Towards a Unified Framework for Project Success Score Computation in Construction Projects

The discussion of project success has expanded beyond project management and success criteria. The main cause of the failure to evaluate project performance in construction projects is the absence of a shared definition and a common set of criteria for project success. The aim of this paper is to develop a framework which includes certain success criteria to assess construction projects and allows for the calculation of a Project Success Score (PSS). The Rapid Impact Assessment Matrix (RIAM) approach is adopted and modified appropriately, providing a framework that combines primary and secondary success criteria to compute a comprehensive Project Success Score (PSS). Seventeen (17) success criteria are included in the framework, and their corresponding thresholds are formulated to determine the limits of failure of a project. The final PSS consists of five distinct classes, which range from the level of absolute success (PSS in the range of 9361 to 13,500) to the level of absolute failure (13 to 384). Finally, a web application that simulates the PSS framework is developed. The web application was tested by an end-user, in order to assess its applicability and ease of use, and the facilitation of the whole computation process of PSS was ensured. This paper provides a rational framework through which construction projects can be rapidly assessed, with the aim of highlighting the potential unsuccessful criteria in each project and increasing the probability of more effective project outcomes.