When organisations invest time, money, and energy into projectsālike launching new services, upgrading IT systems, or changing how teams workāthey do it to make things better. But how do they know theyāre getting real value out of those changes?
Thatās where Benefits Management comes in.
Recent research proves that managing benefits isnāt just a ānice to haveāāitās a key driver of project success and long-term value.
Hereās what the evidence in the International Journal of Project Management says in plain terms:
1. š” Benefits Management + Project Management = Better Results
Projects are more likely to succeed when benefits management (BM) is combined with solid project management (PM).
PM helps deliver on time, on budget, and to the right standard.
BM makes sure those results actually lead to the positive changes the business needs.
š Research shows that:
Project management alone explains about 15% of project success.
Benefits management alone explains 14%.
But when used together, they explain almost 20%āa 35% improvement.
š Takeaway: Delivering a project well isnāt enough. You also need to plan, track, and follow through on the why behind the projectāits benefits.
2. š§āš¼ Giving Someone Responsibility for Benefits Makes a Big Difference
One of the simplest and most powerful practices?
ā”ļø Making someone clearly responsible for delivering each benefit.
This single step had the strongest link to project success in the studies. When someone owns the outcome, itās more likely to happen.
š Takeaway: Assign benefit ownership. Donāt let benefits become āeveryoneās jobāāor no oneās.
3. š§ Benefits Management Keeps Projects Aligned With Strategy
Benefits management helps ensure projects are more than just a collection of tasks. It:
Connects each project to the bigger business goals.
Focuses attention beyond time and cost, and towards long-term impact.
Helps decision-makers prioritise the right work.
š Takeaway: Benefits management keeps the organisation focused on value, not just activity.
4. ā± Benefits Are Hard to MeasureāBut Worth It
Many organisations struggle to measure benefits, especially after a project ends.
But the research shows that when teams:
Define benefits clearly from the start,
Keep reviewing them throughout the project,
And track them after delivery...
ā¦they are more likely to realise real, strategic value.
š Takeaway: Measuring benefits may be tricky, but itās critical for proving and improving project success.
5. š Benefits Management Is a Key Part of Governance
Benefits management isnāt just about one projectāitās part of strong organisational governance.
It supports:
Setting expectations clearly
Holding people accountable
Making better investment decisions across a whole portfolio of projects
š Takeaway: BRM helps leaders steer the shipānot just build it.
ā Final Word
Managing benefits helps organisations get what they actually want from projects.
It brings structure, accountability, and strategic focus to project workāturning delivery into value.
And the evidence is clear: combining Benefits Management with Project Management leads to greater success, better alignment with strategy, and stronger outcomes.
š§¾ References
Serra, C. E. M., & Kunc, M. (2015). Benefits Realisation Management and its influence on project success and on the execution of business strategies. International Journal of Project Management, 33(1), 53ā66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2014.03.011
Badewi, A. (2016). The impact of project management (PM) and benefits management (BM) practices on project success: Towards developing a project benefits governance framework. International Journal of Project Management, 34(4), 761ā778. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2015.05.005