Project Success: What It Means Today—and How Project Professionals Deliver Value
Project success today depends on more than strong fundamentals. While a clear vision, effective measurement, and decisions that prioritize value lay the foundation for success, the strongest differentiator is how project professionals approach alignment, accountability, adaptation, and perspective—and how that mindset shapes outcomes.
Why project success needs a new definition
Organizations today are navigating rapid change: technological acceleration, economic uncertainty, shifting customer expectations, and overlapping global pressures. According to the World Economic Forum’s “Future of Jobs Report 2025”, more than 60% of the skills required for knowledge work will change by 2030, underscoring the speed and scale of transformation facing every industry. To keep pace, organizations are using projects to introduce new products and services, improve processes, and build the capabilities they need to adapt.
As expectations grow, so does the role of the project professional. Completing the work is still essential, but it is no longer the full measure of success. Increasingly, success depends on whether a project delivers value worth the effort and expense — and on how effectively that value is defined, communicated, and sustained over time.
Recognizing this shift, PMI launched its largest global research program to date to understand what truly drives project success today. Our 2024 research established a new, value-centered definition of success, while our latest findings reveal why mindset plays the strongest role in shaping outcomes—and what it takes for project professionals to lead toward delivering value.
Download the full 2025 Project Success report
PMI’s latest global research reveals what most strongly influences project success today—and why mindset has become the defining differentiator. Read the 2025 Project Success report to see the data behind the definition, the drivers of higher outcomes, and the opportunity ahead for project professionals.
What project success really means
Our research established a clear, value-centered definition of project success — one that reflects what stakeholders expect projects to deliver today:
Successful projects deliver value that is worth the effort and expense.
This definition intentionally moves beyond the traditional focus on scope, schedule, and cost. Those basics still matter, but a project can meet them and still fall short if outcomes don’t justify the investment.
How NPSS measures project success
To understand whether projects are delivering value worth the effort and expense, we use the Net Project Success Score (NPSS)—a simple way to gauge how stakeholders perceive a project’s overall value.
How NPSS is calculated:
- Respondents rate a recently completed project on a 0–10 scale based on whether it delivered value worth the effort and expense.
- Scores of 9 or 10 are counted as “successes.”
- Scores of 0 through 6 are counted as “failures.”
- NPSS = % successes minus % of failures.
Global NPSS has remained relatively consistent year over year — 36 in 2024 and 37 in 2025, providing a stable baseline for understanding what influences perceived project success.
The fundamentals of project success
Our research points to three fundamentals that are consistently associated with stronger project outcomes.
1. Clarity of vision
A shared, well-articulated purpose shapes how stakeholders judge a project’s value. When teams lack clarity, stakeholders struggle to see why the work matters—and perceptions of success suffer. But when the project’s purpose is clearly defined and communicated, outcomes improve dramatically.
This means actively seeking clarity on the project’s vision, supporting its definition early, and bringing stakeholders and teams to a shared understanding of what success looks like.
When executives and end users understand and support the “why” behind the work, perceptions of success rise significantly. Teams that can answer “Why are we doing this?”—and ensure others can too—set their projects up for stronger results.
2. Effective measurement practices
Effective measurement is essential for perceived success. Three practices—known as the “measurement trifecta”—are strongly linked to higher NPSS:
- Defining success criteria upfront
- Establishing a system to measure progress
- Measuring performance toward intended outcomes throughout the project
Few projects apply all three, but those that do see markedly better perceptions of value. Defining success criteria early and applying measurement consistently enables more informed decisions throughout the project.
When stakeholders understand what success looks like—and can see evidence along the way—they are far more likely to view the project as successful.
3. Value-focused delivery
Stakeholders judge projects by the value they create—not how closely they adhere to the original plan. Teams that are willing to flex time, cost, or scope in service of value achieve stronger outcomes.
When opportunities arise to deliver greater value, successful project professionals step up and make the case—even when doing so requires challenging assumptions or rebalancing constraints.
Ambition also matters. Projects with bold, transformational goals tend to be perceived as more successful than those with only modest ambitions.
The M.O.R.E. vision for project success
The fundamentals lay the groundwork for strong project outcomes—but they don’t explain why some projects deliver far greater value than others. That difference comes down to how project professionals show up: the mindset they bring, and the choices they make when conditions change.
Deliver M.O.R.E. Value
M.O.R.E. asks Project Professionals to go beyond execution and deliver value that drives success. Learn what it means and build the skills to do it. Try the free course.
The four expectations of M.O.R.E.
M.O.R.E. is our vision for what project success looks like today. It reflects the mindset project professionals bring to their work—and the expectations stakeholders increasingly have of those who lead projects.
