July 23, 2025 • 12 mins
What does project success truly mean—and who is responsible for it?
In this insightful episode of the 4PM Podcast, host Mounir Ajam unpacks one of the most misunderstood yet essential concepts in project management: success. From common ambiguities to deeper, systemic truths, this episode explores what success actually looks like, how to define it, and where the project manager fits in.
🔍 Topics Covered:
- Why “success” is often misused in business and project contexts
- The difference between project and project management success
- The Four Dimensions of Project Success (with a real-world hotel example)
- What should and shouldn’t fall under a project manager’s responsibility
- Why treating projects as investments—not isolated tasks—is the path forward
Whether you're a PM, an executive, or just someone trying to lead better projects, this episode will shift your perspective and challenge the traditional way we assign accountability.
📘 Learn more at www.urukpm.com
💬 Join the conversation on LinkedIn in the Transforming Project Management group.
Explore more project management insights at www.urukpm.com
Connect with Uruk Project Management:
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Uruk Project Management | LinkedIn
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Uruk PM | Facebook
Uruk PM | Instagram
Uruk PM | Youtube
#UrukPM #ProjectManagement #Podcast
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to the 4PM podcast, where ideas take shape
and strategies find purpose.
I am Mounir Ajam, founder andCEO of Uruk Project Management,
and I have a deep-seated passionfor project management and
community development, growingon decades of global experience
(00:24):
across diverse industries androles.
I am here to guide you throughthe transformative power of the
4PMs project program, productand portfolio management and our
focus on business integratedproject management.
Let's explore how integrationunlocks unparalleled value for
you and your organization.
Good day and welcome back tothe 4PM podcast.
(00:51):
I am Mounir Ajam, your host.
It's always great to be withyou.
Today's episode is anothermeaningful topic, especially for
anyone committed to improvingproject performance in a
meaningful, sustainable way.
We are diving into a vitaltopic project success and the
(01:11):
role of the project manager.
Many project management andbusiness practitioners use terms
like project success, but howoften do we stop and ask what
does that mean?
But how often do we stop andask what does that mean?
What success?
Can we be specific and who isresponsible and accountable?
In this episode, we'll coverthe ambiguity surrounding
(01:35):
success, define it clearly andexamine the project manager's
role.
We'll walk through the articlein five parts, setting the scene
, the role of the projectmanager.
Part one, the four dimensionsof success, and we include an
example the role of the projectmanager.
Part two why it all matters.
Let's get started.
(01:56):
Introduction Project success isa critical topic in project
management and business ingeneral.
Yet when practitioners discussproject success, they often do
so with significant ambiguity.
(02:16):
When we in the business andproject management community
discuss success, we often failto give the proper context.
That ambiguity often leads toconfusion and poor practices in
an era where challenged andfailed projects are almost taken
for granted.
Subconsciously, organizationshave long tolerated and accepted
(02:40):
project failure PMOscertifications and accepted
project failure PMOscertifications.
Guides, consultants andassociations have not
significantly reduced failures,at least project management
failures.
Is it not time to break thiscycle?
In this episode, we will shareclear definitions, examine the
current state and offer asolution for achieving a more
(03:04):
mature, results-drivenunderstanding of project success
.
Setting the scene project orproject management.
One of the first gaps that wemust close is clarity.
We must provide the propercontact when writing, posting or
discussing project success.
And, for example, when we say aproject failed, what does that
(03:27):
mean?
Is it over budget and all elseis good?
Did it face schedule delays butstill make a profit?
Or was it so bad that the ownerhad to terminate the project?
Maybe the project was complete,but its product was not used or
accepted.
Therefore, providing context tounderstand what failed or
(03:49):
succeeded is vital.
Business investment it iscrucial to remember.
A project is a businessinvestment.
We broadly use business,encompassing private enterprises
, government entities andnon-profits.
A project exists not merely tocomplete tasks, but to deliver
(04:11):
measurable benefits aligned withorganizational goals, without
realizing value.
Execution alone is not enough.
A project must lead togenerating value for the
organization System thinking.
Some project management andbusiness practitioners see
(04:31):
project success as binary andare often linked or limited to
the project manager and no oneelse.
However, organizations aresystems.
