Benefits Realization Case Study and Outcome Management

While doing some research on-line I recently read a presentation about the Benefits Realization experience of the Government of Canada. Here are some interesting concepts raised in the presentation that are applicable to any organization - public or private.

Benefit Realization Principles:
        1. Benefits realization is the pre-planning for, and ongoing management of benefits promised to be enabled by the successful implementation of change projects.
        2. Sound project management can only enable a business owner (program) to realize intended benefits
        3. Accountability for the realization of intended benefits must rest with the business function, not with the IT project  [This is very true and I would make it my first principle]

 Outcome Management is a set of methods, processes, tools and techniques for planning, selecting, managing and realizing results and benefits:
        1, An outcome (benefit) is the desired result of an initiative undertaken to meet a need or solve a problem (e.g. to reduce gun related crime by 25% within 5 years by implementing a national gun registry system)
        2. Outcomes are final results supported by intermediate outcomes (benefits milestones).
        3. Cost benefit analysis is a subset of Outcome Management
        4. Focuses on realizing benefits not just providing the deliverables. Facilitates on-going and ex post evaluation of "hard" and "soft" benefits

I think the whole presentation is worth reading and can be found at : http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/emf-cag/outcome-resultat/benefits-avantages/benefits-avantages_e.ppt