Key Success Drivers for Large High-Technology Projects

2016 ◽  
pp. 2341-2352
Author(s):  
Phil Crosby
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Project Success ◽  
High Technology ◽  
Strategic Success

Success in project management, and particularly in large, high-technology projects, continues to test the resources of organisations and their sponsors. This chapter revisits the conclusions of an earlier meta-study (Crosby, 2012a) that examined a large number of published case investigations and research efforts relating to the success and failure of projects. In that study, the success factors for general, and high-technology, projects were grouped and ranked as strategic success drivers for use prescriptively by project practitioners and approvers, and the principal drivers were examined closely to reveal any less obvious characteristics influencing project success. This chapter takes the original findings of ranked success drivers and investigates how these align with the experiences of three large contemporary high-technology projects. The conclusions show that, while the original set of drivers remains valid as predictors of project success, the ranking is likely to vary, even between projects that are technically and structurally similar. Two additional success factors are added as a result of the present study.

Key Success Drivers for Large High-Technology Projects

2014 ◽  
pp. 167-178
Author(s):  
Phil Crosby
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Project Success ◽  
High Technology ◽  
Strategic Success

Success in project management, and particularly in large, high-technology projects, continues to test the resources of organisations and their sponsors. This chapter revisits the conclusions of an earlier meta-study (Crosby, 2012a) that examined a large number of published case investigations and research efforts relating to the success and failure of projects. In that study, the success factors for general, and high-technology, projects were grouped and ranked as strategic success drivers for use prescriptively by project practitioners and approvers, and the principal drivers were examined closely to reveal any less obvious characteristics influencing project success. This chapter takes the original findings of ranked success drivers and investigates how these align with the experiences of three large contemporary high-technology projects. The conclusions show that, while the original set of drivers remains valid as predictors of project success, the ranking is likely to vary, even between projects that are technically and structurally similar. Two additional success factors are added as a result of the present study.

Key Success Drivers

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phil Crosby
Keyword(s):  
Success Factors ◽  
Project Success ◽  
High Technology ◽  
Practical Application ◽  
It Projects ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Success Indicators ◽  
Strategic Success ◽  
Key Staff ◽  
Key Indicators

Success in project management, and particularly in large, high-technology/IT projects, is not easily achieved. This paper draws together a significant number of case studies and research efforts relating to the success and failure of projects from the last four decades, in what is believed to be the only modern meta-study of its type. The author posits that there is a body of knowledge within the literature from which a number of key indicators or focus areas can be derived for practical application especially in the early stages of projects. Studies encompassing more than 2,800 projects are examined, and the success factors for general, and high-technology, projects are newly grouped and ranked as strategic success drivers for use prescriptively by project practitioners and approvers. New correlations between success indicators are presented and the principal drivers examined in further detail to reveal sometimes less obvious characteristics influencing project success. In a series of fieldwork interviews with key staff in high-technology projects, these drivers also emerge consistently as important factors in project success.

scholarly journals EARLY WARNING SYSTEM IN MANAGING WATER INFRASTRUCTRE PROJECTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 531-550
Author(s):  
Mariela Sjekavica Klepo ◽  
Mladen Radujković
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Early Warning ◽  
Final Stage ◽  
Early Warning System ◽  
Critical Success Factors ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Project Success ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Critical Success

There is a continuous need to improve existing project management decision-making support models, particularly those for monitoring and control are needed to increase chances for success. In this paper, potential of early warning in project management was focused, along with its connection to project success via project success factors. First, a systematic literature review was conducted, along with the focus group method, in order to identify project success factors. The selected success factors were also collected on 93 water infrastructure projects through a survey. By the means of linear regression analysis, critical success factors were finally determined. The results were integrated in the early warning system algorithm, composed by three modules – detection, validation and response module. The response module is composed by three dimensions: 1) risk, constraint and change management, 2) incorporation of project management competences and 3) application of project management methods, tools and techniques. The proposed early warning system was tested on three infrastructure projects. The results confirmed that improved early warning system can contribute in increase of project management success. As original database is composed by projects from only one country (Croatia), in the final stage of the research proposed approach was checked in five countries from the Central or South East Europe (Czech Republic, Slovenia, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina). The results from the final stage confirmed potential of the proposed approach as declared originally, so it is reasonable to expect success in early warning system’s implementation due to similarities of critical success factors on projects as well as project management problems in general, that countries in regions share. This research presents new and creative way in linking early warning and project success, as well as interpretation of early response through different dimensions in project management. Also, based on the results of this research, it is possible to create a useful practical tool for managing other types of projects.

scholarly journals The impact of project manager on project success — The case of ICT sector

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 261-281
Author(s):  
Bálint Blaskovics
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Leadership Style ◽  
Critical Success Factors ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Project Success ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Critical Success ◽  
Success Criteria ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Management Attitude

