DTU ProjectLab - User contributions [en-gb]

Talk:Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-02T18:29:07Z

Jonina Thora: /* Answer 3 */

==Feedback on Abstract:==

Great to see your'e ahead of the game! Please find my feedback below:

{|
|'''Text clarity & language'''|| The text is good, however there's a few grammatical mistakes (e.g. read "Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of..." again). It could also be more concise. '''//Solved: Some sentences have been rephrased to make it more''' '''understandable.'''
|-
|'''Description of the tool/theory/concept'''|| Well elaborated.
|-
|'''Article purpose explanation'''|| Well elaborated.
|-
|'''Relevance to curriculum '''|| Relevant
|-
|'''References'''|| Good references.
|}

==Feedback 1 | Reviewer name: ''Julie Andersen''==
===Question 1 · TEXT===
'''Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 1===
''The abstract is good, but there are many long sentences and no breaks so it can make it a bit hard to read. It does make clarify the focus of the article, but I had to read the abstract three times to makes sure word information it gave.'' '''//Solved: many sentences have been rephrased or made shorter.
'''
===Question 2 · TEXT===
'''Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 2===
''The article is very clear and the flow of the information is good, though I don't think the headlines match the sections well or at least they do not help the flow of the article(in my opinion). The article is very true to the abstract.'''''//Solved: I kept the main headlines as they made sense for me but added sub-chapter headlines to make it more clean.'''

===Question 3 · TEXT===
'''Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 3===
''Overall the language is fine. In my opinion some refinement of sentences could help, but I don't see any actual mistakes. When PRINCE2 is desribed, the shortcut is explained twice right after each other.'''''//Solved: Fixed sentences and erased the duplication of the same information.'''

===Question 4 · TEXT===
'''Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 4===
''I find the figure very helpfull and they do support the text very well.''

===Question 5 · TEXT===
'''Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 5===
''We have project manager to ensure succes, so to define the factors of succes and the difference in project succes and project management succes is highly relevant. It is also of high practice relative to the length of the article. Maybe it could be relevant to include a section about how these informations are relevant for project managers or how they can use the information when managing.'' '''//Solved: In the end of application chapter, I added a section on how a PM manager can reach success in managing a project.'''

===Question 6 · TEXT===
'''Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 6===
''It does have a significant contributions beyond a cursory web search. The interest for a practioner will be higher if n explanation on how to use this information was a part of the article.''

===Question 7 · TEXT===
'''Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 7===
''The annotated bibliography is good.''

==Feedback 2 | Reviewer name: ''Karina Sviland Kindingstad''==
===Question 1 · TEXT===
'''Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 1===
''Yes it does, I think it is good that you present what project management success is, and that you at the end state what the article will discuss. ''

===Question 2 · TEXT===
'''Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 2===
''The article is clear and the flow is good. ''

===Question 3 · TEXT===
'''Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 3===
''The language is fine, and there are not too many fil words. However, I think there are some long sentences. More breaks would be good. When you write, “One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment.” Maybe you can take away the last part, because it is already stated. '' '''//Solved: Fixed long sentences and also fixed the twice mentioned part in PRINCE2 method.
'''

===Question 4 · TEXT===
'''Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 4===
''Good figures and tables. Good that you comment the table and explained. I think the table is meaningful because it summarize important facts in the article. ''

===Question 5 · TEXT===
'''Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 5===
''Yes it is relevant. Relevant because it is important to know how good project management can lead to success, and this is what the article explains. It is made clear when the explaining the difference in project success and project management success. ''

===Question 6 · TEXT===
'''Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 6===
''Yes it is interesting for a practitioner, because a practitioner would like to know how to manage a good project. Good that there are some tables and bullet point for this. Maybe have more of a discussion around the topic. How can it be done in practise and when is the different methods good to use? ''

===Question 7 · TEXT===
'''Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 7===
''The annotated bibliography is good. ''

Talk:Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-02T18:28:46Z

Jonina Thora: /* Answer 3 */

==Feedback on Abstract:==

Great to see your'e ahead of the game! Please find my feedback below:

{|
|'''Text clarity & language'''|| The text is good, however there's a few grammatical mistakes (e.g. read "Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of..." again). It could also be more concise. '''//Solved: Some sentences have been rephrased to make it more''' '''understandable.'''
|-
|'''Description of the tool/theory/concept'''|| Well elaborated.
|-
|'''Article purpose explanation'''|| Well elaborated.
|-
|'''Relevance to curriculum '''|| Relevant
|-
|'''References'''|| Good references.
|}

==Feedback 1 | Reviewer name: ''Julie Andersen''==
===Question 1 · TEXT===
'''Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 1===
''The abstract is good, but there are many long sentences and no breaks so it can make it a bit hard to read. It does make clarify the focus of the article, but I had to read the abstract three times to makes sure word information it gave.'' '''//Solved: many sentences have been rephrased or made shorter.
'''
===Question 2 · TEXT===
'''Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 2===
''The article is very clear and the flow of the information is good, though I don't think the headlines match the sections well or at least they do not help the flow of the article(in my opinion). The article is very true to the abstract.'''''//Solved: I kept the main headlines as they made sense for me but added sub-chapter headlines to make it more clean.'''

===Question 3 · TEXT===
'''Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 3===
''Overall the language is fine. In my opinion some refinement of sentences could help, but I don't see any actual mistakes. When PRINCE2 is desribed, the shortcut is explained twice right after each other.'''''//Solved: Fixed sentences and erased the duplication of the same information.'''

===Question 4 · TEXT===
'''Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 4===
''I find the figure very helpfull and they do support the text very well.''

===Question 5 · TEXT===
'''Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 5===
''We have project manager to ensure succes, so to define the factors of succes and the difference in project succes and project management succes is highly relevant. It is also of high practice relative to the length of the article. Maybe it could be relevant to include a section about how these informations are relevant for project managers or how they can use the information when managing.'' '''//Solved: In the end of application chapter, I added a section on how a PM manager can reach success in managing a project.'''

===Question 6 · TEXT===
'''Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 6===
''It does have a significant contributions beyond a cursory web search. The interest for a practioner will be higher if n explanation on how to use this information was a part of the article.''

===Question 7 · TEXT===
'''Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 7===
''The annotated bibliography is good.''

==Feedback 2 | Reviewer name: ''Karina Sviland Kindingstad''==
===Question 1 · TEXT===
'''Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 1===
''Yes it does, I think it is good that you present what project management success is, and that you at the end state what the article will discuss. ''

===Question 2 · TEXT===
'''Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 2===
''The article is clear and the flow is good. ''

===Question 3 · TEXT===
'''Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 3===
''The language is fine, and there are not too many fil words. However, I think there are some long sentences. More breaks would be good. When you write, “One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment.” Maybe you can take away the last part, because it is already stated. '' //Fixed long sentences and also fixed the twice mentioned part in PRINCE2 method.

===Question 4 · TEXT===
'''Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 4===
''Good figures and tables. Good that you comment the table and explained. I think the table is meaningful because it summarize important facts in the article. ''

===Question 5 · TEXT===
'''Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 5===
''Yes it is relevant. Relevant because it is important to know how good project management can lead to success, and this is what the article explains. It is made clear when the explaining the difference in project success and project management success. ''

===Question 6 · TEXT===
'''Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 6===
''Yes it is interesting for a practitioner, because a practitioner would like to know how to manage a good project. Good that there are some tables and bullet point for this. Maybe have more of a discussion around the topic. How can it be done in practise and when is the different methods good to use? ''

===Question 7 · TEXT===
'''Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 7===
''The annotated bibliography is good. ''

Talk:Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-02T15:55:51Z

Jonina Thora: /* Feedback 1 | Reviewer name: Julie Andersen */

==Feedback on Abstract:==

Great to see your'e ahead of the game! Please find my feedback below:

{|
|'''Text clarity & language'''|| The text is good, however there's a few grammatical mistakes (e.g. read "Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of..." again). It could also be more concise. '''//Solved: Some sentences have been rephrased to make it more''' '''understandable.'''
|-
|'''Description of the tool/theory/concept'''|| Well elaborated.
|-
|'''Article purpose explanation'''|| Well elaborated.
|-
|'''Relevance to curriculum '''|| Relevant
|-
|'''References'''|| Good references.
|}

==Feedback 1 | Reviewer name: ''Julie Andersen''==
===Question 1 · TEXT===
'''Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 1===
''The abstract is good, but there are many long sentences and no breaks so it can make it a bit hard to read. It does make clarify the focus of the article, but I had to read the abstract three times to makes sure word information it gave.'' '''//Solved: many sentences have been rephrased or made shorter.
'''
===Question 2 · TEXT===
'''Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 2===
''The article is very clear and the flow of the information is good, though I don't think the headlines match the sections well or at least they do not help the flow of the article(in my opinion). The article is very true to the abstract.'''''//Solved: I kept the main headlines as they made sense for me but added sub-chapter headlines to make it more clean.'''

===Question 3 · TEXT===
'''Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 3===
''Overall the language is fine. In my opinion some refinement of sentences could help, but I don't see any actual mistakes. When PRINCE2 is desribed, the shortcut is explained twice right after each other.'''''//Solved: Fixed sentences and erased the duplication of the same information.'''

