Evaluation of public projects
Let’s talk about public projects!
SERIES ARTICLE
By Stanisław Gasik
Warsaw, Poland
Introduction
The primary goal of evaluation is to assess the relationship between the project, its success, and its implementation.
Evaluation can be conducted at any stage of a public project—from the initial business case, through ongoing assessments of implementation, to a final post-project review. The main objective of evaluations conducted before a project’s completion is to determine whether it has a realistic chance of success. In this article, we focus on post-project evaluation, which seeks to answer the question: Was the project successful?
In this article, we will focus on post-project evaluation in well-organized, developed countries with so-called “positive public administrations,” i.e., those whose goal is to improve the well-being of society (e.g., Duncan, 2024).
The concept of success is essential to conducting a meaningful project evaluation. Success can be defined in several ways. Turner et al. (2010) identify three levels of project success:
- Management success – delivering the project on time and within budget;
- Product success – the usability or effectiveness of the project’s output;
- Business success – delivering value.
According to the Project Management Association of Japan (PMAJ, 2005), as adopted by the Project Management Institute (PMI, 2024), a project is successful if it effectively delivers value to its stakeholders. In the public sector, this definition requires further analysis.
Success and structure of projects, programs and public policies
Success and the Structure of Projects, Programs, and Public Policies
While profit is the primary success criterion in private sector projects, in public sector projects, success is measured by the creation of public value (Moore, 1994)—that is, outcomes that are important, valued, and socially desirable. For public administration projects, their success cannot be evaluated without reference to the public policies they are intended to implement (e.g., McConnell, 2010).
Some public policies are implemented through a single project. For example, the policy of shortening maritime transport between the East and West Coasts of the United States was realized through the construction of the Panama Canal. Similarly, the policy of providing drinking water to several western U.S. states was implemented through the construction of the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River. These types of policies and programs are referred to as mono-programs. In such cases, evaluating the success of the policy is effectively the same as evaluating the success of the project.
However, more commonly, public policies are implemented through public programs consisting of multiple projects. These programs may also include ongoing processes or operations, collectively referred to as program components.
Consider the following examples of extensive public policies and programs:
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Editor’s note: This article series is related to the management of public programs and projects, those organized, financed and managed by governments and public officials. The author, Dr. Stanisław Gasik, is the author of the book “Projects, Government, and Public Policy”, recently published by CRC Press / Taylor and Francis Group. That book and these articles are based on Dr. Gasik’s research into governmental project management around the world over the last decade. Stanisław is well-known and respected by PMWJ editors; we welcome and support his efforts to share knowledge that can help governments worldwide achieve their most important initiatives.
How to cite this paper: Gasik, S. (2025). Did the project help achieve policy objectives? Evaluation of public projects. Let’s talk about public projects, series article, PM World Journal, Volume XIV, Issue VIII, August. Available online at https://pmworldjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pmwj155-Aug2025-Gasik-evaluation-of-public-projects.pdf
About the Author
Stanisław Gasik, PhD, PMP
Warsaw, Poland
Dr. Stanisław Gasik, PMP is a project management expert. He graduated from the University of Warsaw, Poland, with M. Sc. in mathematics and Ph. D. in organization sciences (with a specialty in project management). Stanisław has over 30 years of experience in project management, consulting, teaching, and implementing PM organizational solutions. His professional and research interests include project knowledge management, portfolio management, and project management maturity. He is the author of the only holistic model of project knowledge management spanning from the individual to the global level.
Since 2013, his main professional focus has been on public projects. He was an expert in project management at the Governmental Accountability Office, an institution of the US Congress. He is the author of “Projects, Government, and Public Policy,” a book that systematizes knowledge about government activities in the area of project management.
He was a significant contributor to PMI’s PMBOK® Guide and PMI Standard for Program Management and contributed to other PMI standards. He has lectured at global PMI and IPMA congresses and other international conferences.
His web page is www.gpm3.eu.
To view other works by Dr. Gasik, please visit his author showcase in the PM World Library at https://pmworldlibrary.net/authors/stanislaw-gasik-phd-pmp/
