Summary
To summarize, we can conveniently quote from the summaries of Chapter 9, Managing
Benefits, and Chapter 13, What Does It Take to do the Project Right.
"Managing benefits is central to any organization that seriously wishes to obtain value for the money it invests in projects. However, this isn't simply another activity to undertake. It involves three very important changes to the way the company plans and executes projects.
First, project roles and responsibilities have to be redefined to make named individuals accountable for the measurable delivery of benefits to the business that is funding the project.
Second, all decisions during project execution have to be driven by a robust business case.
Third, processes for managing projects have to be extended through time, both earlier and later, and involve cooperation between the project team and business as usual to ensure that benefits are realized after the project [product] has been delivered."[37]
"Managing projects requires more than focusing on the triangle of time, cost, and quality. The criteria for project success expand to include [all of] scope and health, safety, and environmental (HSE) issues. On closer examination, however, even these criteria do not provide an adequate guide to the most important focus of project the manager and team. They measure the results but don't guarantee to deliver them."
"To deliver these results robustly, five key project management practices are crucial, in addition to the quintessential tasks of leading, managing, and motivating the project team. The five practices are:
- Clarifying goals and objectives
- Clarifying technical [technological] requirements
- Planning and controlling the project effectively
- Managing risk, and
- Resourcing the project fully.
To embed these practices in a project, it is essential to get started on the right foot, so an adequate project charter and kickoff event (meeting or workshop) are key success factors."
"At the other end of the project, closeout is equally important. This is particularly so when it embraces not only the finishing and documenting of the work but also the lessons learned from the project. It also includes the pursuit of making final or complementary adjustments to fully achieve the [project's] established business goals."[38]
That is to say, to fully achieve the project's established business goals means harvesting the project's benefits. It is clear from this book that different industries still have a lot to learn from each other where projects are concerned.
R. Max Wideman
Fellow, PMI
37. The Right Projects Done Right!, pp174-175
38. Ibid, p243
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Downside