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Benefits realisation management
Benefits realisation management
Benefits realisation management
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Benefits realization management (BRM), also benefits management, benefits realisation or project benefits management, is a project management methodology, often visual, addressing how time and resources are invested into making desirable changes. BRM is used to manage the investment by organizations in procurement, projects, programmes and portfolios, and has been shown to increase project success across different countries and industries.[1][a]

The popularity of BRM began in 1995 in the UK, when Scottish Widows created a Benefits Realisation Management method[3] as part of its Project Management Handbook , (then titled Benefits Realisation), and rolled its use out across the entire firm. It grew in the UK with the inclusion of BRM by the UK Government in their standardized approach to programmes, Managing Successful Programmes (MSP).[4]

Definitions

[edit]

Benefits realization management has four main definitions.[citation needed]

The first definition is to consider benefits management as an organisational change process. It is defined as "the process of organizing and managing, such that the potential benefits arising from the use of IT are actually realized".[5]

The second definition perceives it as a process. Benefits management is defined by the Association for Project Management (APM) as the identification, definition, planning, tracking and realization of business benefits.[6]

The third definition is to apply this concept on project management level. Project benefits management is defined as "the initiating, planning, organizing, executing, controlling, transitioning and supporting of change in the organisation and its consequences as incurred by project management mechanisms to realize predefined project benefits".[7]

Finally, benefits realization management is perceived as a set of processes structured to "close the gap" between strategy planning and execution by ensuring the implementation of the most valuable initiatives.[1]

Process

[edit]
BRM process[8]
  • Identify the investment outcomes
  • Define benefit measures for each outcome
  • Collect current benefit measure data to have a quantitative basis for decision making
  • Agree to a tailored BRM approach for this investment
  • Plan the new or changed capabilities necessary to realize the benefits
  • Plan the investments needed to make the changes necessary to create or change the capabilities
  • Optimize the plan to reduce waste and have acceptable levels of resource, risk, cost, quality and time
  • Implement the plan
  • Review the impact of the plan implementation on the Benefit Measures and use insights to improve
  • On completion of the plan, ensure BRM continues to sustain the capabilities and realisation of benefits

BRM practices aim to ensure the alignment between project outcomes and business strategies:

"If value is to be created and sustained, benefits need to be actively managed through the whole investment lifecycle. From describing and selecting the investment, through programme scoping and design, delivery of the programme to create the capability and execution of the business changes required to utilise that capability, and the operation and eventual retirement of the resulting assets. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case."

— APM Benefits Management Special Interest Group[9]

Under BRM, outcomes are changes identified as important by stakeholders and can be strategic or non-strategic. A benefit is a measurable positive impact of change. A dis-benefit is a measurable negative impact of change.[8] Successful BRM requires accountable people, relevant measures and proactive management.

As with all project management methodologies, BRM has clear roles and responsibilities, processes, principles and deliverables. The main roles are Business Change Managers (BCMs) who help the Benefits Owners (i.e. the main beneficiaries) identify, plan and review the expected benefits from the change and project managers who deliver the reliable capability on time and within budget.[10] A generic BRM process is then as aside.

To identify the investment outcomes, pictorial views of the outcomes of interest on an outcome map (also called a results chain,[8] benefits dependency network[11] or benefit map[12]) can be created. See next section. This technique supports agreement of the outcomes sought as it shows the outcomes and relationships between them on a single page. They can be agreed upon and communicated clearly as a result.

Data can then be captured either separately or within a suitable modelling tool for each outcome that will include the benefit measures used for each, ownership and accountability information and information to support realisation management.

Benefit mapping

[edit]

Constructing benefits maps or graphs is usually done from right to left, with what is attempting to be achieved (often called objectives, strategic outcomes etc.) being the start point, then moving through intermediate outcomes to the things required to cause these to happen at the very left.

Benefits dependency networks

[edit]
A diagram showing the benefits dependency network modelling style by John Ward and Elizabeth Daniel

The benefits dependency network (BDN) has five types of object within maps.

