A good article appeared late last year at CIO.com about the linkage between project success and a project’s alignment with business strategy. In essence, the project manager needs to both 1) know the company’s high-level business strategy, and 2) know his/her project’s value relative to that strategy.

Many factors influence project success and failure, including schedules, resources and funding. But new project management research from training company Insights Learning and Development, certain chapters of the Project Management Institute and a strategic execution consultant suggests that the single most important factor influencing project success is the project’s link to the organization’s business strategy and the project manager’s understanding of how the project supports the business strategy.

This certainly conforms to our experience with a wide range of IT projects at IT Evolution. Every IT project should demonstrate its full business value before it even gets launched. Part of the value equation involves a solid knowledge of the organization’s strategy on the part of a project’s PM, sponsors, and stakeholders. Sometimes, the PM needs to act as the evangelist on business strategy to those who might not be as familiar with it, particularly in technical environments. Clear alignment with business strategy raises a project’s profile, solidifies its support, and significantly enhances its chances for success.

Read the full article over at CIO.com.