===Question 4 · TEXT===
'''Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 4===
''I find the figure very helpfull and they do support the text very well.''

===Question 5 · TEXT===
'''Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 5===
''We have project manager to ensure succes, so to define the factors of succes and the difference in project succes and project management succes is highly relevant. It is also of high practice relative to the length of the article. Maybe it could be relevant to include a section about how these informations are relevant for project managers or how they can use the information when managing.'' '''//Solved: In the end of application chapter, I added a section on how a PM manager can reach success in managing a project.'''

===Question 6 · TEXT===
'''Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 6===
''It does have a significant contributions beyond a cursory web search. The interest for a practioner will be higher if n explanation on how to use this information was a part of the article.''

===Question 7 · TEXT===
'''Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 7===
''The annotated bibliography is good.''

==Feedback 2 | Reviewer name: ''Karina Sviland Kindingstad''==
===Question 1 · TEXT===
'''Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 1===
''Yes it does, I think it is good that you present what project management success is, and that you at the end state what the article will discuss. ''

===Question 2 · TEXT===
'''Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 2===
''The article is clear and the flow is good. ''

===Question 3 · TEXT===
'''Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 3===
''The language is fine, and there are not too many fil words. However, I think there are some long sentences. More breaks would be good. When you write, “One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment.” Maybe you can take away the last part, because it is already stated. ''

===Question 4 · TEXT===
'''Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 4===
''Good figures and tables. Good that you comment the table and explained. I think the table is meaningful because it summarize important facts in the article. ''

===Question 5 · TEXT===
'''Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 5===
''Yes it is relevant. Relevant because it is important to know how good project management can lead to success, and this is what the article explains. It is made clear when the explaining the difference in project success and project management success. ''

===Question 6 · TEXT===
'''Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 6===
''Yes it is interesting for a practitioner, because a practitioner would like to know how to manage a good project. Good that there are some tables and bullet point for this. Maybe have more of a discussion around the topic. How can it be done in practise and when is the different methods good to use? ''

===Question 7 · TEXT===
'''Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 7===
''The annotated bibliography is good. ''

Talk:Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-02T15:54:44Z

Jonina Thora: /* Feedback 1 | Reviewer name: Julie Andersen */

==Feedback on Abstract:==

Great to see your'e ahead of the game! Please find my feedback below:

{|
|'''Text clarity & language'''|| The text is good, however there's a few grammatical mistakes (e.g. read "Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of..." again). It could also be more concise. '''//Solved: Some sentences have been rephrased to make it more''' '''understandable.'''
|-
|'''Description of the tool/theory/concept'''|| Well elaborated.
|-
|'''Article purpose explanation'''|| Well elaborated.
|-
|'''Relevance to curriculum '''|| Relevant
|-
|'''References'''|| Good references.
|}

==Feedback 1 | Reviewer name: ''Julie Andersen''==
===Question 1 · TEXT===
'''Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 1===
''The abstract is good, but there are many long sentences and no breaks so it can make it a bit hard to read. It does make clarify the focus of the article, but I had to read the abstract three times to makes sure word information it gave.'' '''\\Solved: many sentences have been rephrased or made shorter.
'''
===Question 2 · TEXT===
'''Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 2===
''The article is very clear and the flow of the information is good, though I don't think the headlines match the sections well or at least they do not help the flow of the article(in my opinion). The article is very true to the abstract.'''''\\Solved: I kept the main headlines as they made sense for me but added sub-chapter headlines to make it more clean.'''

===Question 3 · TEXT===
'''Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 3===
''Overall the language is fine. In my opinion some refinement of sentences could help, but I don't see any actual mistakes. When PRINCE2 is desribed, the shortcut is explained twice right after each other.'''''\\Solved: Fixed sentences and erased the duplication of the same information.'''

===Question 4 · TEXT===
'''Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 4===
''I find the figure very helpfull and they do support the text very well.''

===Question 5 · TEXT===
'''Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 5===
''We have project manager to ensure succes, so to define the factors of succes and the difference in project succes and project management succes is highly relevant. It is also of high practice relative to the length of the article. Maybe it could be relevant to include a section about how these informations are relevant for project managers or how they can use the information when managing.'' '''\\Solved: In the end of application chapter, I added a section on how a PM manager can reach success in managing a project.'''

===Question 6 · TEXT===
'''Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 6===
''It does have a significant contributions beyond a cursory web search. The interest for a practioner will be higher if n explanation on how to use this information was a part of the article.''

===Question 7 · TEXT===
'''Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 7===
''The annotated bibliography is good.''

==Feedback 2 | Reviewer name: ''Karina Sviland Kindingstad''==
===Question 1 · TEXT===
'''Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 1===
''Yes it does, I think it is good that you present what project management success is, and that you at the end state what the article will discuss. ''

===Question 2 · TEXT===
'''Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 2===
''The article is clear and the flow is good. ''

===Question 3 · TEXT===
'''Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 3===
''The language is fine, and there are not too many fil words. However, I think there are some long sentences. More breaks would be good. When you write, “One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment.” Maybe you can take away the last part, because it is already stated. ''

===Question 4 · TEXT===
'''Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 4===
''Good figures and tables. Good that you comment the table and explained. I think the table is meaningful because it summarize important facts in the article. ''

===Question 5 · TEXT===
'''Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 5===
''Yes it is relevant. Relevant because it is important to know how good project management can lead to success, and this is what the article explains. It is made clear when the explaining the difference in project success and project management success. ''

===Question 6 · TEXT===
'''Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 6===
''Yes it is interesting for a practitioner, because a practitioner would like to know how to manage a good project. Good that there are some tables and bullet point for this. Maybe have more of a discussion around the topic. How can it be done in practise and when is the different methods good to use? ''

===Question 7 · TEXT===
'''Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 7===
''The annotated bibliography is good. ''

Talk:Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-02T15:49:17Z

Jonina Thora: /* Feedback on Abstract: */

==Feedback on Abstract:==

Great to see your'e ahead of the game! Please find my feedback below:

{|
|'''Text clarity & language'''|| The text is good, however there's a few grammatical mistakes (e.g. read "Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of..." again). It could also be more concise. '''//Solved: Some sentences have been rephrased to make it more''' '''understandable.'''
|-
|'''Description of the tool/theory/concept'''|| Well elaborated.
|-
|'''Article purpose explanation'''|| Well elaborated.
|-
|'''Relevance to curriculum '''|| Relevant
|-
|'''References'''|| Good references.
|}

==Feedback 1 | Reviewer name: ''Julie Andersen''==
===Question 1 · TEXT===
'''Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 1===
''The abstract is good, but there are many long sentences and no breaks so it can make it a bit hard to read. It does make clarify the focus of the article, but I had to read the abstract three times to makes sure word information it gave.''

===Question 2 · TEXT===
'''Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 2===
''The article is very clear and the flow of the information is good, though I don't think the headlines match the sections well or at least they do not help the flow of the article(in my opinion). The article is very true to the abstract.''

===Question 3 · TEXT===
'''Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 3===
''Overall the language is fine. In my opinion some refinement of sentences could help, but I don't see any actual mistakes. When PRINCE2 is desribed, the shortcut is explained twice right after each other.''

===Question 4 · TEXT===
'''Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 4===
''I find the figure very helpfull and they do support the text very well.''

===Question 5 · TEXT===
'''Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 5===
''We have project manager to ensure succes, so to define the factors of succes and the difference in project succes and project management succes is highly relevant. It is also of high practice relative to the length of the article. Maybe it could be relevant to include a section about how these informations are relevant for project managers or how they can use the information when managing.''

===Question 6 · TEXT===
'''Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 6===
''It does have a significant contributions beyond a cursory web search. The interest for a practioner will be higher if n explanation on how to use this information was a part of the article.''

===Question 7 · TEXT===
'''Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 7===
''The annotated bibliography is good.''

==Feedback 2 | Reviewer name: ''Karina Sviland Kindingstad''==
===Question 1 · TEXT===
'''Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 1===
''Yes it does, I think it is good that you present what project management success is, and that you at the end state what the article will discuss. ''

===Question 2 · TEXT===
'''Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 2===
''The article is clear and the flow is good. ''

===Question 3 · TEXT===
'''Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 3===
''The language is fine, and there are not too many fil words. However, I think there are some long sentences. More breaks would be good. When you write, “One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment.” Maybe you can take away the last part, because it is already stated. ''

===Question 4 · TEXT===
'''Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 4===
''Good figures and tables. Good that you comment the table and explained. I think the table is meaningful because it summarize important facts in the article. ''

===Question 5 · TEXT===
'''Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 5===
''Yes it is relevant. Relevant because it is important to know how good project management can lead to success, and this is what the article explains. It is made clear when the explaining the difference in project success and project management success. ''

===Question 6 · TEXT===
'''Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 6===
''Yes it is interesting for a practitioner, because a practitioner would like to know how to manage a good project. Good that there are some tables and bullet point for this. Maybe have more of a discussion around the topic. How can it be done in practise and when is the different methods good to use? ''

===Question 7 · TEXT===
'''Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 7===
''The annotated bibliography is good. ''

Talk:Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-02T15:49:03Z

Jonina Thora: /* Feedback on Abstract: */

==Feedback on Abstract:==

Great to see your'e ahead of the game! Please find my feedback below:

{|
|'''Text clarity & language'''|| The text is good, however there's a few grammatical mistakes (e.g. read "Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of..." again). It could also be more concise. '''//Solved: Some sentences have been rephrased to make it more''' understandable.
|-
|'''Description of the tool/theory/concept'''|| Well elaborated.
|-
|'''Article purpose explanation'''|| Well elaborated.
|-
|'''Relevance to curriculum '''|| Relevant
|-
|'''References'''|| Good references.
|}

==Feedback 1 | Reviewer name: ''Julie Andersen''==
===Question 1 · TEXT===
'''Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 1===
''The abstract is good, but there are many long sentences and no breaks so it can make it a bit hard to read. It does make clarify the focus of the article, but I had to read the abstract three times to makes sure word information it gave.''