Projects are systems.
Systems have many parts.
Different people lead each part.
Keep in mind that a projectequals investment.
Therefore, the project systemincludes business strategic
(04:53):
planning and finance governance,executive leadership, portfolio
governance and projectgovernance, product management,
features, enhancements, productroadmap, etc.
Operations, management,operation and maintenance,
clearing bottlenecks, et cetera.
Support function, marketing,sales, training, customer
(05:14):
relations, et cetera.
Project management leading thechange from ideation to success,
including ongoing planning andcontrol.
Accordingly, project successdepends on the entire system.
(05:35):
The project manager role part.
One of the triggers for thisepisode is the idea that project
managers should expand theirroles and own project success.
Accordingly, a relevantquestion could be is the project
manager responsible for projectsuccess?
On the surface it might seemobvious that the answer is yes.
(05:56):
However, the professionalanswer is it depends,
considering the entire projectsystem investment.
Saying that the project manageris responsible for it might be
short-sighted and misleading,unless we make the project
manager an executive sponsor.
So saying that the projectmanager should, must, own the
(06:21):
project success without contextcan even be irresponsible.
We realize there might be arare exception where the project
manager should be responsiblefor the entire venture, but
these are rare.
Some will say but the PM shouldbe involved, that the PM should
contribute, the PM should beaware, et cetera.
(06:42):
Absolutely, the project managerhas a significant role in the
above, in delivering the productand in contributing to value
generation.
However, let us look at the bigpicture.
Think of the project systeminvestment as the big picture.
The project manager's role inthe investment and viability
(07:06):
feasibility, market operations,etc.
And viability, feasibility,market operations, etc.
And across the productlifecycle is small.
Before I continue with theproject manager's role, we need
to explain the four dimensionsuccess model and give a
real-world example a hotel.
The four dimensions of projectsuccess.
(07:32):
In 2010, our team developed thefour dimensions of project
success, one of the RookFramework solution.
Our model differentiatesbetween technical success,
project management success andobjective success.
This concept is a vitalcomponent of business integrated
project management, where weintegrate project management
(07:56):
with the rest of theorganizational functions.
Here is a list of the fourdimensions D1, technical success
Assessing the product'stechnical success is primarily
about quality and scope.
D2, project management Success.
This dimension might be limitedto cost, schedule, performance
(08:19):
and competitiveness.
D3, product delivery Successdepends on D1 and D2, but could
include other factors outlinedin the project charter.
D4, objectives Success concernsthe success of the business
case and the realization of theanticipated benefits.
(08:39):
Visualizing reality, an exampleA company is launching a new
hotel in a new city.
A company is launching a newhotel in a new city.
(09:05):
The hotel was completed perquality and scope, on time and
within budget.
D1 and D2 are achieved.
However, after some time, thehotel fails to generate
anticipated revenues.
That's D4.
And here it fails.
Who is responsible for thisoutcome?
Certainly not the projectmanager, who already exited
post-delivery the projectmanager role.
Part two, based on our model,the project manager is
(09:25):
responsible for D1 and D2.
They might influence D3, butthey cannot and should not be
responsible for D4.
Let's consider what a businessventure like a hotel requires
Strategic planning andfeasibility, marketing and sales
execution, operationalperformance All these lie
(09:47):
outside the PM's control.
So we must ask what can theproject manager do in the above
scenario?
Why do we need the fourdimensions?
Success models should aim forcontinual improvement, not
(10:07):
punishment or blame.
We must investigate is ittechnical or project management?
Is it sales, market orpost-launch execution?
Or is it external disruption?
We need to learn from eachproject and apply lessons
forward.
(10:33):
Project managers must expandbeyond the triple constraint
mindset.
At Uruk we did that early.
We include discovery andinitial operations as part of
the project lifecycle.
We treat projects asinvestments, not just tasks to
deliver.
So, yes, project managers cando more, but should they become
strategists, marketers andoperation managers all at the
same time?
(10:54):
Probably not.
Let's not stretch the role toofar that it breaks.
Project management is vital,but it is part of a bigger
system.
All right, my friends.
That brings us to the end oftoday's episode of the 4PM
(11:15):
podcast.