  • Investment objectives: A small number of statements that define the focus of the project and how it links to investment drivers.
  • Benefits: Advantages to specific individuals or groups of individuals.
  • Business changes: Changes required in the business to hit the Benefits.
  • Enabling changes: Changes required to allow the business changes to happen.
  • IS/IT enablers: "The information systems and technology required to support the realization of identified benefits and allow the necessary changes to be undertaken."[11]

Benefits dependency map

[edit]
A diagram showing the benefits dependency map modelling style by Gerald Bradley

The benefits dependency map (BDM) also has five types of object on the maps

  • Bounding objective: Measurable end goals which support the vision of what is being attempted.
  • End benefit: Independent benefits (not interlinked) that achieve the objective.
  • Intermediate benefit: "An outcome of change which is perceived as positive by a stakeholder".[12]
  • Business change: Changes to the business or environment of the business.
  • Enabler: Something developed / purchased to enable the realisation of benefit.

Results chain

[edit]
A diagram showing the results chain modelling style by John Thorp

The results chain has four types of object on the maps.[8]

  • Outcome: The results being aimed at.
  • Initiative: An action or activity that contributes to outcomes.
  • Contribution: A measurable description of how an initiative is expected to contribute to an outcome.
  • Assumption: Something believed to be required to realize outcomes or initiatives which the organisation has no or little control over.

See also

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Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Benefits realisation management

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Benefits realisation management (BRM) is a structured approach to identifying, planning, executing, and sustaining the benefits derived from organisational investments in , programmes, and portfolios, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and maximising value delivery. It encompasses the full lifecycle of benefits, from initial identification during opportunity framing to post-implementation review, distinguishing it from traditional by focusing on outcomes rather than outputs. Originating in the early amid concerns over underperforming information systems and (IS/IT) investments, BRM evolved from consultancy practices and academic research into formal frameworks adopted by professional bodies and governments. Key processes include benefits identification (categorising and valuing expected improvements), planning (developing metrics, roadmaps, and ownership structures), execution (delivering through and ), and sustainment (monitoring realisation and embedding into business-as-usual operations). BRM integrates with established methodologies such as and PMI standards, emphasising , , and tools like benefits maps and registers to track progress and address disbenefits. By prioritising measurable value—such as cost savings, efficiency gains, or strategic advantages—BRM enhances project success rates, reduces waste, and fosters a value-oriented culture within organisations.

Fundamentals

Definition

Benefits realisation management (BRM) is a set of processes and practices for identifying benefits, aligning them with formal , ensuring their realization during and after project implementation, and sustaining them post-completion. It originated in the early as a response to the frequent failures of IT projects to deliver , but has since expanded to address broader organizational change initiatives. Central to BRM is the concept of benefits, defined as measurable improvements resulting from an outcome and perceived as an advantage by one or more stakeholders, which contribute to organizational objectives. These can be financial, such as cost savings, or non-financial, like enhanced , provided they are quantifiable. In contrast, disbenefits represent measurable declines resulting from an outcome perceived as negative by stakeholders, such as increased operational , and require proactive to mitigate. Outcomes refer to the results of change that affect real-world behavior or circumstances, such as improved processes, while outputs are the tangible or intangible deliverables produced by projects, like software systems or reports, which enable but do not guarantee outcomes or benefits. BRM applies across , program, and portfolio levels to ensure initiatives deliver sustained value aligned with strategic goals, extending beyond its IT origins to encompass diverse sectors like healthcare and .

Importance

Benefits realisation management (BRM) plays a pivotal role in bridging the gap between organizational strategy and execution, ensuring that and programs deliver tangible value rather than merely completing outputs. By systematically identifying, tracking, and optimizing benefits throughout the project lifecycle and beyond, BRM addresses a common shortfall where many initiatives fail to achieve their intended outcomes; for example, only 17% of organizations reported high BRM maturity as of 2016, leading to inefficiencies in value delivery. This structured approach aligns investments with strategic objectives, preventing the dissipation of potential gains and enabling organizations to realize up to 50% more that meet original goals and intent compared to those with low maturity as of 2016. For organizations, BRM delivers multifaceted benefits, including enhanced (ROI), improved , and effective risk mitigation for potential disbenefits. High-maturity BRM practices result in 69% more s meeting or exceeding forecasted ROI as of 2016, as resources are directed toward high-value activities rather than isolated project deliverables. Additionally, by incorporating and into benefit tracking, BRM minimizes threats to sustained value, including negative impacts or disbenefits that could undermine strategic gains. This leads to better financial performance, with mature organizations wasting US$112 million less per US$1 billion invested due to poor project outcomes as of 2016. Ultimately, these outcomes foster sustained through measurable, long-term improvements in efficiency and market positioning. Unlike traditional , which emphasizes on-time, on-budget, and on-scope delivery, BRM extends focus to post- value realization, ensuring benefits are not only planned but actively sustained to drive organizational success. Studies confirm that organizations employing mature BRM processes achieve higher overall project success rates, with benefits realization serving as a key differentiator in strategic alignment and performance.