===Question 2 · TEXT===
'''Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 2===
''The article is very clear and the flow of the information is good, though I don't think the headlines match the sections well or at least they do not help the flow of the article(in my opinion). The article is very true to the abstract.''

===Question 3 · TEXT===
'''Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 3===
''Overall the language is fine. In my opinion some refinement of sentences could help, but I don't see any actual mistakes. When PRINCE2 is desribed, the shortcut is explained twice right after each other.''

===Question 4 · TEXT===
'''Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 4===
''I find the figure very helpfull and they do support the text very well.''

===Question 5 · TEXT===
'''Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 5===
''We have project manager to ensure succes, so to define the factors of succes and the difference in project succes and project management succes is highly relevant. It is also of high practice relative to the length of the article. Maybe it could be relevant to include a section about how these informations are relevant for project managers or how they can use the information when managing.''

===Question 6 · TEXT===
'''Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 6===
''It does have a significant contributions beyond a cursory web search. The interest for a practioner will be higher if n explanation on how to use this information was a part of the article.''

===Question 7 · TEXT===
'''Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 7===
''The annotated bibliography is good.''

==Feedback 2 | Reviewer name: ''Karina Sviland Kindingstad''==
===Question 1 · TEXT===
'''Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 1===
''Yes it does, I think it is good that you present what project management success is, and that you at the end state what the article will discuss. ''

===Question 2 · TEXT===
'''Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 2===
''The article is clear and the flow is good. ''

===Question 3 · TEXT===
'''Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 3===
''The language is fine, and there are not too many fil words. However, I think there are some long sentences. More breaks would be good. When you write, “One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment.” Maybe you can take away the last part, because it is already stated. ''

===Question 4 · TEXT===
'''Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 4===
''Good figures and tables. Good that you comment the table and explained. I think the table is meaningful because it summarize important facts in the article. ''

===Question 5 · TEXT===
'''Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 5===
''Yes it is relevant. Relevant because it is important to know how good project management can lead to success, and this is what the article explains. It is made clear when the explaining the difference in project success and project management success. ''

===Question 6 · TEXT===
'''Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 6===
''Yes it is interesting for a practitioner, because a practitioner would like to know how to manage a good project. Good that there are some tables and bullet point for this. Maybe have more of a discussion around the topic. How can it be done in practise and when is the different methods good to use? ''

===Question 7 · TEXT===
'''Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 7===
''The annotated bibliography is good. ''

Talk:Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-02T15:48:48Z

Jonina Thora: /* Feedback on Abstract: */

==Feedback on Abstract:==

Great to see your'e ahead of the game! Please find my feedback below:

{|
|'''Text clarity & language'''|| The text is good, however there's a few grammatical mistakes (e.g. read "Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of..." again). It could also be more concise. //Solved: Some sentences have been rephrased to make it more understandable.
|-
|'''Description of the tool/theory/concept'''|| Well elaborated.
|-
|'''Article purpose explanation'''|| Well elaborated.
|-
|'''Relevance to curriculum '''|| Relevant
|-
|'''References'''|| Good references.
|}

==Feedback 1 | Reviewer name: ''Julie Andersen''==
===Question 1 · TEXT===
'''Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 1===
''The abstract is good, but there are many long sentences and no breaks so it can make it a bit hard to read. It does make clarify the focus of the article, but I had to read the abstract three times to makes sure word information it gave.''

===Question 2 · TEXT===
'''Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 2===
''The article is very clear and the flow of the information is good, though I don't think the headlines match the sections well or at least they do not help the flow of the article(in my opinion). The article is very true to the abstract.''

===Question 3 · TEXT===
'''Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 3===
''Overall the language is fine. In my opinion some refinement of sentences could help, but I don't see any actual mistakes. When PRINCE2 is desribed, the shortcut is explained twice right after each other.''

===Question 4 · TEXT===
'''Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 4===
''I find the figure very helpfull and they do support the text very well.''

===Question 5 · TEXT===
'''Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 5===
''We have project manager to ensure succes, so to define the factors of succes and the difference in project succes and project management succes is highly relevant. It is also of high practice relative to the length of the article. Maybe it could be relevant to include a section about how these informations are relevant for project managers or how they can use the information when managing.''

===Question 6 · TEXT===
'''Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 6===
''It does have a significant contributions beyond a cursory web search. The interest for a practioner will be higher if n explanation on how to use this information was a part of the article.''

===Question 7 · TEXT===
'''Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 7===
''The annotated bibliography is good.''

==Feedback 2 | Reviewer name: ''Karina Sviland Kindingstad''==
===Question 1 · TEXT===
'''Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 1===
''Yes it does, I think it is good that you present what project management success is, and that you at the end state what the article will discuss. ''

===Question 2 · TEXT===
'''Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 2===
''The article is clear and the flow is good. ''

===Question 3 · TEXT===
'''Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 3===
''The language is fine, and there are not too many fil words. However, I think there are some long sentences. More breaks would be good. When you write, “One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment.” Maybe you can take away the last part, because it is already stated. ''

===Question 4 · TEXT===
'''Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 4===
''Good figures and tables. Good that you comment the table and explained. I think the table is meaningful because it summarize important facts in the article. ''

===Question 5 · TEXT===
'''Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 5===
''Yes it is relevant. Relevant because it is important to know how good project management can lead to success, and this is what the article explains. It is made clear when the explaining the difference in project success and project management success. ''

===Question 6 · TEXT===
'''Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 6===
''Yes it is interesting for a practitioner, because a practitioner would like to know how to manage a good project. Good that there are some tables and bullet point for this. Maybe have more of a discussion around the topic. How can it be done in practise and when is the different methods good to use? ''

===Question 7 · TEXT===
'''Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

===Answer 7===
''The annotated bibliography is good. ''

Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-02T15:35:09Z

Jonina Thora: /* Methods and techniques for successful project management */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref> Defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore it is relevant to define project management success factors in order to have tools to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time. These factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, these studies are always evolving. However, the overall goal from all these authors consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time. It is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors. It will also discuss present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure. At the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects. However, a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors.<ref name="radsje"/>''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown.<ref name="radsje"/>'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

===The value of project management===

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tend to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#'''Balanced scorecard''' - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#'''Balanced scorecard ROI metric''' – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

===Methods and techniques for successful project management===

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the '''PRINCE2''' (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/her team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been done and need to be done. This plan is called ''“the project management document”'' or the ''“project management concept paper”''. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur. When a project manager has a clear vision on what kind of a project he/she is dealing with, he/she can prepare the project management concept paper with the success factors, listed in the table above, in mind. Regarding the management process, one can implement the PRINCE2 method as certified PRINCE2 projects tend to be successful because of successful project management procedures.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success. This is because the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
# ''Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices are in comparison with the best practices.''
# ''Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.''
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-02T15:34:11Z

Jonina Thora: /* The value of project management */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref> Defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore it is relevant to define project management success factors in order to have tools to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time. These factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, these studies are always evolving. However, the overall goal from all these authors consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time. It is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors. It will also discuss present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure. At the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects. However, a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors.<ref name="radsje"/>''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown.<ref name="radsje"/>'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

===The value of project management===

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tend to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#'''Balanced scorecard''' - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#'''Balanced scorecard ROI metric''' – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

===Methods and techniques for successful project management===

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the '''PRINCE2''' (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been done and need to be done. This plan is called ''“the project management document”'' or the ''“project management concept paper”''. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur. When a project manager has a clear vision on what kind of a project he is dealing with, he can prepare the project management concept paper with the success factors, listed in the table above, in mind. Regarding the management process, one can implement the PRINCE2 method as certified PRINCE2 projects tend to be successful because of successful project management procedures.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success. This is because the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
# ''Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices are in comparison with the best practices.''
# ''Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.''
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-02T15:19:25Z

Jonina Thora: /* Big Idea */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref> Defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore it is relevant to define project management success factors in order to have tools to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time. These factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, these studies are always evolving. However, the overall goal from all these authors consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time. It is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors. It will also discuss present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure. At the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects. However, a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors.<ref name="radsje"/>''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown.<ref name="radsje"/>'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

