Project success criteria and success factors analysis
often hear or read about the different success stories. But what is success and what are the criteria that should be used to determine the success of organizations? What are the factors that lead to the success of the project? The purpose of this article is to determine the success of the project standards, and clarify the difference with the success factors and analyze its importance in project management methodology.
one of the mysterious project management concepts is the success of the project. Since every individual or group of people who are involved in the project have different needs and expectations, it is not very surprising that the interpretation of the success of the project in the way of understanding (Cleland and Ireland, 04, P2). "And for those concerned with the project, it is believed that the success of the project is usually in terms of achieving some of the objectives of the project pre-defined" (Lim, Muhammad, 1999, p244) while the general public and different points of view, based usually on the user's satisfaction. A classic example of the success of the project from a different perspective is the Sydney Opera House project (Thomsett, 02), which went 16 times over budget and took four more times to finish than originally planned. But the final effect that created the Opera House was so great that no one remembers the original goals missed. This project was a great success for the people and at the same time a big failure from the perspective of project management. On the other hand, the Millennium Dome in London, the project on time and on budget, but in the eyes of the British people was considered a failure because it did not deliver the horror and the magic that was supposed to generate (Cammack, 05). "In the same way that quality requires both shoddy and fitness for use, the project's success requires a combination of the success of the product (service, as a result, or the results) and the success of Project Management" (Duncan, 04).
The difference between the criteria and factors is mysterious for many people. Cambridge Advanced Learner Dictionary describes the standard as "the standard by which we judge, to decide about or deal with something" while factor explained the "fact or situation that affects the result of something." Lim, Muhammad apply those definitions to the success of the project illustrated the difference, as shown in Figure 1. It is now clear that there are critical factors that could lead to a chain of events which meets the ultimate criteria for the overall success of the project, so it should not be used as it is synonymous.
success criteria
introduced many lists of criteria for success in the past decades by various researchers. The success criteria primitive integral part of the project management theory given that the first definitions of project management success criteria included so-called "iron triangle" - cost, time and quality. (Atkinson, 1999, p338)
Atkinson continues that "as a system, project management has not really changed or developed measurement criteria for success in nearly 50 years." To meet the urgent need for modernization of the standards of the history of success, he suggested that the "yard Way" (Figure 3) the criteria for success, rather than the "iron triangle", where a set of standards that have been proposed to other academics. The main change is the addition of specific objectives, not quantity, and the benefits for different groups of people can get from the project. And looks at the benefits of these two perspectives, one from the point of a single regulatory matter from the standpoint of stakeholders. It is clear that every part will have a different interest projects. For example, can one organization earn a profit through the achievement of strategic goals when the project is completed, and at the same time, these goals have a serious environmental impact in the community with the concerned authorities. This means that a successful project must compromise between the benefits of the organization and end-user satisfaction. The fourth corner of the 'square root' is the information system, which includes maintenance and reliability and validity of the results of the project topics.
one of the "square root", and organizational benefits of corners and drew a lot of attention because of it's importance more and analyzed. Kerzner (01, P6) refers to the three criteria from the point of view of the organization for a project to be successful. The first is that it must be completed "with minimal or agreed scope changes", although stakeholders have consistently different views about the results of the projects (Maylor, 05, p288). Second, "without disturbing the main work flow of the organization" because the project is to assist in the daily operations of the organization and try to make them more efficient and effective. Finally, it must be completed "without changing the corporate culture," although the projects "almost exclusively concerned with change - with the old demolished and the new building" (Baguley, 1995, P8). The primary responsibility of the project manager is to make sure that it delivers only changed whenever necessary, otherwise doomed to find strong resistance from almost all regulatory departments (Kerzner, 01, p158) that can eventually lead to failure of the project.
a more structured approach to the success of the project is to compile standards in the categories. Wideman (1996, p3-4) describes the four groups, each of which runtime support: "The project targets the Interior (efficiency during the project), and the benefit to the client (effective in the short term), a direct contribution (in the medium term) and the future opportunity (long-term) ". And based on the characterization of "time dependent" on the fact that success varies with time. In view of the coming of the organization benefits can be really hard, because in some cases they do not even know what they want, but it is vital to know what the project is trying to achieve after the completion time so you know that success is clearly the standards in the early stages. This is a completely different approach, because the focus of the standards of the current success to the future, a way that moves the project can not be successful during implementation if judged according to criteria such as cost, quality, but in the long term could turn out to be a thriving story. A good example of this hypothesis will host the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, which received mass criticism, both during the planning period, due to delays in construction time, and when it was final, because of the huge cost. But the benefits you will get from Greece, the Olympic Games can be fully understood after five or maybe 10 years from the year hosting (Athens04.com).
