Project success factors are what projects should or must have so as to be successful. There are many factors which help projects thriving. However, there are some factors which significantly influence project accomplishment or what we call “Critical Success Factors”. Professional project managers should highly consider various means in order to receive these factors. More critical success factors mean more successful project opportunities. Generally, each project manager has his or her different viewpoints on project success factors which reflect dissimilar patterns and types of project management. Some project managers regard teamwork, communication management or supports from management and stakeholders as critical success factors. How should we study and do research on primary critical success factors to manage successful projects? From a research on project success factors by David Bacarrini, Curtin University of Technology, Australia, 150 project managers who are members of Australian Institute of Project Management had responded to surveys on critical success factors on project success as the following:
Table: Types of Business (150 Project Managers)
Types of Business
Number of Survey Response
%
Construction
68
45.3%
IT and Information System
22
14.7%
Natural Resources
16
10.7%
Telecommunication
10
6.7%
General Business
9
6.0%
National Defense
7
4.7%
Education
7
4.7%
Manufacturing
6
4.0%
Others
5
3.3%
Total
150
100%
Research results are as the following:
Table: Research Results on Project Success Factors
Sequence
Project Success Factors
% Indicated
1
Well comprehension of projects in details
73%
2
Skills and capabilities of work teams
61%
3
Efficient communication
42%
4
Project time and cost estimation in line with project aspects
40%
5
Efficient controls
29%
6
Customer participation
23%
7
Good risk evaluation
23%
8
Enough resources
22%
9
Teamwork
21%
10
Excellent planning
20%
11
Support from top management
16%
12
Stakeholder management
11%
13
Authorization of project managers
9%
14
Control on project external factors
7%
15
Efficient problem solving
3%
From this research, it is obvious that comprehension of projects in details and employees’ skills as well as good communication are main critical success factors of project achievement. The survey results help us create directions for organizations which desire to attain project management success. There are various kinds of preparation for critical success factors such as knowledge and skill trainings for project managers and teams or detailed procedures before starting projects. These greatly result in more project success opportunities.
Paiboon Panyayuthakarn, PMP
Reference: Bacarrini, D., “Success Criteria in Project Management”, PM Network, Vol. 22, No. 7