The project management literature on project success is rich. Numerous papers focus on the evolution of the understanding of project success, identification of success criteria and critical success factors. Critical success factors increase the potential for achieving project success, while project success can be evaluated with the help of success criteria. Although the interrelationships between critical success factors and success criteria are rarely analyzed, yet there is a strong demand for it. The aim of this paper is twofold. One of the aims is to identify the impact of one of the critical success factors, the project manager’s project management attitude on project success. The other aim is to highlight the interrelationship between the project manager’s personal characteristics and project management attitude and leadership style, which are three critical success factors. These aim to address the shortcoming mentioned above, which is considering the lack of the interrelationships between critical success factors and success criteria. The research outcomes are drawn from qualitative field research at the Hungarian subsidiaries of multinational companies operating in the ICT sector.

scholarly journals An Inquiry into Success Factors for Post-disaster Housing Reconstruction Projects: A Case of Kerala, South India

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shyni Anilkumar ◽  
Haimanti Banerji
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
South India ◽  
Project Success ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Housing Projects ◽  
Success Traits ◽  
Housing Reconstruction ◽  
Post Disaster

Abstract The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami triggered significant destruction to housing and related infrastructures across various coastal districts of south India. Research shows that tsunami reconstruction projects in Kerala experienced different degrees of success and failure. On this background, this study explored factors that contributed to the successful implementation of tsunami housing projects in Kerala by (1) consolidating various critical success factors (CSFs) for post-disaster reconstruction (PDR) projects under “project management success traits” through content analysis of existing literature; (2) deriving a conceptual model that envisages project success in PDR contexts; and (3) assessing the impacts of those success traits on tsunami housing projects using confirmatory factor analysis. Necessary data were gathered through a survey of various stakeholders involved in tsunami reconstruction projects in Kerala using structured questionnaires. The research revealed that PDR project success is attributed to critical dimensions of project management such as institutional mechanisms, reconstruction strategies, project implementation, and stakeholder management. A conceptual model with the interplay of project success, success traits, as well as their CSFs identified the project management actions that must be monitored during reconstruction. Since the project management approach is widely recognized for PDR projects, these success traits hold huge potential for effective organization and management of housing reconstruction projects. The study also helped to identify project management traits that need improvements for the successful implementation of post-disaster housing projects in Kerala. Thus the research findings can serve as a foundational study for formulating project management strategies appropriate to PDR projects in Kerala.

The Software Engineering Discipline

2006 ◽  
pp. 59-97
Author(s):  
Daniel M. Brandon
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Software Engineering ◽  
Software Development ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Project Success ◽  
It Project Management ◽  
It Projects ◽  
Engineering Discipline

Software engineering is vital for the proper planning of IT projects, although it is not a formal part of project management. The software engineering embedded in the acquired products will significantly affect long-term project success factors, even for IT projects that primarily involve software acquisition and integration instead of software development,. In this chapter I review software engineering and its relation to IT project management.

Investigating collective sensemaking of a major project success

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 644-665 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maude Brunet ◽  
Daniel Forgues
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Project Success ◽  
Governance Structure ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Information Modeling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Collective Sensemaking ◽  
Major Project

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate a case of collective sensemaking about the project success of the multifunctional amphitheater of Quebec (Canada). Design/methodology/approach For this explorative and qualitative research, the authors started from the post-mortem document and complemented their comprehension with six semi-structured interviews with the main project actors and other public documents regarding this project. Findings According to the respondents, the main success factors of this project can be attributed to: a clear governance structure; proven project management and construction methods; the use of emerging collaborative practices in construction (such as building information modeling (BIM) and lean construction); an adapted policy for procurement; as well as a code of values and ethics shared by all stakeholders. Originality/value The sensemaking perspective has been scarcely mobilized in project management studies, emerging from a constructivist view of reality and being sensitive about material-discursive practices. This exploratory study explores a case of collective sensemaking of a major project success and suggests avenues for major and megaprojects research. Lessons learned and implications for practice are also outlined. The conclusion allows a synthesis and an opening to consider how practitioners and researchers can build on this (and other successful) case(s) for future projects and research.

Designers’ performance evaluation in construction projects

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 154-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sami Kärnä ◽  
Juha-Matti Junnonen
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Project Success ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Internal Communication ◽  
Design Teams ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Benchmark Database ◽  
Project Participants ◽  
Project Level