We discussed project success,the ambiguity around it and the
rightful role of the projectmanager within a system-based
model.
We reviewed the four dimensionsof success within a
system-based model.
We reviewed the four dimensionsof success, clarified
responsibilities and highlightedhow to use this model for
improvement, not blame.
(11:36):
If you're interested in more,check out our content at
wwworokpmcom and join theconversation on LinkedIn,
especially the TransformingProject Management group.
I am Munir Ajam, signing off.
Until next time, remember,think beyond deliverables, focus
(11:58):
on value and treat projects asinvestments.
Take care, stay purposeful andstay well.
Welcome to the 4PM podcast, where ideas take shape
and strategies find purpose.
I am Mounir Ajam, founder andCEO of Uruk Project Management,
and I have a deep-seated passionfor project management and
community development, growingon decades of global experience
(00:24):
across diverse industries androles.
I am here to guide you throughthe transformative power of the
4PMs project program, productand portfolio management and our
focus on business integratedproject management.
Let's explore how integrationunlocks unparalleled value for
you and your organization.
Good day and welcome back tothe 4PM podcast.
(00:51):
I am Mounir Ajam, your host.
It's always great to be withyou.
Today's episode is anothermeaningful topic, especially for
anyone committed to improvingproject performance in a
meaningful, sustainable way.
We are diving into a vitaltopic project success and the
(01:11):
role of the project manager.
Many project management andbusiness practitioners use terms
like project success, but howoften do we stop and ask what
does that mean?
But how often do we stop andask what does that mean?
What success?
Can we be specific and who isresponsible and accountable?
In this episode, we'll coverthe ambiguity surrounding
(01:35):
success, define it clearly andexamine the project manager's
role.
We'll walk through the articlein five parts, setting the scene
, the role of the projectmanager.
Part one, the four dimensionsof success, and we include an
example the role of the projectmanager.
Part two why it all matters.
Let's get started.
(01:56):
Introduction Project success isa critical topic in project
management and business ingeneral.
Yet when practitioners discussproject success, they often do
so with significant ambiguity.
(02:16):
When we in the business andproject management community
discuss success, we often failto give the proper context.
That ambiguity often leads toconfusion and poor practices in
an era where challenged andfailed projects are almost taken
for granted.
Subconsciously, organizationshave long tolerated and accepted
(02:40):
project failure PMOscertifications and accepted
project failure PMOscertifications.
Guides, consultants andassociations have not
significantly reduced failures,at least project management
failures.
Is it not time to break thiscycle?
In this episode, we will shareclear definitions, examine the
current state and offer asolution for achieving a more
(03:04):
mature, results-drivenunderstanding of project success
.
Setting the scene project orproject management.
One of the first gaps that wemust close is clarity.
We must provide the propercontact when writing, posting or
discussing project success.
And, for example, when we say aproject failed, what does that
(03:27):
mean?
Is it over budget and all elseis good?
Did it face schedule delays butstill make a profit?
Or was it so bad that the ownerhad to terminate the project?
Maybe the project was complete,but its product was not used or
accepted.
Therefore, providing context tounderstand what failed or
(03:49):
succeeded is vital.
Business investment it iscrucial to remember.
A project is a businessinvestment.
We broadly use business,encompassing private enterprises
, government entities andnon-profits.
A project exists not merely tocomplete tasks, but to deliver
(04:11):
measurable benefits aligned withorganizational goals, without
realizing value.
Execution alone is not enough.
A project must lead togenerating value for the
organization System thinking.
Some project management andbusiness practitioners see
(04:31):
project success as binary andare often linked or limited to
the project manager and no oneelse.
However, organizations aresystems.
Projects are systems.
Systems have many parts.
Different people lead each part.
Keep in mind that a projectequals investment.
Therefore, the project systemincludes business strategic
(04:53):
planning and finance governance,executive leadership, portfolio
governance and projectgovernance, product management,
features, enhancements, productroadmap, etc.
Operations, management,operation and maintenance,
clearing bottlenecks, et cetera.
Support function, marketing,sales, training, customer
(05:14):
relations, et cetera.
Project management leading thechange from ideation to success,
including ongoing planning andcontrol.
Accordingly, project successdepends on the entire system.