===The value of project management===

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tend to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

===Methods and techniques for successful project management===

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the '''PRINCE2''' (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been done and need to be done. This plan is called ''“the project management document”'' or the ''“project management concept paper”''. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur. When a project manager has a clear vision on what kind of a project he is dealing with, he can prepare the project management concept paper with the success factors, listed in the table above, in mind. Regarding the management process, one can implement the PRINCE2 method as certified PRINCE2 projects tend to be successful because of successful project management procedures.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success. This is because the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
# ''Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices are in comparison with the best practices.''
# ''Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.''
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-02T15:08:01Z

Jonina Thora: /* Big Idea */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref> Defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore it is relevant to define project management success factors in order to have tools to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time. These factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, these studies are always evolving. However, the overall goal from all these authors consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time. It is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors. It will also discuss present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure. At the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects. However, a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors.<ref name="radsje"/>''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown.<ref name="radsje"/>'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

===The value of project management===

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tend to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

===Methods and techniques for successful project management===

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the '''PRINCE2''' (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been done and need to be done. This plan is called ''“the project management document”'' or the ''“project management concept paper”''. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur. When a project manager has a clear vision on what kind of a project he is dealing with, he can prepare the project management concept paper with the success factors, listed in the table above, in mind. Regarding the management process, one can implement the PRINCE2 method as certified PRINCE2 projects tend to be successful because of successful project management procedures.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success. This is because the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
# ''Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices are in comparison with the best practices.''
# ''Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.''
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-01T21:15:08Z

Jonina Thora: /* Methods and techniques for successful project management */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref> Defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore it is relevant to define project management success factors in order to have tools to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time. These factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, these studies are always evolving. However, the overall goal from all these authors consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time. It is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors. It will also discuss present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure. At the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects. However, a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

===The value of project management===

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tend to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

===Methods and techniques for successful project management===

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the '''PRINCE2''' (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been done and need to be done. This plan is called ''“the project management document”'' or the ''“project management concept paper”''. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur. When a project manager has a clear vision on what kind of a project he is dealing with, he can prepare the project management concept paper with the success factors, listed in the table above, in mind. Regarding the management process, one can implement the PRINCE2 method as certified PRINCE2 projects tend to be successful because of successful project management procedures.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success. This is because the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
# ''Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices are in comparison with the best practices.''
# ''Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.''
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-01T21:14:50Z

Jonina Thora: /* The value of project management */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref> Defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore it is relevant to define project management success factors in order to have tools to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time. These factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, these studies are always evolving. However, the overall goal from all these authors consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time. It is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors. It will also discuss present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure. At the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects. However, a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

===The value of project management===

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tend to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

==='''Methods and techniques for successful project management '''===

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the '''PRINCE2''' (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been done and need to be done. This plan is called ''“the project management document”'' or the ''“project management concept paper”''. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur. When a project manager has a clear vision on what kind of a project he is dealing with, he can prepare the project management concept paper with the success factors, listed in the table above, in mind. Regarding the management process, one can implement the PRINCE2 method as certified PRINCE2 projects tend to be successful because of successful project management procedures.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success. This is because the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
# ''Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices are in comparison with the best practices.''
# ''Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.''
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-01T21:10:59Z

Jonina Thora: /* Application */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref> Defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore it is relevant to define project management success factors in order to have tools to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time. These factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, these studies are always evolving. However, the overall goal from all these authors consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time. It is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors. It will also discuss present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure. At the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects. However, a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

==='''The value of project management'''===

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tend to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

==='''Methods and techniques for successful project management '''===

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the '''PRINCE2''' (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been done and need to be done. This plan is called ''“the project management document”'' or the ''“project management concept paper”''. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur. When a project manager has a clear vision on what kind of a project he is dealing with, he can prepare the project management concept paper with the success factors, listed in the table above, in mind. Regarding the management process, one can implement the PRINCE2 method as certified PRINCE2 projects tend to be successful because of successful project management procedures.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success. This is because the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
# ''Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices are in comparison with the best practices.''
# ''Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.''
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-01T21:09:51Z

Jonina Thora: /* Application */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref> Defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore it is relevant to define project management success factors in order to have tools to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time. These factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, these studies are always evolving. However, the overall goal from all these authors consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time. It is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors. It will also discuss present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure. At the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects. However, a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

==='''The value of project management'''===

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tend to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

==='''Methods and techniques for successful project management '''===

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the '''PRINCE2''' (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been done and need to be done. This plan is called ''“the project management document”'' or the ''“project management concept paper”''. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur. When a project manager has a clear vision on what kind of a project he is dealing with, he can prepare the project management concept paper with the success factors, listed in the table above, in mind. Regarding the management process, one can implement the PRINCE2 method as certified PRINCE2 projects tend to be successful because of successful project management procedures.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success. This is because the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
# ''Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices are in comparison with the best practices.''
# ''Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.''
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-01T20:40:58Z

Jonina Thora: /* Limitations */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref> Defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore it is relevant to define project management success factors in order to have tools to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time. These factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, these studies are always evolving. However, the overall goal from all these authors consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time. It is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors. It will also discuss present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure. At the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects. However, a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tend to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been done and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur. When a project manager has a clear vision on what kind of a project he is dealing with, he can prepare the project management concept paper with the success factors, listed in the table above, in mind. Regarding the management process, one can implement the PRINCE2 method as certified PRINCE2 projects tend to be successful because of successful project management procedures.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success. This is because the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
# ''Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices are in comparison with the best practices.''
# ''Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.''
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-01T20:38:57Z

Jonina Thora: /* Application */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref> Defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore it is relevant to define project management success factors in order to have tools to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time. These factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, these studies are always evolving. However, the overall goal from all these authors consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time. It is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors. It will also discuss present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure. At the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects. However, a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tend to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been done and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur. When a project manager has a clear vision on what kind of a project he is dealing with, he can prepare the project management concept paper with the success factors, listed in the table above, in mind. Regarding the management process, one can implement the PRINCE2 method as certified PRINCE2 projects tend to be successful because of successful project management procedures.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
# ''Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices are in comparison with the best practices.''
# ''Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.''
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-01T20:37:44Z

Jonina Thora: /* Application */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref> Defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore it is relevant to define project management success factors in order to have tools to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time. These factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, these studies are always evolving. However, the overall goal from all these authors consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time. It is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors. It will also discuss present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure. At the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects. However, a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tend to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been done and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur. When a project manager has a clear vision on what kind of a project he is dealing with, he can prepare the project management concept paper with the success factors, listed in the table above, in mind. Regarding the management process, one can implement the PRINCE2 method as certified PRINCE2 projects tend to be successful because of successful project management.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
# ''Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices are in comparison with the best practices.''
# ''Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.''
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-01T20:35:23Z

Jonina Thora: /* Application */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref> Defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore it is relevant to define project management success factors in order to have tools to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time. These factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, these studies are always evolving. However, the overall goal from all these authors consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time. It is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors. It will also discuss present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure. At the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects. However, a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tend to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been done and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur. When a project manager has a clear vision on what kind of a project he is dealing with, he can prepare the project management concept paper with the success factors listed in table 1 in mind. Regarding the management process, one can use the PRINCE2 handbook

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
# ''Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices are in comparison with the best practices.''
# ''Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.''
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-01T20:33:41Z

Jonina Thora: /* Application */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref> Defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore it is relevant to define project management success factors in order to have tools to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time. These factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, these studies are always evolving. However, the overall goal from all these authors consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time. It is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors. It will also discuss present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure. At the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects. However, a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tend to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been done and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur. When a project manager has a clear vision on what kind of a project he is dealing with, he can prepare the project management concept paper.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
# ''Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices are in comparison with the best practices.''
# ''Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.''
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-01T20:19:44Z

Jonina Thora: /* Big Idea */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref> Defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore it is relevant to define project management success factors in order to have tools to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time. These factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, these studies are always evolving. However, the overall goal from all these authors consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time. It is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors. It will also discuss present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure. At the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects. However, a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tend to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been done and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
# ''Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices are in comparison with the best practices.''
# ''Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.''
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-03-01T20:09:28Z

Jonina Thora: /* Abstract */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref> Defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore it is relevant to define project management success factors in order to have tools to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time. These factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, these studies are always evolving. However, the overall goal from all these authors consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time. It is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors. It will also discuss present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tend to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been done and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
# ''Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices are in comparison with the best practices.''
# ''Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.''
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Talk:Use of Business Model Canvas to Kickstart the project management

2019-02-25T18:16:11Z

Jonina Thora: /* Feedback 1 | Reviewer name: Jonina Thora Einarsdottir */

==Feedback on Abstract:==

{|
|'''Text clarity'''|| Good
|-
|'''Language'''|| Good
|-
|'''Description of the tool/theory/concept'''|| Good
|-
|'''Purpose explanation'''|| Good
|-
|'''Title of the Wiki'''|| Good
|-
|'''Relevance to curriculum'''|| Relevant as long as the focus is how BMC is used in project management
|-
|'''References'''|| Really good that you reference to other wikis! For the other references here are some guidelines from DTU Library: https://www.bibliotek.dtu.dk/english/servicemenu/find/reference_management/references
|-
|'''Other'''|| Be careful not trying to cover too much but consider only mentioning BMC for kickstarting one of the project management methods
|}
==Feedback 1 | Reviewer name: Jonina Thora Einarsdottir==

'''Question 1 · TEXT'''

'''Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 1:'''

The quality of the summary is very good and it gives a clear insight to the article's content. Good job.