Purpose In a construction project, “participants’ satisfaction” is one of the main dimensions used for measuring the successfulness of a project. Designers perform a major role in attaining the project goals and managing project complexity during production. The purpose of this paper is to examine the designers’ performance as evaluated by the main participants: the client, the project consultant/manager and the main contractor, and to identify the main success factors of designer performance using the participants’ evaluation. The study also aims to examine how the economic size of a project affects the project participants’ assessment of the designer’s performance. It is assumed that as the size of a project increases, so does the complexity of the project, which will affect the scope of work and demands on the designers’ operational performance for the specific project level. Design/methodology/approach The Finnish project evaluation and benchmark database was used in this study as empirical data. The quantitative data consists of surveys on the project level and are based on a multi-dimensional standard evaluation wherein the main participants evaluate each other’s performances. The client, project consultant and main contractor evaluated the designer’s performance. The data of the study consisted of a total of 892 evaluations. ANOVA analysis was used to examine the differences between the project participants’ assessments based upon the different economic sizes of the projects. Findings Contractors were satisfied with the designers’ performance in small projects, whereas the client and the project consultant/manager rated the designers’ performance most successful in large projects. This result may be due to small projects are typically simple and less complex, in which case design solutions are generally well-defined. Nonetheless, the participants’ level of satisfaction follows the same factors. The main problems in the designers’ performance were related to the design content: the flawlessness and comprehensiveness, as well as the compatibility and consistency of designs. These factors were emphasized particularly in the client’s low satisfaction of the designer’s performance. However, project participants were satisfied with the collaboration with designers; however, room for improvement could be found in internal communication and collaboration within the design teams. The findings illustrated that the assessment of the success rate of a project was party-specific, which was clearly affected by the size of the project, as large projects appeared to be more complex than smaller ones. Practical implications The findings suggested that there is a need to develop project-specific practices in managing multidisciplinary design teams. Additionally, particularly in large projects, designers should focus more on solving problems and design requirements occurring at the construction site. However, this should be implemented in such a way that this does not interfere with the design activities conducted with the client and project management. While client satisfaction is low in the small projects, designers should focus more on customer-oriented methods to serve client needs better. Originality/value In construction project management studies, there is a need to measure the importance that various participants assign to different success factors. Since project success factors depend on project type, a more project-specific approach is suggested to identify the main parameters for measuring project success. This study provides a holistic approach of the designers’ performance, which contributes to the theory of project success and designers’ performance improvement.

Understanding project success through analysis of project management approach

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 638-660 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asbjørn Rolstadås ◽  
Iris Tommelein ◽  
Per Morten Schiefloe ◽  
Glenn Ballard
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Analytical Model ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Project Success ◽  
Model Development ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Project Organization ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Review Model

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to show that project success is dependent on the project management approach selected, relative to the challenges posed by the project, and to develop an analytical model for analyzing the performance of the project organization. Design/methodology/approach – The research is based on literature review, model development, interviews, and case studies. Findings – The findings define two different approaches in project management: The prescriptive approach focusses on the formal qualities of the project organization, including governing documentation and procedures. The adaptive approach focusses on the process of developing and improving a project organization, project culture and team commitment. The two approaches have been identified through studies of three different case projects. An analytical model, referred to as the Pentagon model, has been applied for analyzing the performance of the project organization and explaining the project management approach. The model focusses on five different organizational aspects: structure, technologies, culture, social relations and networks, and interaction. Research limitations/implications – The research is limited to megaprojects and to project management success. Practical implications – It is suggested that project teams consider and select their project management approach at project initiation, and accordingly decide on relevant success factors to focus on. The adapted Pentagon model can be applied to develop the project management organization and assess its performance in the course of project delivery. Originality/value – The contribution of the research is the application of the analytical model, and the identification as well as illustration of the prescriptive, vs adaptive management approach.

Sponsorship in IT Project Management

2011 ◽  
pp. 3559-3563
Author(s):  
David Bryde ◽  
David Petie
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Project Success ◽  
Success Factor ◽  
It Project Management ◽  
Top Executives ◽  
Critical Success ◽  
Success Criteria ◽  
Project Success Criteria

Since the 1970s academics and practitioners in the discipline of project management have sought answers to two inter-related questions: How is project success defined and measured? What are the influences on project success? To answer the first question people have studied project success criteria/key performance indicators. To answer the second, studies have focused on project critical success factors. Daniel (1961) introduced the concept of “success factors,” stating that “in most industries there are usually three to six factors that determine success; these key jobs must be done exceedingly well for a company to be successful” (p.116). Approaches to the management of information have been established using Daniel’s concept. For example, Rockart (1979) developed a Critical Success Factor (CSF) method for meeting the information needs of top executives. This method focused on understanding the objectives and goals of the company and the factors (CSFs) critical to their achievement, and establishing information systems to report on performance in these two areas. A key challenge has been to integrate the definitions and measures of success with CSFs, and in this respect work has been carried out to develop frameworks linking models of success criteria (the measures of success) with CSFs (see, for example, van Veen-Dirks & Wijn, 2002). The concept of CSFs has also been applied to project environments, with project CSFs being “those inputs to the management system that lead directly or indirectly to the success of the project” (Cooke- Davies, 2002, p. 185). Project management theory has also looked for a holistic answer to the questions of “How is project success defined and measured?” and “What are the influences on project success?”, through the development of models linking project success criteria and project CSFs (Westerveld, 2002; Bryde, 2003).

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document