Historical Development

Origins

Benefits realisation management (BRM) emerged in the early within the information systems and technology (IS/IT) sector, primarily as a response to the persistent underperformance of IT projects in delivering sustained . At the time, IT initiatives frequently succeeded in producing technical outputs—such as software systems or —but failed to translate these into long-term organizational benefits, prompting the development of structured approaches to track and optimize value post-implementation. This evolution was driven by the recognition of alarmingly high IT failure rates during the decade, with studies indicating that approximately 70% of such projects did not meet their intended objectives, often due to inadequate monitoring beyond delivery phases. Influential reports, including the 1994 CHAOS Report by the Standish Group, highlighted that only 16.2% of IT were fully successful in terms of time, budget, and functionality, while 31.1% were outright failures and the remainder were challenged, underscoring the gap between completion and benefit achievement. These shortcomings revealed the limitations of traditional , which focused on outputs rather than outcomes, necessitating BRM to bridge this divide. Early BRM practices drew from established disciplines in and , particularly appraisal techniques and methodologies. Concepts like cost-benefit analysis, long used to evaluate the economic viability of , provided a foundational framework for quantifying and measuring benefits against costs in IT contexts. Additionally, practices from the sector and influenced BRM by emphasizing the orchestration of multiple projects to achieve broader strategic outcomes, evolving ad-hoc tracking into more systematic benefit realization processes.

Key Frameworks

One of the earliest formalized frameworks for benefits realisation management emerged from the in the , known as the Cranfield Benefits Management Framework. Developed by John Ward and colleagues, this model emphasizes a structured process for identifying and structuring potential benefits from IT investments, assigning stakeholder ownership to ensure accountability, and creating detailed realization plans that link changes to measurable outcomes. The framework's four key stages—benefits identification, benefits planning, benefits execution, and benefits evaluation—highlight the importance of ongoing review to adapt to changing business contexts, drawing from empirical studies of organizations. In 2018, the (PMI) introduced its Benefits Realization Management Framework as part of a dedicated practice guide, providing a comprehensive approach tailored to portfolio, program, and . This framework organizes activities into three primary stages: identify benefits (aligning with organizational ), execute and deliver (using tools like the Benefits Register to track progress and the Benefits Roadmap to sequence realization), and sustain benefits (monitoring post-delivery to ensure long-term value). Core principles include strategic alignment, where benefits must support broader objectives, and measurability, requiring quantifiable metrics from the outset to enable evidence-based adjustments. The Office of Government Commerce (OGC) integrated benefits realisation into its methodologies during the early , particularly through Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) and . In MSP, benefits management focuses on creating detailed benefits profiles that outline expected outcomes, ownership, and measurement criteria, alongside regular realization reviews to assess progress against baselines during and after program delivery. This approach ensures benefits are embedded in program governance, with PRINCE2 complementing it by incorporating benefits considerations into project initiation and closure stages. Subsequent developments have further standardized BRM through international and professional bodies. The standard on , programme and portfolio — context and concepts explicitly addresses benefits realisation, assigning it as an organizational responsibility that extends beyond delivery to leverage outputs for sustained value, influencing global practices in public and private sectors. Similarly, the Association for Project Management (APM) Body of Knowledge, updated in its 8th edition (2025), positions BRM as a , integrating it with and stakeholder to emphasize identification, , and tracking of benefits across lifecycles. The 2025 edition continues to highlight BRM's role in enhancing success through value delivery.
FrameworkKey StagesPrimary Tools/ElementsEmphasis
(1990s)Identification, , execution, Stakeholder ownership assignments, benefits mapsBenefits identification and adaptive for IT investments
PMI (2018)Identify, execute/deliver, sustainBenefits Register, RoadmapStrategic alignment and post-delivery measurability
OGC/MSP (2000s)Profile creation, delivery, reviewBenefits profiles, realization plansProgram and ongoing reviews
(2021), delivery, organizational realizationIntegration with processesOrganizational accountability beyond
APM BoK (2020s)Identification, , tracking, realization linkages, metrics trackingCore integration with success factors