'''Question 2 · TEXT'''

'''Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 2:'''

The argument is pretty clear and the structure of the article is good and how the same example is implemented in several chapters (the designer clothes and fast food) makes it very clear. I am just a little bit confused with the chapter "Importance of business model for waterfall method compared to agile method"...maybe it fits better somewhere else in the article or can be better linked into the article with just modification in rephrasing the text a bit.

'''Question 3 · TEXT'''

'''Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 3:'''

There are several sentences that I suggest that should be rephrased and some words are misspelled. It is just minor mistakes but overall the language is good.

'''Question 4 · TEXT'''

'''Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

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'''Answer 4:'''

No figures or tables in the article so far so not possible to make judgement.

'''Question 5 · TEXT'''

'''Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 5:'''

I would say that the article is of high practical relevance and it is pretty clear how it is relevant. I just suggest including some tables or figures to make it more interesting.

'''Question 6 · TEXT'''

'''Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 6:'''

I think the article is interesting for a practitioner and it makes a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search as a lot of information is included in it. I guess it is not completely done but it looks good so far.

'''Question 7 · TEXT'''

'''Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 7:'''

No annotated bibliography has been made.

Talk:Use of Business Model Canvas to Kickstart the project management

2019-02-24T22:18:24Z

Jonina Thora: /* Feedback on Abstract: */

==Feedback on Abstract:==

{|
|'''Text clarity'''|| Good
|-
|'''Language'''|| Good
|-
|'''Description of the tool/theory/concept'''|| Good
|-
|'''Purpose explanation'''|| Good
|-
|'''Title of the Wiki'''|| Good
|-
|'''Relevance to curriculum'''|| Relevant as long as the focus is how BMC is used in project management
|-
|'''References'''|| Really good that you reference to other wikis! For the other references here are some guidelines from DTU Library: https://www.bibliotek.dtu.dk/english/servicemenu/find/reference_management/references
|-
|'''Other'''|| Be careful not trying to cover too much but consider only mentioning BMC for kickstarting one of the project management methods
|}
==Feedback 1 | Reviewer name: Jonina Thora Einarsdottir==

'''Question 1 · TEXT'''

'''Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 1:'''

The quality of the summary is very good and it gives a clear insight to the article's content. Good job.

'''Question 2 · TEXT'''

'''Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 2:'''

As the article only has the abstract written, it is not possible to give a full judgement on it obviously but how the chapters have been structured is very good and by defining the difference of those two methods is interesting.

'''Question 3 · TEXT'''

'''Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 3:'''

Language is good in what has been written so far.

'''Question 4 · TEXT'''

'''Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 4:'''

No figures or tables in the article so far so not possible to make judgement.

'''Question 5 · TEXT'''

'''Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 5:'''

Not possible to say as only the abstract is there.

'''Question 6 · TEXT'''

'''Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 6:'''

I think the article will be interesting especially because of the detailed information on each method in the sub-chapters.

'''Question 7 · TEXT'''

'''Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 7:'''

No annotated bibliography has been made.

Talk:Benefits of systems engineering

2019-02-24T22:07:18Z

Jonina Thora:

==Feedback on Abstract:==

{|
|'''Text clarity & language'''|| The text can be coherent. It seems that the abstract isn't finalized yet. This is fine, but make sure to not minimize the use of bullets etc. There's also some grammatical errors, so please read it over again.
|-
|'''Description of the tool/theory/concept'''|| Good.
|-
|'''Article purpose explanation'''|| Good. However consider further scoping your article. Try to cover less areas, but in more depth? Disclaimer: A complete judgement cannot be made until the abstract is finalized.
|-
|'''Relevance to curriculum '''|| Relevant. However, always ensure this is kept within the realms of project/program/portfolio management.
|-
|'''References'''|| Add some of the listed references in your abstract, if it makes sense to do so.
|}
==Feedback 1 | Reviewer name: Jonina Thora Einarsdottir==

'''Question 1 · TEXT'''

'''Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 1:'''

I think it sums up pretty much what is to be discussed in the article. There are some grammar errors but otherwise it is pretty clear.

'''Question 2 · TEXT'''

'''Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 2:'''

It seems like the article is not yet finished so I guess there are still some things missing. However, the structure that is already there is logical and the application chapter summarizes the process very clearly. I suggest putting more details into the article though as it is still a bit like a draft and therefore hard to make a full judgement on the article.

'''Question 3 · TEXT'''

'''Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 3:'''

Language is good, just a few grammatical errors here and there where a letter is missing for example. So I just suggest reading the text over to fix it.

'''Question 4 · TEXT'''

'''Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 4:'''

No figures or tables in the article so far so not possible to make judgement.

'''Question 5 · TEXT'''

'''Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 5:'''

As said before, the article still maybe just has the general information but lacks details but the way it is structured is good and I consider it clear how it is relevant.

'''Question 6 · TEXT'''

'''Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 6:'''

I think it is interesting for a practitioner to read as it looks clear and simple to read and addresses the matter in a clear way.

'''Question 7 · TEXT'''

'''Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 7:'''

No annotated bibliography has been made.

Talk:Benefits of systems engineering

2019-02-24T22:02:52Z

Jonina Thora:

==Feedback on Abstract:==

{|
|'''Text clarity & language'''|| The text can be coherent. It seems that the abstract isn't finalized yet. This is fine, but make sure to not minimize the use of bullets etc. There's also some grammatical errors, so please read it over again.
|-
|'''Description of the tool/theory/concept'''|| Good.
|-
|'''Article purpose explanation'''|| Good. However consider further scoping your article. Try to cover less areas, but in more depth? Disclaimer: A complete judgement cannot be made until the abstract is finalized.
|-
|'''Relevance to curriculum '''|| Relevant. However, always ensure this is kept within the realms of project/program/portfolio management.
|-
|'''References'''|| Add some of the listed references in your abstract, if it makes sense to do so.
|}
==Feedback 1 | Reviewer name: Jonina Thora Einarsdottir
'''Question 1 · TEXT
Quality of the summary:'''

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 1'''
I think it sums up pretty much what is to be discussed in the article. There are some grammar errors but otherwise it is pretty clear.

'''Question 2 · TEXT
Structure and logic of the article:'''

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 2'''
It seems like the article is not yet finished so I guess there are still some things missing. However, the structure that is already there is logical and the application chapter summarizes the process very clearly. I suggest putting more details into the article though as it is still a bit like a draft and therefore hard to make a full judgement on the article.

'''Question 3 · TEXT
Grammar and style:'''

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 3'''
Language is good, just a few grammatical errors here and there where a letter is missing for example. So I just suggest reading the text over to fix it.

'''Question 4 · TEXT
Figures and tables:'''

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 4'''
No figures or tables in the article so far so not possible to make judgement.

'''Question 5 · TEXT
Interest and relevance:'''

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 5'''
As said before, the article still maybe just has the general information but lacks details but the way it is structured is good and I consider it clear how it is relevant.

'''Question 6 · TEXT
Depth of treatment:'''

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 6'''
I think it is interesting for a practitioner to read as it looks clear and simple to read and addresses the matter in a clear way.
'''
Question 7 · TEXT
Annotated bibliography:'''

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

'''Answer 7'''
No annotated bibliography has been made.

Talk:Benefits of systems engineering

2019-02-24T22:00:49Z

Jonina Thora: /* Feedback on Abstract: */

==Feedback on Abstract:==

{|
|'''Text clarity & language'''|| The text can be coherent. It seems that the abstract isn't finalized yet. This is fine, but make sure to not minimize the use of bullets etc. There's also some grammatical errors, so please read it over again.
|-
|'''Description of the tool/theory/concept'''|| Good.
|-
|'''Article purpose explanation'''|| Good. However consider further scoping your article. Try to cover less areas, but in more depth? Disclaimer: A complete judgement cannot be made until the abstract is finalized.
|-
|'''Relevance to curriculum '''|| Relevant. However, always ensure this is kept within the realms of project/program/portfolio management.
|-
|'''References'''|| Add some of the listed references in your abstract, if it makes sense to do so.
|}
Feedback 1 | Reviewer name: Jonina Thora Einarsdottir
Question 1 · TEXT
Quality of the summary:

Does the summary make the key focus, insights and/or contribution of the article clear?

What would you suggest to improve?

Answer 1
I think it sums up pretty much what is to be discussed in the article. There are some grammar errors but otherwise it is pretty clear.

Question 2 · TEXT
Structure and logic of the article:

Is the argument clear?

