project management has not really changed | | | | organization issues" (Torp, Austeng & Mengesha, 2004, |
| or developed the success measurement criteria in | | | | p4).5. The external environmentExternal environment |
| almost 50 years". To meet the urgent need of | | | | can be the political, economic, socio-culture and |
| modernizing the out of date success criteria, he | | | | technological (PEST) context in which the project is |
| suggest the 'Square Route' (figure 3) success criteria | | | | executed. Factors like the weather, work accidents or |
| instead of the 'Iron Triangle', where he groups the | | | | the government's favourable or unfavourable legislation |
| criteria that other academics have proposed. The main | | | | can affect the project in all of its phases. "Note that if |
| change is the addition of qualitative objectives rather | | | | a client is from outside the organization, he should also |
| than quantitative, namely the benefits that different | | | | be considered as an external factor influencing the |
| group of people can receive from the project. These | | | | project performance" (Belassi & Tukel, 1996, p145). |
| benefits are seen from two perspectives, one from | | | | Competitors should also be accounted as external |
| the organisational view and one from the stakeholders | | | | factors which can undermine project success |
| view. It is obvious that each part will have benefit | | | | because the original project could be overshadowed |
| differently from projects. For example one organisation | | | | by a more glamorous and successful project launched |
| can gain profit through achieving strategic goals when | | | | by another organisation.ConclusionIt is critical for a |
| a project is completed and at the same time these | | | | project manager to understand what the stakeholders |
| goals have a serious environmental impact in the | | | | consider as a successful project. In order to avoid any |
| stakeholders' community. This means that a successful | | | | surprises at the end of the project, there is an urgent |
| project must bargain between the benefits of the | | | | need to identify the different perspectives of what |
| organisation and the satisfaction of end users. The | | | | success means before the project goes live. It is also |
| fourth corner of the 'Square Root' is the Information | | | | vital to remember that success criteria are the |
| System which includes the subjects of maintainability, | | | | standards by which a project will be judged, while |
| reliability and validity of project outcomes.One of the | | | | success factors are the facts that shape the result of |
| "Square's root" corners, organisational benefits, drew | | | | projects. Success criteria have changed considerably |
| much attention because of it's significance and it was | | | | through time and moved from the classic iron triangle's |
| further analysed. Kerzner (2001, p6) suggests three | | | | view of time, cost and quality to a broader framework |
| criteria from the organization perspective in order for a | | | | which include benefits for the organisation and user |
| project to be successful. The first is that it must be | | | | satisfaction. An additional framework to capture |
| completed "with minimum or mutually agreed upon | | | | success criteria depending on time was also described. |
| scope changes", even though stakeholders constantly | | | | As for success factors, they were grouped into five |
| have different views about projects' results (Maylor, | | | | distinct sets and the literature views were find to |
| 2005, p288). Second, "without disturbing the main work | | | | contradict on the issue of how critical a project |
| flow of the organization" because a project has to | | | | manager is to the final success of the project. A |
| assist organisation's everyday operations and try to | | | | common factor mentioned by many authors is senior |
| make them more efficient and effective. Finally, it | | | | management support for the project and it is |
| should be completed "without changing the corporate | | | | recognized as one of the most important factors of all. |
| culture" even though projects are "almost exclusively | | | | In conclusion, early definition of success criteria can |
| concerned with change - with knocking down the old | | | | ensure an undisputed view of how the project will be |
| and building up the new" (Baguley, 1995, p8). A project | | | | judged and early detection of success factors will |
| manager's main responsibility is to make sure that he | | | | guarantee a safe path to deliver success.References1. |
| delivers change only where is necessary, otherwise he | | | | A Guide to Project Management Body of Knowledge, |
| is doomed to find strong resistance from almost all | | | | 2004, 3rd Edition, Project Management Institute, USA2. |
| organisational departments (Kerzner, 2001, p158) which | | | | Atkinson, 1999, Project management: cost, time and |
| ultimately could lead to project failure.A more | | | | quality, two best guesses and a phenomenon, its time |
| structured approach to project success is grouping the | | | | to accept other success criteria, International Journal of |
| criteria into categories. Wideman (1996, p3-4) describes | | | | Project Management Vol. 17, No. 6, pp 337-342, |
| four groups, all of them time dependent: "internal | | | | [Electronic]3. Baguley, 1995, Managing Successful |
| project objectives (efficiency during the project), | | | | Projects: A guide for every manager, Pitman Publishing, |
| benefit to customer (effectiveness in the short term), | | | | London UK, p84. Belassi & Tukel, 1996, A new |
| direct contribution (in the medium term) and future | | | | framework for determining critical success-failure |
| opportunity (in the long term)". The characterization of | | | | factors in projects, International Journal of Project |
| 'time dependent' is based on the fact that success | | | | Management Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 141-151, [Electronic]5. |
