15. A Hybrid VFT-GQM Method for Developing Performance Criteria and Measures

This chapter utilizes the principles of the Value Focused Thinking (VFT) and Goal Question Metric (GQM) to present a tool for managing the foundation processes of projects, programs and portfolios. The Project Performance Development Framework (PPDF) promotes the use of formal steps for identifying project criteria and measures that are used as the basis to evaluate the performance of the project. It addresses critical problems in project management where objectives typically are not clearly defined and stakeholders have multiple views and objectives on what is important to them in the project, which in turn impacts how the project performance is perceived. The PPDF has several iterative steps including stakeholder identification, objectives identification and structuring, definition of project measurement and prioritization to aid in stakeholder management and project objectives identification, prioritization and management. The PPDF artifact presented is demonstrated and evaluated for utility through a single Process Quality Management Development Project. The findings support the goals of PPDF and show that the formal approach provides added advantages in identifying important values of the stakeholders thereby improving the likelihood of managing stakeholders’ needs and achieving identified goals.