The Foundation of Benefits Management
Implementing BS202002: Benefits management on
portfolios, programmes and projects
SERIES ARTICLE
By Dr. Hugo Minney
United Kingdom
In the realm of project and program management, benefits realization reveals why we are putting in this investment – it’s crucial that this is properly documented [1]. At the heart of this discipline lies a powerful tool: the benefits map. This article delves into the various types of benefits maps, their applications, and how they serve as the cornerstone of effective benefits management.
Benefits maps visually represent how various activities, outputs, and outcomes are interconnected, highlighting the causal relationships that drive the realization of benefits. For experienced project management professionals, including project sponsors, the project leadership team, and specialists such as portfolio office benefits managers, understanding and effectively utilizing benefits maps is essential for successful project and program delivery [2-5].
What is a Project or Programme Benefits Map?
A benefits map is a visual representation that illustrates the causal relationships between each project activity (the “work”) and the organization’s strategic objectives. It serves as a roadmap, guiding stakeholders through the journey from project inception to the realization of tangible benefits, and shining like a lighthouse to keep the project team moving towards their destination and away from the rocks.
Key Principles: Causality, Materiality, and Clarity
When crafting a benefits map, three fundamental principles must be observed:
1 Causality: Each element in the map should have a clear, logical connection to the next. The notorious “and then a miracle occurs” approach has no place in a well-constructed benefits map [6-9]. This applies both ways – it should be clear why a particular outcome is needed to realize a benefit, and a particular activity to bring about that outcome; and the activities should clearly lead to the outcomes and outcomes should contribute towards realizing benefits.
2. Materiality: Only significant, relevant connections should be included. Avoid the temptation to link everything to everything else, as this dilutes the map’s effectiveness [9, 10]. Any contribution that is less than “measurable” should not be on the map. And any orphans and widows – activities that don’t clearly contribute to an outcome or benefits that have nothing going on to realise them – should be cause for concern.
3. Clarity: The map should be visually intuitive, allowing stakeholders to grasp the relationships at a glance [11]. This will depend on your audience – some people want all their questions answered, some want a map as simple as it possibly can be[12].
4. Living document: The map is a living document that should be kept updated as the project progresses. When a milestone is achieved on time, this increases confidence in the realization of benefits, and the increased confidence should be reflected in the benefits map And during delivery/ adoption and after handover, benefits and dis-benefits often emerge and should be documented on the map(s).
More…
To read entire article, click here
Editor’s note: The author Dr. Hugo Minney is a Fellow of APM (Association for Project Management), a Member of PMI and PMI UK, Co-Chair of APM’s Benefits and Value SIG, and committee member of PMI UK’s Sustainability Community of Action. For more, see his author profile at the end of this article.
How to cite this work: Minney, H. (2024). Benefits Maps – The Foundation of Benefits Management, Implementing BS202002: Benefits management on portfolios, programmes and projects, series article, PM World Journal, Volume XIII, Issue IX, September. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/pmwj145-Sep2024-Minney-Benefits-Maps-the-Foundation-of-Benefits-Management.pdf
About the Author
Dr Hugo Minney
London, UK
Dr. Hugo Minney is a Fellow of APM (Association for Project Management), a Member of PMI and PMI UK, Co-Chair of APM’s Benefits and Value SIG and committee member of PMI UK’s Sustainability Community of Action (none of which are paid).
Minney set out to become a farmer, but was defeated by bureaucracy. He sold high ticket computer systems and specialist software for workforce planning; joined the National Health Service for 18 years (and as a Chief Executive for the last 7 of these), and is now a project management consultant with a sideline chairing a charity restoring the sense of community for young people.
Minney works in project management, and in particular benefits management, motivating team members by reporting what they are achieving together and changing the community and culture to want to achieve – together. At present, he’s more involved on the governance side, accredited as a Social Value practitioner and Chartered Project Professional, and reviewing the balance of projects and contribution to objectives and benefits across portfolios.
Dr. Minney can be contacted at hugo.minney@thesocialreturnco.org
To view previous works by Hugo Minney, visit his author showcase in the PM World Library at https://pmworldlibrary.net/authors/dr-hugo-minney/
