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The traditional success criteria for project implementation
is based on whether the project was completed: To specification; to
budget; and, to time. This very narrow view has been unable to
assure the success of an individual project. So why not look at
the problem from another perspective?
 What factors have been found to be most
significant in the failure of projects? Try matching some of your
successful (and unsuccessful?) project profiles against the following
Critical Success Factors (CSFs) - and see if any factor merits a higher
priority when managing your next project.
- Project mission - was there initial clarity of
goals and a strong sense of direction?
- Support from top management - were they
willing and able to provide the necessary resources, authority and influence to
bear ?
- Project Planning - was a detailed
specification and schedule of activity steps produced for project
implementation?
- Client involvement - was there adequate
communication, consultation and active listening for all elements of the
'client system' (including the user, the stake holder and the project
champion)?
- Personnel - were the necessary personnel for
the project recruited, selected and appropriately trained?
- Technical activities - was the required
technology and expertise available to accomplish the specifically technical
tasks?
- Client acceptance - was the final project
'sold' effectively to the ultimate end-users?
- Monitoring and feedback - was there timely
provision of comprehensive control information at each stage of the
implementation?
- Communication - was there an appropriate
network for all the necessary information to circulate amongst all the key
players in the project implementation?
- Trouble-shooting - was there the ability to
handle unexpected crises and deviations from plan.
References:
Pinto, J.K. 1986. Project implementation, a
determination of its critical success factors, moderators, and their relative
importance across stages in the project life cycle. Ph.D. dissertation.
Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh
Pinto, J.K. and Slevin, D.P. (1987) 'Critical
Success Factors in Successful Project Implementation', IEEE
Transactions on Engineering Management, Vol.34, No.1
American Project Management forum, a
project management Web site in the USA
ProjectNet, a project management Web site
in the UK
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