BRM Process

Identification and Planning

The identification and planning phase of benefits realisation management (BRM) constitutes the foundational stage where potential benefits and disbenefits are systematically defined and prioritized before project or program initiation, ensuring they support organizational value creation. This phase emphasizes rigorous techniques to uncover outcomes that align with strategic intent, avoiding ad-hoc assumptions about project impacts. According to established frameworks, effective identification begins with collaborative methods such as brainstorming workshops involving cross-functional stakeholders to generate ideas on expected improvements, stakeholder interviews to elicit nuanced insights from key parties, and to contextualize benefits within internal strengths/weaknesses and external opportunities/threats. These approaches catalog both financial benefits, like cost reductions, and non-financial ones, such as enhanced , while also noting disbenefits like transitional disruptions. Following identification, benefits are profiled to create structured records that enable precise tracking and . A typical benefit profile outlines key attributes, including its category (e.g., tangible financial gains versus intangible improvements), the designated owner accountable for its delivery, the anticipated timeframe for realization (short-term versus long-term), and baseline metrics representing the current performance level against which progress will be measured. This profiling process, often documented in a benefits register, provides a clear baseline for and helps distinguish primary benefits from enabling ones that support broader outcomes. By establishing these details early, organizations mitigate risks of misaligned expectations and facilitate informed . Strategic alignment is secured by integrating profiled benefits into organizational goals through tools like the , which articulates the investment rationale, projected value, and dependencies, and the Benefits Breakdown Structure (BBS), a hierarchical that categorizes benefits, reveals interdependencies, and prioritizes them based on strategic and resource demands. The BBS, often developed collaboratively, breaks down high-level objectives into granular components, ensuring benefits contribute directly to portfolio or enterprise-level aims. Ownership assignment occurs concurrently, with benefit owners—typically senior business representatives—formally nominated to champion realization, fostering accountability from the outset. Key planning artifacts emerge from this alignment to operationalize the approach. The Benefits Realization Plan serves as the core document, incorporating a roadmap with phased timelines for benefit emergence, defined key performance indicators (KPIs) such as or rates for ongoing measurement, and a evaluating threats to achievement like resource constraints or market shifts. This plan, reviewed and approved by stakeholders, transitions benefits from conceptual to actionable, setting the stage for subsequent BRM phases while embedding mechanisms for oversight.

Execution and Delivery

The execution and delivery phase of benefits realisation management (BRM) encompasses the active implementation of planned initiatives to achieve anticipated benefits, integrating BRM practices throughout the project lifecycle to ensure alignment with strategic objectives. This phase bridges the gap between project outputs and by embedding benefit-focused activities into core project processes, allowing for real-time adaptations as the project progresses. According to the (PMI), effective execution involves coordinating benefit owners with project teams to monitor and adjust deliverables against established benefit profiles. Integration of BRM with occurs through structured mechanisms, such as phase and milestones, where benefits are reviewed and validated to confirm alignment with evolving scope. At each , teams assess whether outputs continue to support intended benefits, enabling decisions on progression or adjustments. processes further embed BRM by requiring benefit owners to evaluate proposed changes for their impact on expected outcomes, ensuring that scope variations do not erode value. The PMI emphasizes that this integration enhances success by incorporating benefits dependencies into , with cross-functional teams— including managers and business owners—responsible for maintaining strategic alignment during execution. Monitoring mechanisms during execution rely on regular benefit reviews to track progress against baselines, utilizing tools like dashboards for visualizing key performance indicators (KPIs) and variance to identify deviations. Benefit owners conduct periodic assessments, comparing actual performance to planned metrics and adjusting strategies for external changes, such as market shifts or regulatory updates. Dashboards provide real-time insights into benefit delivery, facilitating proactive interventions to mitigate shortfalls. As outlined in PMI's BRM framework, these reviews occur at defined intervals tied to the benefits realization roadmap, ensuring continuous oversight without disrupting momentum. Risk and issue management in this phase focuses specifically on benefits, identifying threats to value realization, including disbenefits—unintended negative outcomes—and developing contingencies to address them. Risks are evaluated using benefit-specific criteria, such as financial or operational impacts, with issues logged and escalated through integrated project risk registers. Contingency planning involves scenario analysis to prepare for disbenefits, like increased costs from scope changes, ensuring that mitigation actions preserve overall benefit targets. The Association for Project Management (APM) highlights that this targeted approach to benefit risks improves project outcomes by linking them directly to strategic value. Stakeholder engagement during delivery maintains alignment and buy-in through tailored communication plans that report benefit progress, risks, and adjustments at regular intervals. These plans outline channels, frequency, and content for updates, addressing potential resistance by involving stakeholders in reviews and . Benefit owners play a key role in fostering accountability, ensuring that diverse groups— from executives to end-users—remain informed and supportive. PMI research indicates that effective communication during execution, such as issue reporting by project managers, correlates with higher ROI, as it builds consensus and resolves barriers promptly. Transition preparation culminates the execution phase with handover protocols that transfer project outputs and benefit responsibilities from delivery teams to operational units, preventing value loss at project closure. This includes documenting handover processes, training operational staff, and establishing initial monitoring handoffs to ensure seamless continuity. Protocols verify that all enablers for benefits—such as systems or processes—are operationalized effectively. According to APM guidelines, structured handovers enhance benefits realization by clarifying post-project accountabilities and integrating operational teams early in delivery planning.

