Core Competencies of a Successful Project

For a project to be a success, there are core competencies of the project itself, that must be in place.

1. Are the cost, schedule, and techncial scope firmly supported, integrated, and validated with appropriate tools, with sound underlying technical, economic, and programmatic bases, assumptions, and front-end planning?
   
   • Is the level of detail for this cost, schedule, and techncial scope defined appropriatley for the maturity level of the project?
   • Early in the project these will have less confidence than later in the project.
   • Are the confidence levels defined for each phase of the project?
2. Has the design matured to the appropriate degree and been validated through appropriate and credible processes? 
   • Has definition of the "maturity" levels been defined?
   • In some domains the Technical Readiness Level (TRL) can be used to define these levels.
3. Is new technology, or technology applied in new application, mature enough and validated through appropriate tools ?
4. Has the project minimized risk by desegregating a single project into multiple smaller projects, where appropriate? 
   • This can be done through partitioning the work, performing the work through iterations or phases, or other methods to segregate the risk and assure working product is produced incrementally
5. Does the Integrated Project Team (IPT) have an appropriate complement of committed personnel, having the requisite skill set, who are aware of their role, and are prepared to successfully execute the project?
   
   • Has the composition been developed and validated through an appropriate staffing algorithm utilizing some best practices staffing guide?
6. Is the Project Director certified at the appropriate level and prepared and capable to manage the project or program?
   • This certification can be formal or informal
   • In both cases, so assessment of competency is needed
7. Have relevant and comprehensive risk and contingency analyses and Risk Management Plans been conducted /developed?
   • Is there sufficient management reserve?
   • How was this management reserive arrived at?
8. Has the project established a valid project funding profile?
   • Are these funds allocated and authorized?
9. Have credible and sufficiently accurate cost and schedule baselines been developed and supported by applicable tools and benchmarks?
   
   • Are the confidence levels defined for these estimates?
10. Are the Acquisition Strategy and Plan appropriate, support project delivery and provide the best value to the Government?
11. Is the contract aligned with the project and are contractual incentives aligned with project team success metrics.
12. Are appropriate management systems in place and functional (i.e. PARS II, EVMS, etc.) to allow for FPD and IPT to have clear communication throughout the organization to ensure authority, accountability and responsibility?
13. Are there processes in place to ensure personnel (Feds and Contractors) are held accountable?
14. Is the project team cognizant of and complying with DOE policy and guidance?
15. Has the project met all the applicable critical decision requirements?