Is there a logical flow to the article?

Does one part build upon the other?

Is the article consistent in its argument and free of contradictions?

What would you suggest to improve?

Answer 2
It seems like the article is not yet finished so I guess there are still some things missing. However, the structure that is already there is logical and the application chapter summarizes the process very clearly. I suggest putting more details into the article though as it is still a bit like a draft and therefore hard to make a full judgement on the article.

Question 3 · TEXT
Grammar and style:

Is the writing free of grammatical and spelling errors?

Is the language precise without unnecessary fill words?

What would you suggest to improve?

Answer 3
Language is good, just a few grammatical errors here and there where a letter is missing for example. So I just suggest reading the text over to fix it.

Question 4 · TEXT
Figures and tables:

Are figures and tables clear?

Do they summarize the key points of the article in a meaningful way?

What would you suggest to improve?

Answer 4
No figures or tables in the article so far so not possible to make judgement.

Question 5 · TEXT
Interest and relevance:

Is the article of high practical and / or academic relevance?

Is it made clear in the article why / how it is relevant?

What would you suggest to improve?

Answer 5
As said before, the article still maybe just has the general information but lacks details but the way it is structured is good and I consider it clear how it is relevant.

Question 6 · TEXT
Depth of treatment:

Is the article interesting for a practitioner or academic to read?

Does it make a significant contribution beyond a cursory web search?

What would you suggest to improve?

Answer 6
I think it is interesting for a practitioner to read as it looks clear and simple to read and addresses the matter in a clear way.

Question 7 · TEXT
Annotated bibliography:

Does the article properly cite and acknowledge previous work?

Does it briefly summarize the key references at the end of the article?

Is it based on empirical data instead of opinion?

What would you suggest to improve?

Answer 7
No annotated bibliography has been made.

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-22T21:43:46Z

Jonina Thora: /* Limitations */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref> Defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore it is relevant to define project management success factors in order to have tools to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tend to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been done and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
# ''Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices are in comparison with the best practices.''
# ''Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.''
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-22T21:41:46Z

Jonina Thora: /* Application */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref> Defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore it is relevant to define project management success factors in order to have tools to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tend to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been done and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
1. Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices is in comparison with the best practices.
2. Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-22T21:27:26Z

Jonina Thora: /* Abstract */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref> Defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore it is relevant to define project management success factors in order to have tools to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tends to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
1. Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices is in comparison with the best practices.
2. Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-22T21:21:50Z

Jonina Thora: /* Abstract */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref> Defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore it is relevant thing to define project management success factors in order to have tools to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tends to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
1. Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices is in comparison with the best practices.
2. Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-22T21:19:24Z

Jonina Thora: /* Abstract */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref> Defining the exact success in these studies can be hard, and therefore it is a relevant thing to do to define project management success factors in order to have tools to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tends to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
1. Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices is in comparison with the best practices.
2. Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-22T21:16:19Z

Jonina Thora: /* Abstract */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref>but defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore, defining project management success factors is a relevant thing to do in order to have a tool to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tends to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
1. Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices is in comparison with the best practices.
2. Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-20T21:51:37Z

Jonina Thora:

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref>but defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore, defining project management success factors is a relevant thing to do in order to have a tool to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added four additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tends to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#'''Principles''' which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#'''Themes''' which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#'''Processes''' where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#'''Project environment''' in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*''Continued business justification'' – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*''Learn from experience'' – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*''Defined roles and responsibilities'' – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*''Manage by stages'' – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*''Manage by exception'' – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*''Focus on products'' – the quality requirements of products.
*''Tailor to suit the project'' – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Thus, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of this specific document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

Now, with all of the above in mind, one would most likely achieve project management success and through successful project management, project success is more likely to occur.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
1. Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices is in comparison with the best practices.
2. Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project managers on how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step in which is more likely to lead to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-20T20:58:36Z

Jonina Thora: /* Abstract */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref>but defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore, defining project management success factors is a relevant thing to do in order to have a tool to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as present methods on how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still be considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance, regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added 4 additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tends to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - Goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#Principles which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#Themes which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#Processes where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#Project environment in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*Continued business justification – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*Learn from experience – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*Defined roles and responsibilities – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*Manage by stages – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*Manage by exception – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*Focus on products – the quality requirements of products.
*Tailor to suit the project – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Therefore, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of the document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
1. Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices is in comparison with the best practices.
2. Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project mangers in how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step and with this organising plan leading to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-20T20:42:42Z

Jonina Thora: /* Abstract */

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined an “achievement of convergence about common understanding of the set of project objectives”.<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref>but defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore, defining project management success factors is a relevant thing to do in order to have a tool to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as discussing methods in how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still be considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance, regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added 4 additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tends to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - Goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#Principles which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#Themes which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#Processes where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#Project environment in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*Continued business justification – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*Learn from experience – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*Defined roles and responsibilities – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*Manage by stages – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*Manage by exception – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*Focus on products – the quality requirements of products.
*Tailor to suit the project – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Therefore, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of the document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
1. Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices is in comparison with the best practices.
2. Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project mangers in how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step and with this organising plan leading to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-20T20:23:48Z

Jonina Thora:

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref>but defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore, defining project management success factors is a relevant thing to do in order to have a tool to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as discussing methods in how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still be considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance, regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added 4 additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tends to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - Goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#Principles which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#Themes which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#Processes where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#Project environment in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*Continued business justification – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*Learn from experience – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*Defined roles and responsibilities – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*Manage by stages – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*Manage by exception – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*Focus on products – the quality requirements of products.
*Tailor to suit the project – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Therefore, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of the document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
1. Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices is in comparison with the best practices.
2. Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==
'''AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition:''' The book presents a widely used method on how to manage successful projects. It is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects and therefore it is a thorough and clear guidance for successful project management. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements and therefore it provides deeper insight into the important stages of project management and most likely, if project managers follow the instructions completely, a project will succeed. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. which gives it even more value. In this article, a general introduction of the method is presented with the four integrated elements to make it clear for the reader how to implement the method in order to reach success in projects.

'''A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition):''' This book consists of nine knowledge areas and five process groups and therefore covers various aspects of project management in general. The book is a clear guide on how to use tools in project management and defines very clearly the role of a project manager, thus should lead to a very professional and successful project management. In this article, the book was mainly used to understand the role of a project manager in order to know his/hers actions to take towards successful project management.

'''Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. (2017). Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations:''' This paper is a thorough analysis of the development of the whole process of project management. It provides clear definition on project management success factors along with detailed explanation on each factor. The paper also presents a tool for the project mangers in how to organize their “project management document” or how to plan their projects step by step and with this organising plan leading to successful project management.

'''Sanjuan A, Froese T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool:''' This paper provides a detailed analysis of several project management standards and then compares them and identifies their different focus points. Project management success factors are also presented briefly. The primary focus is on how the PM standards and success factors are used in the development of the PM assessment tool. The paper also provides information on how the value of project management is measured in order for the reader to understand when project management is considered successful.

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-19T20:51:28Z

Jonina Thora:

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref>but defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore, defining project management success factors is a relevant thing to do in order to have a tool to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as discussing methods in how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still be considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance, regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added 4 additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|right|600px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tends to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - Goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|400px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#Principles which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#Themes which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#Processes where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#Project environment in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*Continued business justification – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*Learn from experience – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*Defined roles and responsibilities – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*Manage by stages – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*Manage by exception – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*Focus on products – the quality requirements of products.
*Tailor to suit the project – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Therefore, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of the document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
1. Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices is in comparison with the best practices.
2. Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-19T20:38:21Z

Jonina Thora:

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref>but defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore, defining project management success factors is a relevant thing to do in order to have a tool to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as discussing methods in how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still be considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance, regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added 4 additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|center|700px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.

''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
*Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tends to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - Goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
*This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#Principles which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#Themes which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#Processes where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#Project environment in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|300px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*Continued business justification – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*Learn from experience – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*Defined roles and responsibilities – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*Manage by stages – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*Manage by exception – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*Focus on products – the quality requirements of products.
*Tailor to suit the project – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Therefore, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of the document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
1. Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices is in comparison with the best practices.
2. Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-19T20:36:31Z

Jonina Thora:

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref>but defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore, defining project management success factors is a relevant thing to do in order to have a tool to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as discussing methods in how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still be considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance, regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added 4 additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|center|700px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging task and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.
''The Maturity-Based Metric:''
Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tends to be more predictable.