Realization and Sustainment

The realization phase of benefits realisation management (BRM) focuses on verifying that intended benefits from deliverables are achieved after , typically through periodic audits conducted 6-12 months post-delivery to compare actual outcomes against planned targets using key performance indicators (KPIs) and (ROI) calculations. These reviews assess the effectiveness of transitioned capabilities, identify variances in benefit delivery, and ensure alignment with the original benefits realisation plan (BRP), which outlines measurement timelines and metrics. For instance, ROI is calculated as (Net Benefits / Costs) × 100, where net benefits reflect realized value minus any disbenefits, providing a quantitative gauge of financial performance. Sustainment strategies aim to embed realized benefits into ongoing business-as-usual (BAU) operations to prevent value decay, involving the development of a benefits sustainment plan that identifies risks, processes, metrics, and tools for long-term maintenance. This includes comprehensive programs for operational teams to adopt new capabilities, ongoing mechanisms such as regular performance monitoring against KPIs, and integration of benefits into core processes to foster enduring organizational value. Effective sustainment requires transitioning ownership to business units, with 80% of organizations planning structured handovers to ensure seamless adoption and . Optimization and adjustment occur iteratively during and after realization reviews, capturing from variances to scale successful benefits and mitigate shortfalls through targeted improvements. This process involves evaluating KPIs for continuous refinement, applying to address deviations within predefined tolerance levels, and leveraging operational feedback to enhance benefit delivery, as seen in practices like enterprise for iterative upgrades. By focusing on corrective actions and knowledge sharing, organizations can amplify value, with 62% actively responding to performance gaps to sustain outcomes. Closure activities finalize the BRM lifecycle by compiling a comprehensive final benefits that documents achieved value, mitigates any remaining disbenefits through remedial actions, and aggregates realized benefits at the portfolio level for strategic reporting. This includes verifying the extent of benefit achievement, capturing unanticipated positive or negative outcomes, and formally releasing resources while ensuring all documentation supports future initiatives. With 58% of organizations emphasizing proper closure of capabilities, these steps consolidate into organizational knowledge bases to inform subsequent projects. Long-term metrics evaluate sustained performance, with the benefit realization rate calculated as: Benefit Realization Rate=(Actual BenefitPlanned Benefit)×100%\text{Benefit Realization Rate} = \left( \frac{\text{Actual Benefit}}{\text{Planned Benefit}} \right) \times 100\% This percentage indicates the proportion of targeted benefits achieved, helping assess overall BRM . For sustained outcomes, (NPV) adjustments incorporate realized over time, discounted at the organization's rate (e.g., NPV = \sum \frac{\text{Realized Cash Flow}_t}{(1 + r)^t} - Initial Investment, where r is the discount rate and t is the time period), to reflect enduring financial impact beyond initial projections. These metrics prioritize a few key, aligned indicators like ROI and cost savings to track value without overwhelming detail.

