Get the results that matter—using numbers and your gut.

by Janet Liao

It’s about quality, not just quantity. Project mangers who use qualitative data to articulate project success beyond the “big three”—scope, schedule and cost—are poised to exceed customer expectations.

But quality measures, such as honesty, teamwork and customer satisfaction, are often overlooked because they’re not immediately tangible, says Jim De Piante, PMP, executive project manager for IBM in Charlotte, N.C., USA. “A lot of times, we measure the things that are easy to measure and not the things that are useful to understand,” he says.

A History of Numbers
In the early days of industrialism, people in the workforce were fascinated with measuring productivity and counting things, says Mr. De Piante. “Somewhere along the way, we lost sight of the fact that there is a human side to work,” he says.

Because project management ranks today are largely composed of professionals with technical experience, most tend to understand the world in quantitative terms, Mr. De Piante says.

But as projects become more complex, customers expect more than just quantitative measures. “Those project managers who can define and measure project or program value both qualitatively and quantitatively are better positioned and equipped to realize the operational benefits forecasted by that project or program,” says Shelley Gaddie, president of Project Corps, Seattle, Wash., USA.

Running on Quality
As opposed to quantitative measures that can be counted, quality measures are more subjective. These can include pride in one’s accomplishments, a sense of ownership of the result and a sense of belonging to the work unit or team, Mr. De Piante says.

Such measures, which usually revolve around people, are best used to explain the “why” of project results, says Scott Herrick, PMP, software manager at Mettler-Toledo AG, Greifensee, Switzerland.

“Projects and athletes alike do not succeed or fail on quantitative data alone,” says Mr. Herrick, whose experience as a marathon and triathlete coach has helped him understand how quality values can be used in project management. Just as a marathon runner needs to understand why his or her 10k run time is five minutes slower, project managers must understand why projects are late.

“That is more important than the single quantitative number,” he says. “If I am behind schedule or over budget, having some basic qualitative information gives me a chance to have a focused dialogue with my team.”

Qualitative metrics can even help project managers select team members who will best contribute to a project. “Qualitative criteria gives me further information on how a person best fits,” Mr. Herrick says. For example, he says, a team member may have a specific software development skill listed on his or her résumé. But without conducting a qualitative assessment, the project manager does not know how effective that person is at that skill.

The Perfect Combination
Ultimately, measuring attributes of success is important, but quantitative values are not the final answer. The key is to find a balance between the two. “Measures like on time, on budget and on spec are part of the success criteria, but one could achieve these three and still have a dissatisfied customer,” says Ernie Baker, PMP, president of Start to Finish PM Inc., Verona, N.J., USA.

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