Benefit Realization Management: What Happens After the Project?

Do your projects truly generate profit, or do they merely consume resources? If this question makes you uncomfortable, you’re not alone. Research shows that only 35% of projects actually achieve their expected business results. The rest represents billions of dollars spent on “successful” projects that were formally completed on time and within budget but created no real value.

Imagine this painful reality: your company invested $2 million in a new CRM system. A year later, the system works perfectly, all processes are streamlined, employees are trained. The project is officially “successful.” But sales haven’t grown, the customer base remains unchanged, and system maintenance costs have only increased. That familiar feeling of disappointment and the question: “Where did our investment go?”

This is where Benefit Realization Management enters the scene – a methodology that fundamentally changes the approach to project management by focusing not on the process, but on the outcome.

From Process to Result

Benefit Realization Management (BRM) is a strategic approach to project management that focuses on achieving, measuring, and sustaining real business benefits from implemented initiatives. Unlike traditional project management, BRM doesn’t consider a project complete until the planned business results have been achieved and confirmed.

The core philosophy of BRM is that a project is not an end in itself, but an investment in achieving an organization’s strategic goals. The BRM methodology fully aligns with PMI (Project Management Institute) standards, particularly the PMI-PBA (Professional in Business Analysis) certification, which focuses on business analysis and benefit management. BRM also meets international ISO standards requirements, including ISO 21502:2020 (Project Management) and ISO 21504:2022 (Portfolio Management).

Now let’s return to our CRM example, but with the right approach. Using BRM:

Benefits identification stage: The team clearly formulated SMART goals: increase lead conversion by 20%, reduce request processing time by 35%, increase customer retention rate to 85% within 12 months.

Realization stage: Continuous KPI monitoring, monthly reports, sales process adjustments, additional training for managers.

Sustenance stage: Implementation of incentive programs, regular system usage audits, process updates based on obtained data.

Result: The CRM isn’t just installed – it became an effective business growth tool.

Three Key BRM Stages

Stage 1: Benefits Identification

This stage is the foundation of the entire project’s success. It’s critically important to properly formulate and structure expected results.

Techniques and tools:

• SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound)
• Business cases with detailed investment justification
• Benefits Maps for visualizing connections between actions and results
• Value Stream Mapping to identify value creation points

Quantitative and qualitative benefits:

• Quantitative: 25% revenue increase, 15% cost reduction, 30% productivity growth
• Qualitative: improved company image, increased employee satisfaction, strengthened market position

Benefits map templates:

• Miro Templates: Benefits Realization Map
• Slideteam.net

Key stage question: “Is this project capable of achieving the right business result, and how will we measure it?”

Stage 2: Benefits Realization

This is the most dynamic stage, where the team actively works toward achieving planned results.

Monitoring and metrics:

• Creating a KPI system with clearly designated responsible persons
• Regular reports (weekly, monthly) with deviation analysis
• Dashboards for real-time progress visualization

BRM KPI Examples:

Adaptation and adjustment: BRM emphasizes flexibility – readiness to make changes not only to the project but also to business processes. If the current approach doesn’t yield expected results, the team has the authority to change strategy.

Example: If CRM implementation doesn’t show expected sales growth after 3 months, the team may decide to additionally invest in staff training or change customer service processes.

Stage 3: Benefits Sustenance

The most often forgotten but critically important stage. Statistics show that 60% of achieved benefits are lost within a year after project completion.

Responsibility transfer: Responsibility for benefit sustenance transfers from the project team to operational departments. It’s important to ensure smooth knowledge and process transfer.