Tools and Techniques

Benefit Mapping

Benefit mapping is a foundational visualization technique in benefits realisation management, serving as a graphical representation that illustrates how investments, through enablers and changes, lead to desired outcomes and benefits. It typically depicts causal pathways linking outputs—such as deliverables or capabilities—to business changes, intermediate outcomes, and ultimately end benefits that align with organizational strategic objectives. This approach, rooted in established frameworks, emphasizes from investments to value creation. The primary purpose of benefit mapping is to clarify causal relationships between initiatives and benefits, identify potential gaps in the , and effectively communicate value propositions to stakeholders. By providing a structured visual overview, it ensures that all parties understand how specific changes contribute to broader goals, facilitating better and alignment across organizational levels. This technique supports the identification of both planned and emergent benefits, enhancing overall strategic coherence. The general of benefit mapping begins with defining drivers or strategic objectives at the top level, then works downward to map enabling changes—such as improvements or adoptions—that lead to measurable benefits. Benefits are categorized as tangible (e.g., quantifiable financial gains or improvements) or intangible (e.g., enhanced employee satisfaction or reputational improvements), ensuring a comprehensive view. The mapping concludes with validation of linkages, often iterated during planning to refine assumptions. As noted in benefits identification practices, this builds on initial benefit profiling to create a coherent diagram. In applications, benefit mapping is integral to developing business cases and prioritizing initiatives within portfolios, programs, or projects. For instance, a simple might illustrate how a implementation (output) enables streamlined workflows (business change), resulting in cost savings and improved (benefits). This visualization aids in justifying and monitoring progress against strategic intent. Key advantages of benefit mapping include enhanced , which allows for ongoing review and adjustment, and support for scenario analysis in what-if planning to evaluate paths. It promotes by making complex relationships accessible and has been shown to improve and reduce the risk of value shortfalls.

Dependency Networks

Benefits dependency networks (BDNs) are graphical models used in benefits realisation management to depict the interrelationships among various elements required to achieve strategic objectives from investments, particularly in IT-enabled changes. These networks illustrate a cause-and-effect structure where nodes represent key components—such as business drivers, investment objectives, benefits, business changes, enabling changes, and IS/IT enablers—connected by directed arrows indicating dependencies and . The structure is typically constructed from right to left, starting with end-state objectives and tracing backward to the enabling factors, emphasizing that benefits arise primarily from business transformations rather than alone. This non-linear approach captures complex, interconnected pathways, distinguishing BDNs from simpler mapping techniques by highlighting how multiple enablers can support shared benefits across initiatives. The development of a BDN involves an iterative, collaborative guided by structured questioning to align stakeholders and resolve ambiguities. It begins with workshops involving and IT managers to identify drivers (e.g., "Why must we change?") and progresses through defining benefits, required changes, and enablers, often addressing seven core questions to build the network. Conflicts are resolved through , validation against organizational , and incorporation of stakeholder inputs to ensure completeness and feasibility; for innovation-driven projects, prototypes or pilots may refine the model. This , originally outlined in the benefits management framework, ensures the network serves as a dynamic roadmap for realisation planning. Key elements of BDNs include explicit documentation of assumptions, risks, and quantification at dependency links to enhance robustness. Assumptions often center on the necessity of changes for benefit delivery, while risks—such as stakeholder misalignment or contextual shifts—are flagged along arrows to prioritize . Where feasible, dependencies are weighted or quantified, with benefits assigned measurable indicators and ownership to beneficiaries, enabling tracking of contributions (e.g., cost savings or revenue increases). These elements promote and foresight in managing interdependencies. BDNs are particularly valuable in portfolio-level analysis to prevent siloed projects by revealing how benefits from one initiative enable others, fostering holistic value realisation. In IT implementations, for instance, a CRM system at a European paper manufacturer mapped dependencies from sales process changes to IT enablers, yielding €3 million in first-year savings and €16 million in first-year sales growth by linking improvements to broader objectives. Such use cases demonstrate BDNs' role in aligning disparate projects, as seen in a health trust's bed allocation optimization, where non-IT changes unlocked benefits without new technology investments. Software tools for creating BDNs include general diagramming applications that support networked visualizations, with Microsoft Visio commonly used for constructing and maintaining these models due to its arrow-based linking and node customization features. Specialized BRM software, such as those integrated into enterprise portfolio management systems, allows for dynamic updates and risk annotations, though basic tools suffice for initial development.

