Project Transition into the Operational Activities: Project Success
Doug Fitzgerald
The first level of success of a project - delivery of fit for purpose products on time and within budget - is only useful to the business if it also achieves three other things:
1. User acceptance - people use it to support their day to day work.
2. Business improvement - the product improves efficiency and makes a return on the investment made in its development.
3. Strategic advantage - use of the products gives the organization an edge against its competitors.
Project managers can only directly achieve the first level of success. The other levels are achieved by good design and implementation - aspects within the control of the project manager but whose effects will not be achieved during the life of the project.