Long-term monitoring:

• Regular quarterly performance reviews
• Early warning system for potential “rollbacks”
• Quick response mechanisms to changes in the business environment

BRM Stakeholders

Business Owner

22% of respondents in industry studies consider their participation critically important. The business owner is responsible for:

• Defining the project’s true value
• Ensuring strategic alignment
• Providing necessary resources
• Removing organizational obstacles

Senior Management

20% of surveyed emphasize their role in:

• Forming a results-oriented culture
• Supporting BRM as a strategic priority
• Making critical decisions when course correction is needed

Project Manager

Another 22% point to the importance of their role evolution from simple “executor” to “benefits manager,” who:

• Understands the project’s business context
• Can interpret business requirements into technical solutions
• Possesses business analysis skills and strategic thinking

Recommended certifications for project managers:

• PMI-PBA (Professional in Business Analysis)
• PgMP (Program Management Professional)
• MSP Practitioner (Managing Successful Programmes)

Other Key Stakeholders

• End users – source of feedback on practical value;
• Sales and marketing departments – direct beneficiaries of many projects;
• IT departments – responsible for technical solution support.

Practical BRM Benefits

BRM helps quickly achieve first successes through proper project selection. This uses prioritization methods, including “impact/complexity” matrices, ROI analysis, and strategic importance assessment.

Investment in specialized skills plays an important role: 62% of companies successfully applying BRM invest in business analysis training, strategic thinking, certifications (e.g., PMI-PBA, PgMP), and change management skill development. For BRM process standardization, it’s recommended to focus on ISO 21502:2020 (Guidance on project management) and ISO 21504:2022 (Portfolio management).

Regarding motivation, BRM transforms the traditional approach. Instead of bonuses for simply completing projects on time, it encourages achieving specific business results, for example, increasing sales by 90% of planned.

Medium- and long-term BRM benefits manifest in better strategy and project integration: companies with such practices demonstrate 35% better results in achieving corporate goals, 50% higher stakeholder satisfaction, and 25% greater return on project investments.

Implementation Challenges and Practical Solutions

Implementing BRM methodology often comes with a number of typical problems that complicate achieving expected results. Below are key challenges and practical solutions that help overcome them. This systematic approach not only reduces resistance to change, but also increases benefit management efficiency at all organizational levels.

Technology in Service of Results

Role of data and analytics Modern Benefit Realization Management increasingly relies on analytical tools that provide deep understanding of results. BI analytics (Business Intelligence) allows analysis of large data volumes, while interactive dashboards visualize real-time progress. Predictive analytics helps forecast potential risks and opportunities for benefit maximization.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning AI automates benefit forecasting based on historical data, conducts intelligent deviation monitoring with recommendations, and identifies risks through pattern analysis. This significantly increases benefit management efficiency and enables quick and accurate decision-making.

Adaptation to Agile and DevOps BRM integrates with modern methodologies such as Agile and DevOps. Thanks to short feedback cycles and continuous monitoring, strategies can be quickly adjusted. Integration with CI/CD processes ensures quality control automation and rapid change implementation, which is especially important for technical projects.

Is Your Project Ready for Success?

Pre-project readiness:

• Clearly formulated business goals in SMART format
• Defined quantitative and qualitative success metrics
• Engaged key stakeholders from all levels
• Created monitoring and reporting system

During implementation:

• Regular KPI monitoring (at least monthly)
• Quick response mechanisms for deviations
• Open communication between all participants
• Readiness for strategy adjustment

After completion:

• Plan for responsibility transfer to operational departments
• Long-term monitoring system
• Mechanisms for preserving achieved benefits
• Lessons learned documentation for future projects

Conclusion

Benefit Realization Management is not just a project management methodology. It’s a fundamental mindset change that transforms an organization from a project executor to a value creator.

In a world where the pace of change is constantly increasing and competition is intensifying, companies cannot afford the luxury of “successful” projects that don’t deliver real results. BRM provides tools and processes to ensure every project investment is an investment in the organization’s future.

Organizations that master BRM gain a powerful competitive advantage. They don’t just execute projects – they create value, step by step, project by project. And this is the true magic of Benefit Realization Management: transforming ideas into results, dreams into reality, investments into profit.

Are you ready to take this step from simple project execution to creating real value? 

Additional Materials:

• ISO 21502:2020 – Project Management
• PMI-PBA certification
• Benefits Mapping – Miro Template
• Slideteam –  Benefits Realization templates
• PgMP certification
• MSP Practitioner certification