(05:35):
The project manager role part.
One of the triggers for thisepisode is the idea that project
managers should expand theirroles and own project success.
Accordingly, a relevantquestion could be is the project
manager responsible for projectsuccess?
On the surface it might seemobvious that the answer is yes.
(05:56):
However, the professionalanswer is it depends,
considering the entire projectsystem investment.
Saying that the project manageris responsible for it might be
short-sighted and misleading,unless we make the project
manager an executive sponsor.
So saying that the projectmanager should, must, own the
(06:21):
project success without contextcan even be irresponsible.
We realize there might be arare exception where the project
manager should be responsiblefor the entire venture, but
these are rare.
Some will say but the PM shouldbe involved, that the PM should
contribute, the PM should beaware, et cetera.
(06:42):
Absolutely, the project managerhas a significant role in the
above, in delivering the productand in contributing to value
generation.
However, let us look at the bigpicture.
Think of the project systeminvestment as the big picture.
The project manager's role inthe investment and viability
(07:06):
feasibility, market operations,etc.
And viability, feasibility,market operations, etc.
And across the productlifecycle is small.
Before I continue with theproject manager's role, we need
to explain the four dimensionsuccess model and give a
real-world example a hotel.
The four dimensions of projectsuccess.
(07:32):
In 2010, our team developed thefour dimensions of project
success, one of the RookFramework solution.
Our model differentiatesbetween technical success,
project management success andobjective success.
This concept is a vitalcomponent of business integrated
project management, where weintegrate project management
(07:56):
with the rest of theorganizational functions.
Here is a list of the fourdimensions D1, technical success
Assessing the product'stechnical success is primarily
about quality and scope.
D2, project management Success.
This dimension might be limitedto cost, schedule, performance
(08:19):
and competitiveness.
D3, product delivery Successdepends on D1 and D2, but could
include other factors outlinedin the project charter.
D4, objectives Success concernsthe success of the business
case and the realization of theanticipated benefits.
(08:39):
Visualizing reality, an exampleA company is launching a new
hotel in a new city.
A company is launching a newhotel in a new city.
(09:05):
The hotel was completed perquality and scope, on time and
within budget.
D1 and D2 are achieved.
However, after some time, thehotel fails to generate
anticipated revenues.
That's D4.
And here it fails.
Who is responsible for thisoutcome?
Certainly not the projectmanager, who already exited
post-delivery the projectmanager role.
Part two, based on our model,the project manager is
(09:25):
responsible for D1 and D2.
They might influence D3, butthey cannot and should not be
responsible for D4.
Let's consider what a businessventure like a hotel requires
Strategic planning andfeasibility, marketing and sales
execution, operationalperformance All these lie
(09:47):
outside the PM's control.
So we must ask what can theproject manager do in the above
scenario?
Why do we need the fourdimensions?
Success models should aim forcontinual improvement, not
(10:07):
punishment or blame.
We must investigate is ittechnical or project management?
Is it sales, market orpost-launch execution?
Or is it external disruption?
We need to learn from eachproject and apply lessons
forward.
(10:33):
Project managers must expandbeyond the triple constraint
mindset.
At Uruk we did that early.
We include discovery andinitial operations as part of
the project lifecycle.
We treat projects asinvestments, not just tasks to
deliver.
So, yes, project managers cando more, but should they become
strategists, marketers andoperation managers all at the
same time?
(10:54):
Probably not.
Let's not stretch the role toofar that it breaks.
Project management is vital,but it is part of a bigger
system.
All right, my friends.
That brings us to the end oftoday's episode of the 4PM
(11:15):
podcast.
We discussed project success,the ambiguity around it and the
rightful role of the projectmanager within a system-based
model.
We reviewed the four dimensionsof success within a
system-based model.
We reviewed the four dimensionsof success, clarified
responsibilities and highlightedhow to use this model for
improvement, not blame.
(11:36):
If you're interested in more,check out our content at
wwworokpmcom and join theconversation on LinkedIn,
especially the TransformingProject Management group.
I am Munir Ajam, signing off.
Until next time, remember,think beyond deliverables, focus
(11:58):
on value and treat projects asinvestments.
Take care, stay purposeful andstay well.
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