all the success criteria mentioned above "should be simple and achievable, and once defined, should also be ranked according to priority" (right path Associates, 03). Clear and easy to understand standards by everyone involved in the project, and thus ensure compliance. Standards can be unrealistic position "failure" label on many projects because of inaccessible standards, can generate the low respect for the team and the performance of the team in future projects, and finally generate unfair disappointment among stakeholders. As for priority issues, it is inevitable that things will go wrong and the project manager will be in a difficult situation where you must make the right decision, taking into account that he had to sacrifice the least important criterion of success.
success factors
As mentioned earlier, the "success factors are those inputs to management that lead directly or indirectly to the success of the project or business system" ( Cook -Davies, 02, p185). Some of the projects "intuitive and informal managers determine their own success factors. However, if they are not clearly identified these factors were recorded, they will not become part of the reporting of a formal project management process as they become part of the historical project data" (Rudd and Levine 02 , P18). Belassi and Tukel (1996, p144) classification of these factors into five distinct groups according to their relevance to this element:
(1). Project Manager
and there will not be the project manager to ensure project success. It must have a number of the necessary skills to be used during the project to direct the rest of the team to complete all objectives successfully. CHAOS report in 01 (International Standish, 01, P6), said business and communication, responsiveness, process, and results and operational realism and technological skills and some of the most important skills to be the project manager to provide success. However, it has concluded that more research resentful Turner and Mueller (05, P59) that "leadership style and efficiency of the project manager have any effect on the success of the project." It is very interesting to investigate the cause of a very respectable professional body for project managers to publish such a situation is contrary. You can find a possible answer in the fact that the results of the project manager is difficult to prove and more difficult to measure. If the project is successful, senior management may claim that all the external factors were favorable. On the contrary, if it turns out to be a failure, the project manager easily become the scapegoat.
(2). The project team
project managers are very fortunate if they have the option to choose their project team. Often, they are bequeathing their team to the project from various sectors of the organization. It is important that there be a good project team to work with, with the basic skills that can develop into core competencies and capabilities of the organization as a whole. Must all members of the project team for the success of the project and public mission of the company is committed to. Apart from their skills and commitment, and must be members of the project team and a clear connection to access "all of the functional manager and project manager within the matrix organization. Effective from this dual reporting channels of administration and is often critical success factor for this project" (PMBOK 04 guide, P215) .
(3). The project itself
type of project confirms some of the factors that are important to success. For example, if the project is urgent, decisive factor in this case is time. It is expected to be ready to work in full view of the Cup final the FA in May 06 at Wembley Stadium, and this is the main goal. However, the increase in terms of cost "management accounts being thrown out of kilter" (Evans, 05) is not a big issue at the time. The volume and value of the project and it's the uniqueness of activities can be a puzzle to the director of the project, which is used for the activities of joint planning and coordination and simple (Belassi and Tukel, 1996, p144).
(4). Organization
top management support is a major success for a lot of independent research groups factor (Tukel and Rohm, 1998, P48) (CHAOS 01 report, P4) (Cleland and Ireland, 02, P210) (Tinnirello, 02 , P14), which means that any project can be completed successfully unless provides real support from senior management or executive project manager. It is extremely difficult to work in a hostile environment where no one understands the benefits that the project will be delivered to the organization. "The contract stakeholder management strategies (the number and size of contracts, and the interface between the different contracts and contract management) is a separate success factors, which are also part of the issues the organization" (Torp, Austeng and Mengesha 04, P4).
(5). The external environment
external environment can be a political, economic, social, cultural and technological (pest) context in which the project is implemented. Factors such as weather, accidents at work or government legislation, positive or negative can affect the project at all stages. "Note that if the client from outside the organization, he should also be considered an external factor influencing the performance of the project" (Belassi and Tukel, 1996, P145). It should also represents competitors for external factors that can undermine the success of the project because the original project could be overshadowed by more glamorous and successful launched another organization that project.
conclusion
it is important for the project manager to understand what he considers a successful project stakeholders. In order to avoid any surprises at the end of the project, there is an urgent need to identify the different points of view which means the success of the project before going on the air. It is also important to remember that the success criteria are the criteria that will be judged on the project, while the success factors are the facts that form as a result of the projects. Criteria for success have changed greatly over time and moved from the viewpoint of the classic iron triangle of time, cost and quality to a broader context that includes the benefits of the organization and user satisfaction. It has also described the additional framework to capture the success criteria depending on the time. As for the success factors, and it has been divided into five distinct groups, opinions and literature finds that contradicted on the issue of the importance of the project manager to the ultimate success of the project. A common factor by many of the book in question is to support the senior management of the project and is recognized as one of the most important factors at all. In conclusion, it can be defined early success criteria ensure that the viewpoint of the undisputed how the project will be judged on the early detection of the success factors to ensure the security of the path to deliver success.
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