If you were a project owner or a project manager, how would you measure the worth or success of a project? Counting project success beyond the triple constraint -- what does it mean? 

Well, let's begin with the triple constraint. It's widely known and accepted that a project is considered successful if it is delivered within the triple constraint: on time, within budget, and according to specifications. Therefore, if Project A was delivered according to specifications, within budget but late; or Project B was delivered on time, according to specifications, but beyond budget -- means both projects were not successful. Right?

That's right. Judging purely from the triple constraint's point of view -- the measure and mind set of "traditional" project management -- both projects were not successful.  Well, consider this one, then ...

The Sydney Opera House*
The project was envisioned in 1950s by the New South Wales government. The approved budget was about 7 million Australian dollars and to be constructed in five years. 

Five years passed. Budget consumed. No opera house. What happened? 

The construction experienced multiple difficulties: terrible conflicts; painful delays; budget overruns. 

It was eleven years later when finally the construction of the Sydney Opera House completed; and surprise surprise it consumed more than 100 million dollars!  If I stop the story right here, right now -- if you were to judge this project, what would you say? "Unimaginable! A case of total project failure." Totally agree with you.

However, ask every traveller who has been to Sydney and visited the Opera House: How awesome its architecture is. Does anyone care anymore if the project was a total failure because it was delivered 11 years behind the schedule, and under a much-inflated budget? 40 years, since its opening by Queen Elizabeth II in 1973, have passed: the Opera House still stands tall as ever -- a beauty beyond compare. A work of wonder visited by millions of tourists every year. And it continues bringing in revenue to the city of Sydney. 

Would you still consider it as a project failure? 

What about another example: The construction of the Los Angeles Metro*. Designed to be a "world-class" subway system for the Los Angeles community. By triple constraint measures, it was a complete success: completed eight months ahead of schedule, best of all within budget. The project was even selected as "Project of the Year" by the Project Management Institute (PMI) in 1993. However, it failed to attract the community -- they were reluctant to leave their cars at home and use the train instead. Hence, the train usage was significantly lower than expected. Realising there was not much return from its investment, the remaining phases of the project were dropped a few years later.

See the difference?

So, what makes a project successful then? How do you measure it?
Is the triple constraint no longer valid as a project's success measure? In my opinion, it is still valid, but only as a short term measure. In today's dynamic world, success of a project must be assessed by the value that it brings, which often takes time. Therefore, it is advisable to judge a project success beyond its short term goal, because merely meeting time, budget and specification is not the true measure. What's the true measure then? It is how the project, in the long run, contributes to the overall business results; how it brings value.

Beyond time, budget, and specification
Next time, you are tempted to criticise your project team (or yourself as a project manager) just because the project they (or you) manage potentially is not going to meet the triple constraint: take a deep breath, think about the Sydney Opera House. Look beyond time, budget and specification. 

Trace back your overall business strategy -- your business expectations -- connect them with your project's goal. How you expect your project output will contribute to your business -- will it help improve operational efficiency, create new market share, or bring in more revenues? See if the long term goal of your project is aligned with these expectations: If so, don't fret: allow delay, adapt to change of scope or specification, and adjust your budget. 

This way, you pave a safe path to success for your team and your business.

*A.J. Shenhar and D. Dvir, Reinventing Project Management, Harvard Business School Press
The Sydney Opera House image by Melissa Mu Photography.

About the author:
Fourteena, a trained bid manager and business strategist, is a certified professional in P3O -- Portfolio, Programme and Project Offices. Since 2000, she's been involved in turning numerous business opportunities into projects that delivered outcomes. View her profile http://www.linkedin.com/pub/fourteena-p-d-halim/27/41a/932

Recently, I received a couple of thank-you cards; one from a publisher who thanked me for subscribing its magazine, and the other  from an agent who thanked me for using its service.

Only two simple words written on the cards: thank you. Yet, they were powerful enough to show professionalism that made me felt confident to deal with the people of such quality. 

When did the last time you say thank you to people around you -- people who work for you or with you?

Thank you -- when said sincerely released the power of goodness like fresh air. As essential as fresh air for our health and well-being, so is the power of goodness for our positive attitude in the work place.