| varies with time. Looking at the future benefits of the | | | | Cambridge University, The Cambridge Advanced |
| organisation can be really difficult, because in some | | | | Learner's Dictionary, 2005, 2nd Edition, Cambridge |
| cases they don't even know what they want, yet is | | | | University Press, UK6. Cammack, 2005, Principles of |
| vital to know what the project is trying to achieve | | | | Project Management - 1st session, MSc in Project |
| after completion time so that success criteria are | | | | Management, Lancaster University7. Cleland & Ireland, |
| clearly defined in the early stages. This is quite a | | | | 2002, p210, Project Management: Strategic Design and |
| different approach, because the focus moves from | | | | implementation, McGraw-Hill Professional, USA8. |
| the present success criteria to the future, in a way | | | | Cleland & Ireland, 2004, Project Manager's Portable |
| that a project can be unsuccessful during execution if | | | | Handbook, 2nd Edition, McGraw-Hill, USA, page 2109. |
| it is judged by criteria like cost and quality, but in the | | | | Cooke-Davies, The "real" success factors on projects, |
| long term it can turn to be a thriving story. A good | | | | International Journal of Project Management vol.20, pp. |
| example of this hypothesis is hosting the Olympic | | | | 185-190, [Electronic]10. Duncan, 2004, Defining and |
| Games in Athens, Greece, which received mass | | | | Measuring Project Success, Project Management |
| criticism both during the planning period, due to delays in | | | | Partners, [Online], Available: , [2005, Nov.4]11. Evans, |
| construction time, and when it was finished, due to | | | | 2005, Overdue and over budget, over and over again, |
| huge cost. But the benefits that Greece will gain from | | | | The Economist Jun 9th 2005, [Electronic]12. Kerzner, |
| the Olympic Games can be fully understood after 5 or | | | | 2001, Project Management - A Systems Approach to |
| maybe 10 years from the hosting year | | | | Planning, Scheduling and Controlling, 7th Edition, John |
| (Athens2004.com).All the above success criteria | | | | Wiley & Sons, New York13. Kerzner, 2001, Strategic |
| "should be simple and attainable and, once defined, | | | | planning for project management using a project |
| they should also be ranked according to priority" (Right | | | | management maturity model, Wiley & Sons, New |
| Track Associates, 2003). Straightforward criteria are | | | | York, page 15814. Lim & Mohamed, 1999, Criteria of |
| easy to understand by everyone involved in the | | | | project success: an exploratory re-examination, |
| project and therefore commitment is guaranteed. | | | | International Journal of Project Management Vol. 17, No. |
| Unrealistic criteria can put a 'failure' label on many | | | | 4, pp. 243-248, [Electronic]15. Maylor, 2005, Project |
| projects because of the unreachable standards, can | | | | Management, Third Edition with CD Microsoft Project, |
| generate low team esteem and team performance in | | | | Prentice Hall, UK, p28816. Rad & Levin, 2002, The |
| future projects and finally generate unfair | | | | Advanced Project Management Office, St.Lucie Press, |
| disappointment among stakeholders. As for priority | | | | USA, page 1817. Right Track Associates, 2003, |
| issues, it is inevitable that things will go wrong and the | | | | Defining project success, [Online], Available: , [2005, |
| project manager will be in a tough situation where he | | | | Nov.5]18. The official website of the Athens 2004 |
| must make the right decision having in mind that he has | | | | Olympic Games, [Online], Available: , [2005, Nov.6]19. |
| to sacrifice the least important success | | | | The Standish Group International, 2001, Extreme |
| criterion.Success FactorsAs mentioned earlier, | | | | CHAOS: The Standish Group International, |
| "success factors are those inputs to the management | | | | [Electronic]20. Thomsett, 2002, Radical Project |
| system that lead directly or indirectly to the success of | | | | Management, Prentice Hall, USA, page 1621. Tinnirello, |
| the project or business" (Cooke-Davies, 2002, p185). | | | | 2002, New Directions in Project Management, |
| Some project managers "intuitively and informally | | | | Auerbach, USA, page 1422. Torp, Austeng & |
| determine their own success factors. However, if | | | | Mengesha, 2004, Critical Success factors for project |
| these factors are not explicitly identified and recorded, | | | | performance: a study from from-end assessments of |
| they will not become part of formal project | | | | large public projects in Norway23. Tukel & Rom, 1998, |
| management reporting process nor they become part | | | | Analysis of the Characteristics of Projects in diverse |
| of the historical project data" (Rad & Levin, 2002, p18). | | | | industries, Journal of Operations Management, Vol 16, |
| Belassi & Tukel (1996, p144) classified these factors | | | | pp43-6124. Turner & Muller, 2005, The project |
| into 5 distinct groups according to which element they | | | | manager's leadership style as a success factor on |
| relate to:1. The project managerHaving a project | | | | projects, Project Management Institute, Vol. 36, No. 1, |
| manager is not going to guarantee the success of a | | | | pp 49-6125. Wideman, 1996, Improving PM: Linking |
| project. He must have a number of skills to use during | | | | Success Criteria to Project Type, paper presented to |
| the project to guide the rest of the team to | | | | the Southern Alberta Chapter, Project Management |
| successfully complete all the objectives. In the 2001 | | | | Institute, Calgary SymposiumDimitris Litsikakis is |
| CHAOS report (The Standish Group International, 2001, | | | | currently studying MSc Project Management in one of |
| p6), business, communication, responsiveness, process, | | | | the top business schools in UK, Lancaster University. |
| results, operational, realism and technological skills are | | | | He has published a series of articles in Ne.O (New |
| mentioned as some of the most important skills a | | | | Technology Observer). |
| project manager should have to deliver success. | | | | |