M.O.R.E. is defined by four expectations:
- Manage perceptions
- Own success
- Relentlessly reassess
- Expand perspective.
Together, these expectations describe how project professionals move beyond execution to lead toward value—especially when projects face uncertainty, complexity, or change.
The success gap
Projects where professionals regularly align to all four expectations of M.O.R.E. reach an NPSS of 94—far higher than the baseline of 27 when none are present.
This gap between what drives success and what is practiced today represents a major opportunity for the profession.
Why M.O.R.E. matters most when projects are at risk
The research reveals something deeper: M.O.R.E. becomes especially powerful at the moments when projects are most at risk. Nearly 45 percent of projects that ultimately succeeded were perceived as at risk at some point—and what teams did during those moments strongly influenced how stakeholders judged the project overall.
The actions most associated with improved outcomes—communicating challenges early, reassessing timelines, adapting to external changes, and securing needed resources—mirror the expectations of M.O.R.E. They demonstrate how mindset turns into practical behaviors that steer projects back on course.
Professional maturity and the path to project success
While fundamentals remain essential, mindset determines how project professionals grow in their ability to deliver value. Across our research, alignment to the expectations of M.O.R.E. is closely tied to higher professional maturity—and maturity, in turn, is strongly associated with stronger project outcomes.
Two questions influence where professionals land on this maturity curve:
1. How consistently do I align to the expectations of M.O.R.E.?
2. Do I believe I am responsible for M.O.R.E.?
This second question is decisive. Professionals who feel responsibility for M.O.R.E. expectations see higher success in their projects as a result.
Yet many hesitate to take on that responsibility. They point to organizational pressures to “stay in their lane,” unclear ownership of value, or limited authority to challenge assumptions or adjust course. These signals can make project professionals feel constrained, even when they want to lead more broadly.
Stakeholders, however, expect something different. Sixty-nine percent say project and program managers are primarily responsible for enacting the expectations of M.O.R.E. This gap between perceived responsibility and lived authority is reshaping the profession—and raising expectations for how project professionals lead.
As professionals advance in maturity, the outcomes they deliver broaden as well. Mature practitioners tend to lead work that creates not only near-term results but also long-term value. Sustainability benefits—environmental, social, and business resilience—are strongly associated with higher project success scores, especially when paired with a clear vision.
Step up to M.O.R.E.
As expectations for projects continue to rise, so does the responsibility of those who lead them. Meeting this moment requires a shift in how success is defined—and who owns it.
That’s why we’re calling on the profession to step up to M.O.R.E.
Stepping up doesn’t mean working harder or taking on everything yourself. It means expanding how you define project success—and the responsibility you take for it.
Pierre Le Manh describes the forces reshaping projects today—and why PMI is calling on project professionals to step up with a broader definition of success.
When project professionals step up, they:
- Lead through alignment and trust.
Create shared understanding of what success looks like, bring stakeholders together around it, and build confidence in the project’s direction and value. - Move beyond delivery to outcomes.
Focus not just on finishing on time and on budget, but on the results the work is meant to achieve. - Continuously adapt as conditions change.
Reassess goals, constraints, and risks to stay responsive to evolving conditions and priorities. - Connect projects to a bigger picture.
Link projects to broader organizational goals, customer needs, and societal impact—so teams understand why the work matters.
These behaviors define what stepping up looks like in practice—and how project professionals translate vision into impact.
Explore the thinking behind Step Up
Step Up reflects a broader shift in expectations for project professionals. If you’re interested in the leadership context shaping this conversation, you can explore our point of view on what’s changing—and why.
The opportunity ahead
When executives talk about the challenge of turning plans into outcomes, they’re describing project success. If strategy is going to work, the hit rate of the projects that bring it to life must radically increase.
The definition of project success has evolved. Delivery still matters, but value—and how project professionals lead toward it—matters even more.
As expectations rise, project professionals have a unique opportunity to guide their organizations through uncertainty, transformation, and change. Our research shows what’s possible when project professionals step into this role—and how much opportunity remains.
Tags: Career Development | Power Skills | Thought Leadership | Upskilling
Less talk.
More walk.
It's time to take greater agency in our work. Step up to lead projects with confidence and deliver what matters.
About the Author
Deborah Walker, CPMAI
Content Marketing Lead
Deborah Walker leads strategy and hands-on execution for PMI’s owned content platforms, including the PMI Blog, Projectified® podcast, LinkedIn newsletter, and more. She collaborates with subject matter experts and senior leaders to translate complex topics into clear, actionable guidance for project professionals.
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