Celebrating their contributions
A few years ago, as a bid manager* who managed seven winning bids for airport's IT infrastructure across the Pacific Islands countries, I was invited to speak in front of our support and operations team for airports in these countries. I was glad, as it was also a great opportunity to meet them in person. Apart from updating them what was happening in the airport's business unit, I emphasised two things: their valuable contributions in those winning bids and my heartfelt thanks. 

I was very specific in what I thanked for (the kind of contributions they made) and whom I thanked to. Not just general appreciation. 

At the end of the meeting, the team crowded me, and said thank you in return for thanking them openly. They confessed they never knew the importance of their roles in the whole process. They thought they were just a bunch of engineers who day in and day out worked at an airport site -- dealing with airport's operational incidents and ensuring its smooth operations -- nothing more outside their routine activities. They never realised, they, too, were part of the success. 

When they told me how much it meant for them to be thanked for, I was overwhelmed -- I didn't expect such response. Few years have passed but I still can remember their happy faces. From then on, certainly, it made lives at work purposeful and meaningful for both parties.

Create a culture of gratitude 
Another vivid example: in my recent role as a fundraising's Executive Officer for a Jesuit parish that constituted three Catholics churches in the North Sydney area. Two simple words -- thank you -- were my secret weapon.  In fact, I didn't just say it, I handwritten my thank-yous and sent them to our donors. In a few months I wrote hundreds of them. 

When I unexpectedly met them in person, and when they heard my name mentioned, their first greetings were always: "Thank you for the lovely card you sent us". They didn't just thank me in return but they also acknowledged my presence in their midst. The encounter, then, usually left me with a wonderful feeling, and best of all the returned donors -- they contributed again! Otherwise, how else could I raise (nearly) $500,000 in four months? Read its full story how I did it legacy-what-do-you-want-to-be-remembered-for.html.

Another great example in a bigger scale was when Doug Conant, former president and CEO of the Campbell Soup Company, started at Campbell. The employees' morale was very low. It was one of his main tasks to improve it. How Doug did it: He directly acknowledged and appreciated every employee's contribution, at Campbell around the world, by writing him/her a note of appreciation or thank-you. In the midst of his crazy schedule, he always found time to personalise and write 10-20 notes per day. He said to thank them by email was okay but was not sufficient; on the other hand, thanking them specifically and personally by sending them a handwritten note showed how much he cared. The result was amazing: the morale improved; the productivity increased.

If Doug Conant's approach was for him to thank the employees, at Mattel, Robert A. Eckert, former chairman and CEO from 2000-11, created a culture of thanking each other. The culture allowing employees recognise and thank one another with a simple e-certificate for a free drink or coffee. He believed, a thank-you habit like this was key to Mattel, for six years running, being named as one of Fortune's Best Companies to Work For.

Let it begin with you
Maybe we don't need such a formal ceremony for saying thank you. And certainly it doesn't take extra time to appreciate someone's well-done work. But if anyone cares to make it as a habit, like Doug Conant, it is the most certain way of creating a culture of gratitude in a working place. 

Believe it or not, a culture of gratitude creates much-needed positive energy for sustainable performance. 

How? 

Positive energy drives productivity and creativity of the employees. Positive energy makes them thrive -- in other words, it makes them enjoy and love their work. And what does it mean to the company? The improved bottom line -- the overall company performance. 

Again, when was the last time you said thank you to the people around you -- whose presence or work have made your personal and professional life meaningful? Or when was the last time you sent a thank-you note to them? 

If you don't remember, it's a time for you to do so --  start creating a culture of gratitude -- let it begin with you.

Thank you for reading this article.

*About the author:
Fourteena is a trained and experienced bid manager who acquired her strategic bid management skills in Geneva, Switzerland. Since 2000, she has led virtual bid teams to successfully win about 45 airport's IT Infrastructure tenders/bids, worth $US80 million, across Australia; New Zealand; the Asian Pacific countries: India, China, Taiwan, Japan; and countries in the South Pacific Islands. View her profile http://www.linkedin.com/pub/fourteena-p-d-halim/27/41a/932