Articles and Tools: Want Project Success? Set Criteria
Defining "success criteria" - the key outcomes your project
must realize - can be critical to ensuring people stay focused on the
right things. Success criteria can also be known as performance targets. They inform the way you plan, the processes and methods you may use, as well as decisions that may be needed when the project gets going.
Balance discipline with a flexible approach
Success criteria provide increased accountability and discipline. Ironically, they also provide increased flexibility, because the means you choose to deliver your project are generally secondary to what you need to achieve and when you need those results.
This article presents some questions to ask, and example success criteria that may be helpful.
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Without specific targets,
it is difficult to know when a project is successful. It is even more difficult to prove a project's value to your customers,
constituents, colleagues or employers.
The over-arching question:
"How will
you know your project was successful?"
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Consider the goals of your project.
Ask yourself a few questions, for example:
Will this project advance corporate or team objectives? Is it part of larger initiatives? If so, what are the desired outcomes? Are there specific needs or problems it must address?
Example success criteria:
- To bring on line a new warehouse
that meets our specifications document
- To bring on line a new facility capable of achieving [some performance
target]
Consider important time or budget factors
Project sages have long held that you must compromise on one of the following: speed of deliver, investment required (cost), or quality. Ultimately one must factor such concerns into project goals, considering them in the context of what must be achieved.Your success criteria can take these into account.
Example questions to ask:
When do we need to deliver? What is financial impact of delivering 4 weeks earlier, or six weeks later? Are there relevant performance targets or quality goals that must be addressed?
Example success criteria
- This project will be complete by January 5, 2007
- The results will be delivered without exceeding our $500,000 budget
- Create a new widget delivery process that keeps defects under 1%
Allow your success criteria to inform every decision
Whether you are considering making changes to your plan, choosing a planning style or a management method, your success criteria should inform the decision. Ultimately, any changes or decisions should be made in light of their impact on creating success.
This investment of time in some cases is only a few minutes if you already have clear ideas. Yet the returns can be days, weeks, and months of time saved - and in certain cases significant revenues. For example, delivering an electronic commerce site May 15 instead of June 15 can significantly impact your financial performance.
| Tip: Setting up success criteria with the eRealize Planning Assistant |
For new projects
- Launch the Project Planning Assistant by selecting "New Project" or "New Personal Project" from the top navigation area
- Entering your project name, and align it to any relevant objectives using the check boxes
- Click next or on the "Success Criteria" tab
- Enter your success criteria- give each one a descriptive title, and provide additional explanation if needed.
- Click finish
For existing projects
- Find the project in the projects area
- Click on the project title to access the Project Portal™
- If you have project manager rights, you can click the "edit" icon from the project summary page
- Click on the "Success Criteria" tab
- Enter your success criteria - give each one a descriptive title, and provide additional explanation if needed.
- Click finish
For more information
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