There was an interesting survey conducted by KMPG last year on the project and program trends of companies across many different industries. Although the study looks at organizations specifically in New Zealand, it is noted that the findings could be generally applicable elsewhere. The study looked at the practices such as project governance, Business Case management and benefits realization.

One thing to note in the KPMG New Zealand Project Management Survey 2010 is the following list of attributes of organizations that experience the highest project success:

• High level of project management capabilities
• Deliver projects within a programme or portfolio of work
• Coordinate projects through a PMO
• Actively manage risks
• Practice regular reporting, with accurate and up-to-date information
• Ensure project managers use a methodology

Many organizations experience project failure, often with a hefty price tag. The odd thing is that these companies are losing money simply because they do not have the proper project management capabilities in place to be successful. All it takes is a little bit of discipline, structure and methodology to get project management on track within an organization. The research shows that most organizations do not or cannot consistently report on project status, resulting in late projects, projects lacking deliverables, and projects running over budget. A successful project requires excellent project management, meaning there must be transparency, constant monitoring and timely reporting on all aspects of the project.

Project management tools provide the necessary structure and process to coordinate and manage across multiple projects. Organizations that have a PMO achieve significantly higher project success rates than those that do not. The implementation of tools like BrightWork allow organizations to coordinate projects through a PMO, track project statuses and handle project risks to effectively manage projects from opening to completion. These types of tools are not a luxury for organizations, they are a cost and time saving necessity for organizations.