Methods for Managing Different Perspectives of Project Success

Abstract

The results of an exploratory study of UK organizations into methods for meeting project key performance indicators (KPIs) are presented. The paper explores: influences on the use of methods to manage project KPIs; the need for and existence of methods; the factors that facilitate the meeting of the KPIs. It is concluded that the use of methods varies depending upon the perceived importance of the project, the type of project, the client‐team relationship and whether an organization performance management system exists. With project management capability often decreasing, in part due to a failure to meet psychosocial project KPIs, a need for methods linked to the KPIs was identified. However, the study found relatively low levels of adoption of such methods. Where psychosocial project KPIs were being met the following facilitating factors emerged: top‐level policies, organization‐wide training, integration with existing management processes, building into project management system. Situations were found where decision‐makers did not consider the psychosocial KPIs of programme and project managers. This was seen to contribute to a failure by organizations to manage necessary increases in their project management capability and to be acting as a possible barrier to long‐term, sustainable improvements in performance.