What Drives Project Success?
3 Factors to Examine

By: Steve McBroom, CEO, Traxidy

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Delivering successful projects consistently is a challenge many organizations face. For executives and managers, understanding the foundation of project success can help identify what’s missing and where to focus efforts to achieve better results. It’s not just about having talented project managers; it’s about creating the right environment and implementing the right tools, and processes to support them and the teams they lead.

This blog explores three critical considerations that executives and project managers must evaluate to assess their organization’s ability to deliver successful projects and highlights why these factors are essential for achieving project success.

A Structured and Scalable Process

Successful projects begin with a clear structure for planning, reporting, managing change and risks, and following agreed-upon processes that fit the organization’s needs. A one-size-fits-all approach to project management rarely works; instead, processes should be flexible and align with the desire of the organization for information and communication, while flexing to fit the project’s size, complexity, and strategic goals.

According to a recent study by the Project Management Institute (PMI), organizations that fully adopt formal project management practices waste 28 times less money than those with less mature practices. Standardized processes ensure consistency, efficiency, and clarity in managing project tasks, timelines, and deliverables.

An adaptable framework … ensures that resources are utilized effectively without overburdening the project manager or the team.

Scalability is a critical component of the most effective project management processes. Projects vary in size, scope, and complexity, and a rigid delivery process can hinder progress. A structured yet flexible framework that scales to the needs of each project, ensures that resources are utilized effectively without overburdening the project manager or the team. For instance, smaller projects may not require extensive documentation or approvals, while larger, high-stakes initiatives might benefit from added layers of control and oversight.

Clear ownership of the project management process, enables continuous improvement of the process. Without designated accountability for maintaining and improving processes, inefficiencies can creep in, leading to miscommunication, missed deadlines, and project failure. Executives should name and empower a process owner with the responsibility to continually work with their teams to review and refine project workflows. Much of any project methodology evolution relies on the feedback from post-project reviews, incorporating lessons learned and implementing important changes and improvements to enhance future outcomes.

When processes are clear and fit for purpose, project teams can focus on delivering results rather than figuring out how to navigate ambiguous frameworks. Executives can also expect a consistent approach from any project manager and project they sponsor.

A Supportive Organizational Culture

Even with the best processes in place, an organization’s culture plays a major role in executing projects effectively. A healthy project culture emphasizes open communication, collaboration, and real-time transparency.

Organizations that develop their project capabilities, and culture have a project success rate of up to 92% compared to 32% for those that don’t.

We are talking about the support and executive interactions, specifically as they relate to the project management or project delivery environment. Project management and the project manager’s role involve managing people and issues across multiple groups and levels within the organization. Project success is based on the agreed-upon plan for multiple aspects, or constraints, of the project, including time, scope, cost, resources, and more. All are critical to project success. However, rarely do all of these continue as planned across the entire timeline of project work.

Does the project manager fear for their job if they ask for help?

Problem-solving, negotiations, communicating, and leading a team are some of the key aspects of work required for the success of the project and are part of the expected skill set of the project manager. But how much support is available from the executive or management level to deal with these aspects? Does the project manager fear for their job if they ask for help? Are project schedule changes acceptable, if they are needed? Is there pressure to delay sharing real-time updates and information about an increasingly poor project status, until it blows up? Projects often encounter unexpected problems, but how the organization handles these instances, determines the project outcome.

Cultivating a culture that encourages learning from mistakes … drives innovation and problem-solving.

Organizations that develop their project capabilities, and culture have a project success rate of up to 92% compared to 32% for those that don’t. Executives and managers must foster an environment where team members feel comfortable raising issues and discussing challenges without fear of blame. Cultivating a culture that encourages learning from mistakes rather than punishing them, drives innovation and problem-solving.

A supportive business culture is essential for project managers facing challenges. When executives encourage open communication and problem-solving rather than finding blame or punishing perceived failures, it fosters trust and collaboration. This empowers project managers to address issues proactively, leading to more effective solutions. For executives, it ensures better project outcomes and long-term success. For the organization, it builds resilience, encourages continuous learning, and enhances overall performance, ensuring that challenges become opportunities for improvement rather than obstacles.

Commitment to Continuous Learning and Improvement

The most successful organizations treat each project as an opportunity to learn and improve. Continuous learning through post-project reviews enables teams to refine their approach, adapt processes, and enhance future outcomes.

The emphasis should be on learning and growth, not assigning blame.

A PMI survey found that organizations that conduct regular project reviews improve their success rates by 22%. These reviews should focus on both successes and failures, identifying root causes and actionable lessons or changes for the next project. The emphasis should be on learning and growth, not assigning blame. As an output from those discussions, it’s important that someone take ownership of any learnings. Business areas and team members engaged with future projects, need to implement any required changes to ensure improvement for the next project and monitor and report the results.

A commitment to learning and improving creates a cycle of growth that benefits the organization as a whole.

Bringing It All Together

These three elements—structured processes, a supportive culture, and continuous learning – are interdependent. Together, they create an environment where projects can thrive.

A structured process with clear ownership provides the foundation and clarity teams need to execute their work effectively.
A supportive culture ensures that when challenges arise, teams collaborate openly to find solutions.
Continuous learning keeps the organization responsive, allowing it to adapt and grow with each project.

The synergy between these elements enables transparent reporting, enhanced problem-solving, and a positive workplace environment. This combination doesn’t just lead to successful projects; it creates a space where project managers and teams are excited to work, and executives feel confident in their leadership.

Take the time to invest in these foundational aspects, and your organization will be well-positioned to deliver projects more successfully and consistently.

Learn more about the Traxidy Project Work Tracking Software, features and capabilities here.