Dynamic conditions for project success

This report (published in 2021) identifies organisational, professional, and socio-economic dynamic conditions that can enhance project outcomes and explores how project professionals and project-based organisations have already applied them. This report is separate from the ‘2015 Conditions for Project Success’ on the basis that the study examined primarily non-project related factors that nonetheless can affect project success. This study occurred under unprecedented circumstances amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. All aspects of the study took place entirely virtually; this served to shape the responses from the project management community.

The research team gathered the data using a systematic literature review, interviews with a cross-section of 37 project professionals, and a survey that attracted a total of 1,015 responses. The analysis identified nine dynamic conditions drawn from the relevant academic literature and refined through the research process which are:

• interpersonal skills;
• training and certifications;
• team ethos;
• technology and data;
• contracts;
• knowledge management;
• agility;
• sustainability;
• diversity.

A number of these nine dynamic conditions correspond to some of the main trends seen within the wider project profession that we have helped to drive forward such as a greater emphasis on the use of technology and data [1], the drive to net-zero and sustainability [2], improving diversity and inclusion [3], and developing an agile mindset to respond to ever-changing project environments [4].

The study highlights opportunities for project management organisations and professionals to improve project success and project outcomes, including prioritising informal mentoring, improving data analysis and decision making with technology and AI, and establishing knowledge management roles for more effective learning from past projects. For project professionals, this work advises on specific mindsets and activities that can help to support and develop their teams. These activities can help to ensure that their projects create a legacy that can underpin long-term organisational success.

For organisations, this work advises on how to apply the report and more specifically the Key Success Indicators (KSIs) needed to implement each dynamic condition, which can guide and support the implementation of the report’s findings. The report also draws on case illustrations from the interviews to show how different project professionals and project based organisations have already demonstrated good practice in applying these dynamic conditions.

At a theoretical level, this report addresses the evolving scope of project success away from focussing on success factors for individual projects towards dynamic conditions ensuring success for project-based organisations and their portfolios. The KSIs ‘close the loop’, providing an alternative end-point analysis compared to critical success factors that are more readily applied and assessed at project inception.

We look forward to working with key stakeholders and the project profession in applying the findings and recommendations from the research to enhance project success and improve project outcomes.

The report is available to download here.

References

• [1] APM, ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’, 5 August 2019, APM, ‘Risk and Data Analytics – Predicting the Future?’, Risk and Data Analytics – Predicting the future?, 10 June 2021.
• [2] APM, ‘Climate Change, Clean Growth and Sustainability’, Climate change, clean growth and sustainability, 5 August 2019.
• [3] APM, ‘Diversity and Inclusion’, Diversity and Inclusion, 2021.
• [4] Brian Wernham et al., Directing Agile Change, 2016; APM, ‘Agile Project Management’, Agile project management, 20 September 2017.

--Association for Project Management

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