Which projects deliver benefits?

Determining which project deliver benefits is not always a straightforward task due to the following factors:

Project-driven portfolios

Project-driven portfolios use projects to generate benefits by delivering products or services to their customers.

• Non-mature portfolios only focus on managing project timelines and income generated, lacking knowledge about the project expenses. Unplanned project expenses affect revenue, making it difficult to assess the benefits.
• Mature portfolios integrate benefits into project delivery plans and have a clear understanding of how delays/accelerations, income and expenses impact benefits. Not many project delivery systems support such integration.

Project-dependant portfolios

Project-dependent portfolios utilise projects to bring about desired changes that generate financial or non-financial benefits. While organisations recognise the importance of benefit management, accurately tracking these benefits can be challenging. Measuring benefits in such portfolios may require different methodologies.

• The presence of multiple projects aiming to deliver similar benefits can complicate the assessment of individual outcomes. It can be difficult, or even impossible, to determine whether a specific project delivered the intended benefits.
• Even when the desired outcomes are achieved, it does not guarantee that all projects delivered benefits as planned. Some projects might exceed expectations, while others may fall short.
• To prevent double-counting, the organisational unit responsible for benefit management must exercise caution if different projects claim the same benefits.
• Internal and external factors can influence the realisation of planned benefits, but measuring the impact is often challenging.