Perceived project failure is often attributed to the non-achievement of benefits. In truth the lack of rigor at the outset has allowed business cases through with totally unreasonable expectations.

The more forward thinking organisations have created the role of Benfits Realisation Manager, which is either at a Corporate governance level or as part of the Programme Management Office. They ensure that benefits are properly defined and tracked during the programme lifecycle.

There is much debate about whether a project itself can deliver a benefit in itself, as to achieve a benefit the organisation must adopt the project outputs and leverage their potential, that is why the benefits concept sits more comfortably with programme than project management as the programme engages and takes ownership of the organisational change