Results Chains

Results chains are a linear modeling tool used in benefits realisation management to trace the causal pathway from project investments to long-term impacts, providing a structured representation of how intended benefits are expected to materialize. The model consists of sequential components: inputs (resources such as funding or personnel), activities (actions like training or implementation), outputs (direct products like completed deliverables), outcomes (intermediate changes such as improved skills or behaviors), and impacts (ultimate effects like enhanced organizational productivity or societal benefits). This chain emphasizes measurable results at each step to ensure accountability and alignment with strategic objectives. To construct a results chain, practitioners begin with backward mapping, starting from the desired impacts and working retrospectively to identify necessary inputs, ensuring logical feasibility. This is followed by forward validation, tracing the chain from inputs to impacts to confirm plausibility and identify potential gaps. Each link in the chain explicitly states assumptions—underlying conditions believed to hold true, such as stable market conditions enabling outcome achievement—and defines indicators for monitoring , often qualitative for outcomes (e.g., stakeholder satisfaction levels) and quantitative for impacts (e.g., a 20% increase in metrics). Results chains are particularly suited for and projects, where sequential logic aids in demonstrating value and justifying . For instance, in an organizational change initiative, inputs like staff training programs lead to activities such as workshops, producing outputs in the form of certified participants, which yield outcomes of skill adoption, ultimately resulting in impacts like sustained productivity gains. Despite their simplicity, results chains have limitations, as they assume straightforward and are less effective for capturing complex, branching dependencies that require networked approaches.

Implementation and Challenges

Roles and Governance

In benefits realisation management (BRM), key roles ensure for identifying, delivering, and sustaining benefits aligned with organizational . The benefit owner serves as the primary accountable individual for a specific benefit or group of benefits, overseeing their definition, measurement, and realization throughout the initiative lifecycle. BRM , often positioned within the enterprise (EPMO), facilitate the adoption of BRM processes by promoting best practices, providing guidance, and integrating value management into . Review boards, comprising s and senior stakeholders, provide oversight by evaluating progress against benefit targets, approving changes, and ensuring alignment with strategic objectives. Additional supporting roles include the , who maximum value extraction; the , responsible for delivery aspects like schedule and budget; and the business change manager in programme contexts, who focuses on embedding changes to enable benefit realization. Governance frameworks in BRM establish structured policies and processes to guide benefit management, including escalation paths for risks or deviations and decision gates for approving benefits prior to investment. These frameworks integrate BRM with (PMO) structures, such as through standardized documentation, routine reporting on benefit metrics, and formal processes for identification and sustainment, which are present in 92% of high-maturity organizations compared to 48% in low-maturity ones. In programme management approaches like Managing Successful Programmes (MSP), governance emphasizes organization-wide structures that align benefits with strategy, incorporating themes such as leadership, , and to support oversight. Organizational integration of BRM involves embedding it into to foster a value-focused culture, supported by training programs that build capability in benefit mapping and . This requires cross-functional teams involving project managers, business owners, and executives to collaborate on benefit alignment, with 22% of organizations reporting such teams as key to execution-phase . Cultural shifts emphasize ongoing commitment, where benefits realization becomes a shared priority across , often facilitated by EPMOs to ensure BRM supports broader strategic delivery. Accountability mechanisms in BRM tie performance to benefit outcomes through clear ownership assignments, SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals, and auditing protocols that track realization post-delivery. Performance incentives reinforce responsibility, while cross-functional ensures shared oversight without diffusing ownership. In MSP frameworks, the programme sponsor holds ultimate accountability for benefits, with ensuring traceability from strategic intent to realized value. Maturity models assess BRM adoption levels, ranging from ad-hoc practices to optimized integration, using scales like those from the (PMI), where high-maturity organizations score 60 or above out of 64 on factors including ownership and transparency. These models guide organizations in and improving BRM structures, with high-maturity entities demonstrating 97% transparency in benefit tracking versus 61% in low-maturity ones.

