My article on Critical Success Factors & Project Management published in Melstar Internal Newsletter “newspeak@melstar”.

1. Critical Success Factors & Project Management
Critical Success Factors (CSFs) are those the project constraints are Critical Success Factors and
outcomes that the project needs to deliver so that which are Political Success Factors, and then deciding
everyone appraising the project will agree that it is whether to satisfy the Political Success Factor. The
successful, at least in terms of delivery. (A critical success business analyst can lend invaluable assistance to the
factor may be the time of delivery.) We define the primary project manager in managing expectations by identifying
critical success factors by defining the real problem, the the political success factors as early as they are voiced or
vision, and the acceptance criteria. suggested.
There are also those aspects of the project that Various researchers have studied different
are assessed by individuals or groups within the types of projects and identified the Critical Success
stakeholder community. These individual stakeholder Factors (CSF) needed for successful project
expectations, which may be concerned with a part of the implementation. One of the main Critical Success Factors
outcome, how the product is developed, or even how the associated with project success is top management
project is executed, will lead the affected stakeholder to support or involvement. Many of the studies even revealed
consider the project less than successful regardless of the that top management involvement “is a main ingredient in
overall success of the deliverable. These aspects are the recipe of project success”. In addition, in the survey
called Political Success Factors (PSFs). You can solve the conducted by White and Fortune to determine the current
problem perfectly well without satisfying these factors, practice in project management, support of top
however, the stakeholder will not deem the result management ranked 3rd out of 23 critical factors listed.
successful in his or her eyes. Top management support is essential in ensuring project
success. Following the research done by Offer it has
concluded that top management support has been
recognized to have positive impact on project success.
However, senior manager should be mindful in providing
their support and involvement. They should not overstep
and implement their own agenda; otherwise, this might
distress the project and project manager. Therefore, it
gives rise to following hypothesis.
“ Leadership of project manager is
the key success factor for managing
project in an organization
Ref: Key Success Factors for Managing Projects
Nader Sh. Kandelousi, Ooi. J., Abdollahi. A
While you must meet all Critical Success
Factors as a business analyst or project manager, Political
- Abhinav Sabharwal
Success Factors are optional, usually based on the Business Analyst
political clout of the individual voicing that factor. Mumbai
The project manager has two challenges
regarding political success factors: determining which of
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