''The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:''
*Two approaches:
#Balanced scorecard - Goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
#Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

''Resource-Based View Metric:''
This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#Principles which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#Themes which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#Processes where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#Project environment in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|300px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*Continued business justification – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*Learn from experience – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*Defined roles and responsibilities – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*Manage by stages – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*Manage by exception – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*Focus on products – the quality requirements of products.
*Tailor to suit the project – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Therefore, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of the document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
1. Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices is in comparison with the best practices.
2. Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-19T20:33:20Z

Jonina Thora:

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref>but defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore, defining project management success factors is a relevant thing to do in order to have a tool to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as discussing methods in how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still be considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance, regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added 4 additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|center|700px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

How to measure the value of project management can be a challenging thing and through time three ways have been used to measure the value of PM: a maturity-based Return on Investment (ROI) metric, a Balance Scorecard-ROI, and a resource-based view.
The Maturity-Based Metric:
Focus is on determining the level of maturity in the organization and establishing a connection between the PM maturity and variations in cost and time from the original baselines. Companies with high level of maturity have shown better performance in projects as well the PM schedule and cost performance tends to be more predictable.

The Balanced Scorecard-ROI Metric:
Two approaches:
*Balanced scorecard - Goals and measures in four perspectives: financial, internal business, innovation and learning, and customer. When all these are combined, the manager tends to improve his skills in decision making and problem solving.
*Balanced scorecard ROI metric – uses the same approach but more emphasis is on quantifying any value.

Resource-Based View Metric:
This takes into account the competencies within the organization and the impact they have on decisions regarding competitive advantages of the company.
<ref name="sajun">Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#Principles which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#Themes which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#Processes where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#Project environment in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|300px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*Continued business justification – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*Learn from experience – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*Defined roles and responsibilities – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*Manage by stages – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*Manage by exception – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*Focus on products – the quality requirements of products.
*Tailor to suit the project – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Therefore, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of the document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
1. Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices is in comparison with the best practices.
2. Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.
<ref name="sajun"/>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-19T20:07:33Z

Jonina Thora:

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref>but defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore, defining project management success factors is a relevant thing to do in order to have a tool to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as discussing methods in how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still be considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance, regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added 4 additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|center|700px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. It stands for projects in a controlled environment. The method’s emphasis is on the importance of roles and responsibilities within the project as well as management by stages with a clear definition on tolerances on cost, time, quality, scope, risk and benefits.The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world, both good and bad experiences. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc.
The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#Principles which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#Themes which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#Processes where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#Project environment in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|300px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*Continued business justification – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*Learn from experience – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*Defined roles and responsibilities – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*Manage by stages – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*Manage by exception – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*Focus on products – the quality requirements of products.
*Tailor to suit the project – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Therefore, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of the document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
1. Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices is in comparison with the best practices.
2. Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.
<ref name="sajun">10. Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-19T19:56:46Z

Jonina Thora:

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref>but defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore, defining project management success factors is a relevant thing to do in order to have a tool to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as discussing methods in how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still be considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance, regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added 4 additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|center|700px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#Principles which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#Themes which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#Processes where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#Project environment in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|300px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*Continued business justification – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*Learn from experience – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*Defined roles and responsibilities – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*Manage by stages – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*Manage by exception – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*Focus on products – the quality requirements of products.
*Tailor to suit the project – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Therefore, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of the document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Even if project management (PM) has been thoroughly developed for the past years, weak PM tasks keep coming up, particularly with the project owner organizations. This may be led to two contributing factors:
1. Project organizations are not familiar with how their PM practices is in comparison with the best practices.
2. Project organizations are not aware and unconvinced of how much benefit they can gain with various PM practices.
<ref name="sajun">10. Sanjuan A, Froese T. The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;74:91-100.</ref>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-19T08:02:01Z

Jonina Thora:

''Developed by Jonina Thora Einarsdottir''

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref>but defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore, defining project management success factors is a relevant thing to do in order to have a tool to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as discussing methods in how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still be considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance, regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added 4 additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|center|700px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#Principles which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#Themes which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#Processes where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#Project environment in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|300px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*Continued business justification – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*Learn from experience – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*Defined roles and responsibilities – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*Manage by stages – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*Manage by exception – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*Focus on products – the quality requirements of products.
*Tailor to suit the project – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Therefore, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of the document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-16T16:52:56Z

Jonina Thora:

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref>but defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore, defining project management success factors is a relevant thing to do in order to have a tool to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as discussing methods in how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved.<ref name="alderman"/> As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still be considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance, regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added 4 additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|center|700px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#Principles which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#Themes which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#Processes where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#Project environment in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|300px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*Continued business justification – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*Learn from experience – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*Defined roles and responsibilities – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*Manage by stages – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*Manage by exception – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*Focus on products – the quality requirements of products.
*Tailor to suit the project – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>

Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Therefore, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of the document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-16T16:46:47Z

Jonina Thora:

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref>but defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore, defining project management success factors is a relevant thing to do in order to have a tool to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as discussing methods in how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved.<ref name="alderman"/>

As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still be considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance, regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added 4 additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|center|700px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#Principles which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#Themes which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#Processes where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#Project environment in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|300px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*Continued business justification – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*Learn from experience – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*Defined roles and responsibilities – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*Manage by stages – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*Manage by exception – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*Focus on products – the quality requirements of products.
*Tailor to suit the project – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>
Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Therefore, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of the document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-16T16:44:42Z

Jonina Thora:

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref>but defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore, defining project management success factors is a relevant thing to do in order to have a tool to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as discussing methods in how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved.<ref name="alderman"/>

As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still be considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance, regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added 4 additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|center|700px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#Principles which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#Themes which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#Processes where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#Project environment in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|300px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos"/>'']]

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*Continued business justification – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*Learn from experience – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*Defined roles and responsibilities – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*Manage by stages – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*Manage by exception – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*Focus on products – the quality requirements of products.
Tailor to suit the project – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>
Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Therefore, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of the document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-16T15:34:49Z

Jonina Thora:

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project.<ref name="radsje">Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved<ref name="alderman"> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref>but defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore, defining project management success factors is a relevant thing to do in order to have a tool to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika">Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as discussing methods in how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved.<ref name="alderman"/>

As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika<ref name="ika"/>, the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness.<ref name="ika"/>

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle”.<ref name="ika"/> However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still be considered as successful projects.<ref name="pinto">Pinto, J. K., Slevin, D. P. Critical success factors across the project life cycle: definitions and measurement techniques. Project Management Journal, 1988; 19(3), 67–75.</ref> Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance, regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project.<ref name=PMI">A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th Edition). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute (PMI); 2017.</ref>
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment.<ref name=kerzner">Kerzner H. Project management metrics, KPIs, and dashboards: a guide to measuring and monitoring project performance. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons; 2011. </ref>

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref name="ika"/> Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto<ref name="pinto"/> proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added 4 additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable"
|+ ''Project management success factors<ref name="radsje"/>.''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje"/> is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|center|700px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown<ref name="radsje"/>.'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
<ref name="radsje2">Radujković, M., Sjekavica, M. Development of a project management performance enhancement model by analysing risks, changes, and limitations. Journal of the Croatian Association of Civil Engineers. 2017;69(02):105-120.</ref>

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#Principles which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#Themes which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#Processes where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#Project environment in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|300px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure.<ref name="axelos">AXELOS A. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017 Edition. London: The Stationery Office Ltd; 2017.</ref>'']]

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*Continued business justification – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*Learn from experience – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*Defined roles and responsibilities – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*Manage by stages – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*Manage by exception – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*Focus on products – the quality requirements of products.
Tailor to suit the project – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
<ref name="axelos"/>
Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Therefore, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica<ref name="radsje2"/> recommend the following structure of the document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realization of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity.<ref name="wateridge">Wateridge J. IT projects: a basis for success. International Journal of Project Management. 1995;13(3):169-172.</ref>

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-16T15:02:43Z

Jonina Thora:

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project. <ref>Radujković M, Sjekavica M. Project Management Success Factors. Procedia Engineering. 2017;196:607-615.</ref>
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved <ref> Alderman N, Ivory C. Translation and Convergence in Projects: An Organizational Perspective on Project Success. Project Management Journal. 2011;42(5):17-30.</ref>but defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore, defining project management success factors is a relevant thing to do in order to have a tool to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful.<ref>Ika L. Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal. 2009;40(4):6-19.</ref>
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as discussing methods in how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved (Alderman and Ivory, 2011).

As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika (2009), the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness (Ika, 2009).

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle” (Ika, 2009). However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still be considered as successful projects (Pinto and Slevin, 1988). Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance, regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project (PMI, 2017).
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment (Kerzner, 2011).

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful. (Ika, 2009). Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto (1988) proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added 4 additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica (2017) presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable"
|+ ''Project management success factors (Radujković and Sjekavica, 2017).''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica (2017a) is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|center|700px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown (Radujković and Sjekavica 2017a).'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
(Radujković and Sjekavica, 2017b).

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#Principles which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#Themes which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#Processes where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#Project environment in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|300px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure (Axelos,2017).'']]

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*Continued business justification – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*Learn from experience – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*Defined roles and responsibilities – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*Manage by stages – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*Manage by exception – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*Focus on products – the quality requirements of products.
Tailor to suit the project – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
(Axelos, 2017).
Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Therefore, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica (2017b) recommend the following structure of the document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realisation of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity (Wateridge, 1998).