Common Pitfalls and Solutions

One common pitfall in benefits realisation management (BRM) is poor benefit measurement, where benefits are defined vaguely without clear metrics, leading to difficulties in verifying achievement. This often stems from the absence of baseline data and standardized key performance indicators (KPIs) at the outset, resulting in unverifiable or incomparable outcomes. To address this, organizations should implement robust KPIs and establish baseline data from the project's initiation, leveraging automated tracking tools to monitor progress in real-time and ensure benefits are quantifiable and aligned with strategic goals. Another frequent issue is lack of , where for benefits delivery is unclear or diffused across teams, often due to inadequate assignment of benefit owners. This leads to benefits being deprioritized post-project . The solution involves creating formal contracts or responsibility matrices for designated benefit owners, coupled with strong executive sponsorship to enforce and integrate BRM into governance structures. Neglecting disbenefits and unintended changes represents a third pitfall, as BRM efforts frequently overlook potential negative outcomes or ripple effects from initiatives, such as increased operational costs or stakeholder resistance. This can undermine overall value realization by allowing unanticipated consequences to erode gains. Mitigation requires proactive risk registers to identify and quantify disbenefits early, alongside integrating processes that include analysis of to adjust strategies dynamically. Inadequate sustainment poses the fourth major challenge, where benefits fade after project closure due to insufficient post-implementation support, exacerbated by a cultural emphasis on short-term delivery over long-term value. This short-term focus contributes to cultural barriers in BRM adoption. Effective solutions include forming dedicated transition teams to hand over capabilities and conducting periodic health checks, such as quarterly reviews, to monitor and sustain benefits beyond the lifecycle. PMI reports indicate that applying these mitigations, particularly through mature BRM practices like standardized processes and routine reporting, can increase the percentage of projects meeting or exceeding forecasted by 38%, effectively reducing failure rates and associated waste by up to 67% in high-maturity organizations. Case examples from PMI surveys highlight how universities and enterprises using matrices and ongoing tracking have achieved sustained benefits, underscoring the role of benefit owners in preventing these pitfalls.

References

  1. https://www.pmi.org/-/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/learning/thought-leadership/benefits-realization-management-framework.pdf
  2. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6185220ed3bf7f55f947974f/Guide_on_Assurance_of_Benefits_Realisation_in_Major_Projects_V2.0_October_2021.docx.pdf
  3. https://shura.shu.ac.uk/15299/1/Breese%20unified%20view%20of%20benefits.pdf
  4. https://www.apm.org.uk/media/3r0hrzvv/research-summary-benefits-management.pdf
  5. https://www.apm.org.uk/media/5csnk4oe/guideforeffectivebenefitsmanagementinmajorprojects.pdf
  6. https://www.pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/series/benefits-realization
  7. https://www.pmi.org/-/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/learning/thought-leadership/pulse/sustain-project-benefits-optimize-value.pdf
  8. https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/pmwj71-Jun2018-Abba-Pells-Shepherd-program-benefits-management-umd-paper.pdf
  9. https://personal.utdallas.edu/~chung/SYSM6309/chaos_report.pdf
  10. https://www.umsl.edu/~sauterv/analysis/6840_f03_papers/frese/
  11. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/ejis.1996.3
  12. https://oro.open.ac.uk/11227/2/Peppard-Ward-Daniel_BMc_edits_JW230307.pdf
  13. https://www.pmi.org/standards/benefits-realization
  14. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/best-management-practice-portfolio/about-the-office-of-government-commerce
  15. https://www.iso.org/standard/75704.html
  16. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/16315434.pdf
  17. https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/guidelines-successful-benefits-realization-9909
  18. https://www.psisolution.com/files/9815/4959/7375/benefits-realization-management.pdf
  19. https://www.pmi.org/-/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/learning/thought-leadership/pulse/benefits-focus-during-project-execution.pdf
  20. https://apm.org.uk/resources/what-is-project-management/what-is-benefits-management-and-project-success/
  21. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/60f019e58fa8f50c75b6aded/1174-APS-5-CCS0521656666-001_Gateway_Web.pdf
  22. https://birdviewpsa.com/project-portfolio-guide/project-portfolio-metrics/
  23. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0263786314000519
  24. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/220356460_A_new_framework_for_managing_IT-enabled_business_change
  25. https://www.pwc.ch/en/publications/2016/pmi_benefits_management_en_2016_web.pdf
  26. http://conservationgateway.org/Documents/FOS-Results-Chain-Guide-2007-05.pdf
  27. https://www.enterprise-development.org/wp-content/uploads/1_Implementation_Guidelines_Results_Chains.pdf
  28. https://www.conservationstandards.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/ResultsChain-factsheet-1.pdf
  29. https://www.pmi.org/-/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/learning/thought-leadership/establish-benefits-ownership-accountability.pdf
  30. https://www.itgovernanceusa.com/files/MSP_Lead_Author_Overview_July07.pdf
  31. https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/success-benefits-realization-opportunities-challenges-9272
  32. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0263786323001023
  33. https://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/55028/further-guidance-02-benefits-management-guides.pdf
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