What is a key metric of project success?

Meeting scheduled deadlines is a key metric of project success because it directly reflects the project’s ability to adhere to timelines and deliver results within the defined schedule. Timeliness is crucial in project management, as delays can lead to increased costs, reduced stakeholder satisfaction, and negative impacts on the overall project goals. Adhering to deadlines shows that the project team is effectively managing resources, workflows, and potential risks, thereby ensuring that the project stays on track. Meeting deadlines also fosters trust and reliability with clients and stakeholders, illustrating that commitments are being fulfilled.

In contrast, the number of meetings held can sometimes indicate effort but does not necessarily correlate with effective project progress or success. The percentage of users having created a dashboard is more about user engagement than project outcome and does not measure the project's achievement of its goals. Approval from upper management, while important for support and resource allocation, does not inherently indicate that the project has met its objectives or stayed on schedule. Meeting deadlines, therefore, stands out as a tangible and critical metric for evaluating a project's success.