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==

==References==
<references/>

Project Management Success Factors

2019-02-16T14:07:49Z

Jonina Thora:

==Abstract==
In the theory of a project, there are two main success concepts: project success and project management success. The project management success does indeed contribute massively to a project but does however not guarantee by itself a successful project (Radujković and Sjekavica, 2017a).
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved (Alderman and Ivory, 2011) but defining the exact success in these studies can be hard and therefore, defining project management success factors is a relevant thing to do in order to have a tool to use in these studies. Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful. (Ika, 2009).
Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time and these factors are based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. Therefore, it is always evolving but the overall goal of all success factors defined from different authors always consists of making project management successful.
Several methods and recommendations regarding successful management of projects have been developed throughout time and it is indeed a complex theme, but the benefits gained in a project from the activities of project management are however undeniable. The development of project management methods in present time is certainly very fast but probably the most widely used method is the PRINCE2 method towards managing successful projects with successful project management.
This article will discuss the theory of project management success factors and how it has evolved throughout time from different authors as well as discussing methods in how implementing the success factors of project management will increase the odds of a successful overall project.

==Big Idea==
Project management success may be defined as if an intersection of common understanding of all project objectives has been achieved (Alderman and Ivory, 2011).

As for the definition of “project success”, it is a difficult thing to define. Some authors even presume that readers know what is meant by a “project success” and “project failure”. According to Ika (2009), the only certain thing in project management is that “success is an ambiguous, inclusive and multidimensional concept” and the definition of it relies on the context in each project. The success of a project can also be described with words such as efficiency and effectiveness (Ika, 2009).

The success of a project is related to time, cost and quality performance but the time/cost/quality triangle is better known as the “iron triangle” or the “golden triangle” (Ika, 2009). However, many projects have been delivered within time, cost and quality constraints but are still considered as a failure and at the same time other projects have exceeded the triangle constraints but are still be considered as successful projects (Pinto and Slevin, 1988). Therefore, there is a difference between a successful project and project management success. Most authors agree that a success in a project may be achieved through successful project management.

Project management is focused on project performance, regarding short-term dimensions of project success in which the “iron triangle” is indeed one of the aspects, but a project manager is not only responsible for time, cost and quality management but also integration, scope, human resource, communication, risk and procurement management. The role of a project manager is designed in a way in which fits the organization in the same way that the project management processes are designed to fit the project at each time. This role may vary depending on the type of organization and type of project (PMI, 2017).
The success of a project management can thus be evaluated through measurements of time, cost and quality but also scope, resource and activity as well as through models of measuring success like PMPA – Project Management Performance Assessment (Kerzner, 2011).

Critical success factors in project management are defined as levers that a project manager can employ in order to increase the odds of a project becoming successful. (Ika, 2009). Several authors have proposed project management success factors throughout time.

Slevin and Pinto (1988) proposed ten key success factors: project mission, top management support, project schedules/plan, client consultation, personnel, technical tasks, client acceptance, monitoring and feedback, troubleshooting, and communication. These factors are managed by the project team respectfully. They then added 4 additional factors to the list which would not fall into the hands of the project’s team: characteristics of the project team leader, power and politics, environmental events, and urgency.

Radujković and Sjekavica (2017) presented a list of project management parts which contribute both to project management success as well as to the overall success of a project. Those parts are stated to be the project management success factors. They are divided into three categories depending on where their focus lies:

{|class="wikitable"
|+ ''Project management success factors (Radujković and Sjekavica, 2017).''
! scope="col" | 1. Elements of project management competence
|-
| ''Total competencies of Project manager''
|-
| ''Project managers’ emotional intelligence, soft project manager elements ''
|-
| ''Project Manager’s management style''
|-
| ''Project team members''
|-
| ''Application of project management knowledge and skills from project manager and project team, as well as their coordination''
|-
! scope="col" | 2. Elements of organization
|-
| ''Organizational structure''
|-
| ''Organizational culture''
|-
! scope="col" | 3. Elements of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques
|-
| ''Project management tools and technique''
|-
| ''Project management standards''
|-
| ''Planning and monitoring software, Request analysis, lessons learned, statement on the scope of project, CPM, CBA, Risk management and contract management.''
|}

The first category consists of technical, behavioural and contextual competencies. The second one has everything to do with the organization, such as organizational structure, organizational culture, organizational atmosphere and organizational competence. The third category consists of six parts: project management methodologies, project management software, project management tools, decision-making techniques, risk assessment tools and information communication technology support tools.
The big idea according to Radujković and Sjekavica (2017a) is that “if you have a competent project manager as well as a competent team, coordinated manager and team, adequate organizational structure, culture, atmosphere and competence, as well as high usage of project management methodologies, methods, tools and techniques, your project should have highly successful project management, and enable project success”.
One must keep in mind that the importance of these success factors varies depending on the project type that the project management team is dealing with at each time. This may concern whether a project is a public or a private project and what the project’s orientation is as well as the number of projects being managed in organization.

[[File:SUCCESS FACTOR BREAKDOWN.png|center|700px|thumb|''Project management success factors breakdown (Radujković and Sjekavica 2017a).'']]

==Application==
Success-oriented project management can be analysed from two perspectives. The first one is an internal perspective and deals with tools retrieved from the profession of project management in general. The second one deals with the challenges in which the project owner imposes to the project management. A success-oriented project management has to be based on several things such as:
*Requirements specified by the project owner concerning the success of the project.
*Regulations and standards which comply to the type and location of a project at each time.
*Competences of the project management in which comply with the success criteria.
*Satisfied stakeholders and project owner who pin-point their goals and interests throughout the process.
*Documentation of all project management activities.
*Constant monitoring of the project as well as good control of risks and any type of changes or constraints.
(Radujković and Sjekavica, 2017b).

Several methods have been developed through time for managing projects. One of them and probably the most widely used is the PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method. The method is based on experience contained from thousands of different projects all over the world. The method can be applied to any project no matter the type, size, location etc. The method’s structure is divided into four integrated elements:
#Principles which are the guiding obligations and good practices. There are 7 principles and all of them need to be applied in order for a project to be a certified PRINCE2 project.
#Themes which describe aspects of project managements and must be addressed throughout the project.
#Processes where the progression from the pre-project activity of getting started is described.
#Project environment in which is created in order for organizations to tailor PRINCE2 to create their own project management method.

[[File:PRINCE2.png|right|300px|thumb|''PRINCE2 structure (Axelos,2017).'']]

The seven PRINCE2 principles are:
*Continued business justification – there needs to be a valid reason for starting the project in the beginning.
*Learn from experience – takes place in the beginning of the project phase, in which teams should review similar previous projects, as the project progresses as well as when the project closes.
*Defined roles and responsibilities – right people with right roles are more likely to lead a project to success.
*Manage by stages – in which the project is broken into management stages.
*Manage by exception – setting tolerances against six aspects of performance: cost, time, quality, scope, benefits and risk.
*Focus on products – the quality requirements of products.
Tailor to suit the project – PRINCE2 takes into account that projects may vary from type to type regarding size, complexity, importance, team, capability and risk.
(Axelos, 2017).
Projects will always be exposed by risks, constraints and changes and if it weren’t for these three factors, project management would overall be so much simpler in many ways. Therefore, an important thing in order to perform successful project management is a continuous management of project-related risks, changes and constraints. Therefore, it is recommended for a project manager and his/hers team to have a work plan in which they document all activities that have been and need to be done. This plan is called “the project management document” or the “project management concept paper”. The document is to be prepared prior to the beginning of each project and is updated throughout the whole project when each individual task has been performed. Radujković and Sjekavica (2017b) recommend the following structure of the document:
#General information about the project
#Business case
#Brief description of the project objectives. What are the needs or wishes of the project owner? Which problems are likely to arise and need to be solved?
#Goal and scope of the project including project deliverables.
#Clear hierarchy of components forming the deliverables (WBS).
#Individual competencies, roles and responsibilities (OBS) of each project management team member.
#Organisational structure, roles and responsibilities as well as decision-making of the project.
#Stakeholder management plan, project participants.
#Time-schedule with main milestones defined.
#Cost plan and cash flow of the project.
#Procurement plan including engagement of suppliers and contractors.
#Risk management plan and analysis of key project risks.
#Administration and approval of changes in the project.
#Analysis of constraints that might delay the project.
#Project management tools to be applied in the project.
#Define international standards when relevant in each project.
#Discuss similar projects in which can be used as a role-model identifying best practice examples.
#Methods for monitoring and controlling the realisation of the project.
#Clear communication methods. How to solve conflicts if needed?
#Use of technological tools in the project management.
#Procedures of project, starting phase to closure.
#Project administering and documenting procedures.
#Other, as needed in each project as they vary from type to type.

==Limitations==
As mentioned earlier, it can be hard to define a firm definition on project success as well as project management success as the success criteria and critical success factors (CSFs) can differ so much from one project to the next one due to a different scope, the uniqueness as well as the overall complexity (Wateridge, 1998).

Project management successfulness is a complex theme, but the benefits gained from the activities of project management are however undeniable.

==Annotated bibliography==