PROJECT Management Institute (PMI) has launched a research initiative, challenging long-standing views on what defines project success and the role of project professionals.
The aims, the institute explains, are to ignite a global movement by shifting the focus from traditional metrics like schedule, budget, and scope, to a broader perspective that prioritises stakeholder value and accountability.
The research unveils a new definition of project success as one that delivers value that justifies the effort and expense. This broader definition incorporates both hard facts and perception, igniting a major shift in how project professionals should view their roles.
President and CEO of PMI, Pierre Le Manh, described the initiative as an effort at going beyond project management success, to simply project success.
“We must take accountability beyond the technical side of our work. The research shows that what truly matters is how stakeholders perceive the value of a project relative to what it took to get there,” he stated.
He also stressed the need for the profession to embrace the shift and hold itself accountable for the ultimate success of the projects it leads, and not just concentrate on their proper management.
“Recognition and career opportunities will follow when we are seen as the key drivers of this value, especially as AI automates more tasks,” he added.
According to him, using the new definition, PMI research, therefore, reveals that 48 percent of projects are considered successful, while 40 percent fall into a grey area—neither failures nor successes—and 12 percent are outright failures.
This shift, he added, comes at a critical moment, as AI delivers new productivity breakthroughs, thereby forcing many professions to reinvent themselves.
The research also reveals that project success varies across industries. Sectors like industrials, construction, and healthcare report the highest success rates, while government and consulting projects lag. Projects that deliver value in the form of social impact are 1.6 times more likely to be deemed successful.
Meeting defined requirements (1.5 times) and customer satisfaction (1.6 times) further underscores the importance of a value-focused approach to project success.
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