Please Read Thoroughly The Readings On The Two Business Inte

Please Read Thoroughly The Readings On The Two Business Integration Mo

Please read thoroughly the readings on the two business integration models – the SMART project management model and the Benefits Realization Approach. Also, make sure you have read the unit notes on these two models. Both of these models offer a solution or approach to solving the paradox of information projects costing huge sums of money yet failing to provide any real value to the sponsoring organization. Based on your team members’ experiences (experiences need not be information technology related), how practical do you think the solutions are that are offered by each author? Where do you think they fail in the reality department? If you had to choose between one of these two models as a basis for managing projects which one would your team pick and why? Please present your answers to these questions in the form of a 9 - 10 page Requirements: 1900

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

The challenge of managing business projects effectively, especially within information technology (IT), has long been plagued by the paradox of high costs and often limited or failed value delivery. The two prominent models designed to address this dilemma—the SMART project management model and the Benefits Realization Approach—offer structured frameworks aiming to enhance project success and value realization. This paper critically examines these models, exploring their practicality based on real-world team experiences and assessing their limitations. Furthermore, the paper recommends which model provides a more feasible foundation for managing projects in contemporary organizational contexts.

The SMART Project Management Model

The SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) model, rooted in effective goal-setting theory, aims to streamline project planning and execution. Its practical advantages lie in clarifying project objectives, enabling better scope control, and facilitating performance measurement. Teams leveraging SMART typically report improved focus, clearer deliverables, and increased accountability. For instance, in non-IT contexts such as event planning or construction, SMART goals have effectively minimized scope creep and enhanced resource allocation.

However, critics argue that the SMART framework can be overly rigid, particularly in complex or innovative projects. Its emphasis on well-defined goals may hinder flexibility and adaptability—qualities essential in evolving business environments. Moreover, the model assumes that project objectives can always be clearly defined at inception, which is often not the case in dynamic markets. In reality, projects often encounter unforeseen challenges, requiring recalibration that the SMART framework may not inherently support.

The Benefits Realization Approach

The Benefits Realization Approach (BRA) shifts the focus from project outputs to outcomes—specifically, the benefits that stakeholders are intended to gain. This model advocates for aligning project objectives with strategic goals and emphasizing continuous value assessment throughout the project lifecycle. Practically, BRA encourages early stakeholder engagement, ongoing benefit tracking, and post-implementation reviews.

Real-world experiences suggest that BRA can significantly increase the likelihood of delivering tangible value, especially when it emphasizes stakeholder involvement and strategic alignment. For example, in healthcare or public sector projects, benefits realization has been instrumental in justifying investments and ensuring that projects deliver intended results.

Nonetheless, implementing BRA faces challenges. It demands robust measurement tools, ongoing stakeholder engagement, and clear benefit definitions—factors that can be difficult to sustain over long project durations. Additionally, benefits realization often encounters organizational resistance, particularly when benefits are intangible or difficult to quantify, leading to potential misinterpretation and misalignment of project outcomes with strategic goals.

Comparison and Practicality Based on Team Experiences

From a practical standpoint, teams involved in diverse projects—ranging from small business initiatives to complex IT deployments—find elements of both models beneficial but also face limitations. The SMART framework’s clarity and simplicity make it attractive for straightforward projects with well-defined outcomes. Conversely, BRA’s strategic focus and emphasis on benefits make it suitable for projects aiming for significant organizational change.

However, in real-world scenarios, both models encounter difficulties. For example, projects often evolve rapidly, rendering predefined SMART goals obsolete before completion. Similarly, benefits can take years to materialize, making ongoing realization efforts cumbersome and susceptible to organizational change or shifting priorities.

Teams have observed that neither model alone sufficiently addresses the complexities of modern projects. Real-world constraints—such as changing stakeholder expectations, resource variability, and unforeseen risks — often require flexible hybrid approaches combining elements of SMART and benefits realization strategies.

Choosing the Superior Model for Project Management

Given the insights from team experiences, the Benefits Realization Approach appears more aligned with the strategic needs of modern organizations aiming for long-term value. While SMART provides clarity and control during planning, it lacks the emphasis on ongoing value delivery post-project completion. Conversely, BRA’s focus on continuous benefits tracking and strategic alignment better accommodates project changes and emphasizes value outcomes.

Therefore, if the team were to select one model as a basis for managing projects, the Benefits Realization Approach would be preferred due to its holistic, outcome-oriented perspective. It encourages not only effective planning but also sustained stakeholder engagement and benefit measurement, which are critical in avoiding project failures and ensuring real organizational value.

Conclusion

Both the SMART project management model and the Benefits Realization Approach offer valuable frameworks to mitigate the paradox of high project costs and limited value delivery. However, their practical application reveals limitations—particularly in adapting to project complexity and organizational dynamics. From a pragmatic perspective rooted in real-world experiences, the Benefits Realization Approach holds greater promise for fostering long-term value and strategic alignment, making it a preferable foundation for project management. Future project success depends on integrating the strengths of both models, continuously refining approaches to cater to the complexities of contemporary organizational environments.

References

  1. Kerzner, H. (2017). Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. Wiley.
  2. PMI. (2017). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th ed.). Project Management Institute.
  3. Maier, R., & Rechtin, E. (2000). The Art of Systems Architecture: Enterprise Systems and Technology. CRC Press.
  4. Kontio, J., & Gemino, A. (2006). Managing Benefits in Software Projects. Journal of Software Maintenance and Evolution: Research and Practice, 18(7), 477-498.
  5. Too, E. G., & Weaver, P. (2014). Transforming pain into gain: Benefits realization management. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 7(2), 336-352.
  6. Russell, R. (2014). Benefit Management in Projects: Concepts and Practice. Project Management Journal, 45(6), 57-68.
  7. Wylie, S., & Klein, R. (2017). Practical Project Portfolio Management. Routledge.
  8. Harvey, J. (2016). Integrated Benefits Management: The New Path to Business-Driven IT. Journal of Benefits and Value, 9(3), 14-21.
  9. Patel, D., & Patel, A. (2020). Strategic Benefits Realization Management and Its Application in Organizational Change. International Journal of Business and Management, 15(8), 43-55.
  10. Snyder, C. A. (2012). Managing Benefits in Strategic Projects. Benefits Management Journal, 4(2), 11-21.

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