Q&A: How should we evaluate project success?
How should we evaluate project success?
Project success means different things to different organizations. In mission-driven environments, success indicators often extend beyond just completing project work on time and within budget. A focus on delivering value, sustainability, and inclusivity may also be important.
What Defines Project Success?
Beyond being on time and under budget, common indicators of project success for nonprofits and mission-driven organizations include:
Deliverables meet quality standards: The project's outputs (products, services, programs) align with industry standards, government regulations, or funding requirements.
Usability and user satisfaction: The intended users or clients are happy with the project’s deliverables and find them useful and usable.
Sustainability: Can your organization maintain the programs or other deliverables after the project ends?
Long-term community impacts: Does the project contribute positively to your organization's community and users?
Collaboration and inclusivity: Did the project incorporate diverse voices and create a collaborative working environment?
3 Ways to Evaluate Success
Earned Value Management (EVM):
EVM is an approach that asks us to establish baselines for our project’s scope, schedule, and budget. These baselines serve as benchmarks against which you can measure progress throughout the project timeline. If changes need to be made to the plan, document them clearly and communicate them to your project’s stakeholders.
Quality Measures:
Define what quality means for your project's deliverables. What standards must they meet? These standards might be specific to your industry, outlined in grant requirements, or derived from user feedback. User feedback can be a valuable way to identify areas for improvement and ensure your deliverables are truly meeting the needs of the users.
Project Retrospectives: Conduct project debriefs or retrospectives at the end of key project phases or at the project's completion. These reviews are a chance to reflect on your progress and identify areas for improvement. By documenting the lessons learned during these retrospectives and sharing them with others, you can help foster a culture of continuous improvement within your organization.
Beyond Project Completion
Mission-driven project managers should also consider:
Delivering quality beyond the project: Build in training, documentation, and proper handoffs to support ongoing use and maintenance.
Ethical considerations: Avoid burdening vulnerable populations with extensive evaluations. Seek user feedback throughout the project for better-quality deliverables.
NEED MORE SUPPORT LEADING SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS?
Learn about our Project Services, schedule an introductory call with Jami Yazdani, or add a 1-hr Project Coaching Session to our calendar!
