PMI’s research now defines project success as value delivered, not just conformance to plan. This post explains the M.O.R.E. call-to-action, how it fits the 2026 PMP exam, and what it means for choosing the best answers.
Table of Contents
What is M.O.R.E.?
M.O.R.E. is an acronym PMI created to summarize the main elements of their mindset shift for modern project managers.
The letters stand for:
M – Manage Perceptions
O – Own Project Success
R – Relentlessly Reassess
E – Expand perspective
How Does M.O.R.E. Feature in the New PMP Exam?
At the bottom of Page 6 in the ECO is the statement:
“The ECO is in alignment with the PMI Thought Leadership report, Maximizing Project Success: Elevating the impact of the project profession.”
In that research, PMI reframed project success: rather than building only on traditional metrics like schedule, budget, and scope, it now encompasses stakeholder value and the accomplishment of desired outcomes.
Our definition of project success has evolved, which may be reflected in questions or scenarios. To be on the safe side, we should understand what the Maximizing Project Success report says and how it translates into the M.O.R.E. principles.
You may see answer choices that sound “project management correct” but stop at delivery mechanics. Stronger answers often connect the work to outcomes, value, and stakeholder perceptions, which is exactly what M.O.R.E. aims to reinforce.
How Do We Measure Project Success?
For many years, project success was framed through studies such as the Standish Group’s CHAOS reports. These studies largely measured success as conformance to the triple constraint of on time, on budget, and on scope. These studies consistently painted a bleak picture of project performance.
Projects were judged against early estimates of the triple constraint that were often deliberately optimistic, set to secure approval and funding rather than reflect reality. The result was a success measurement system that was often set up for failure.
Even if it did come in on time, budget, and scope, was that a success? Did it deliver any value?
Exam Tip:
If a scenario describes a project that “hit the plan” but left stakeholders dissatisfied, expect the better answer to focus on value and outcomes, not just delivery.
A New Definition of Value
PMI’s Maximizing Project Success Report is positioned as a reset in how the profession defines and measures success. It draws on PMI’s largest research effort to date, and it challenges the narrow view of “success” that dominated earlier industry discussions.
The report makes a clear distinction between project management success and project success. The first is about controlling the execution and delivery process, while the second is about outcomes and value delivered. PMI’s global definition reflects that shift: a successful project is one that “delivered value that was worth the effort and expense.”
It also treats success as a continuum, since it is not a pass or fail label. A project can run smoothly and still miss the value mark (“the operation was a success, but the patient died”). A project can also deliver meaningful value even when delivery was messy. The highest perceived success sits where execution quality and valuable outcomes come together.
Net Project Success Score (NPSS)
To make this measurable across portfolios, PMI introduces the Net Project Success Score (NPSS). It uses a 0–10 success rating, then calculates NPSS as the percentage rated “Successful” (9–10) minus the percentage rated “Failure” (0–6). PMI reports a global baseline NPSS of 36, based on 48% successful and 12% failure.
A key implication is perspective, because success is not owned by one role. It requires a 360-degree view that reconciles different stakeholder opinions. PMI also stresses the voice of the intended beneficiaries, since perceptions of value matter as much as delivered outputs. If those beneficiaries do not see value, the success story will not hold.
Exam Tip:
If beneficiaries are missing from the success discussion, expect the better answer to bring them in.
Performance Themes
The report then identifies “performance themes,” which are criteria that best predict success. The strongest predictors are outcome-focused rather than execution-focused. Sustainability and social impact rank as the highest-performing theme.
Other top themes include employee satisfaction and experience. Quality also ranks highly, while meeting defined requirements remains important as well. PMI also reports higher NPSS for projects aligned with social good than for projects without that alignment.
Performance Levers
From there, the report shifts to “performance levers,” which are conditions and habits that increase the likelihood of success. Measurement is the big lever in the report, since PMI points to a well-established performance measurement system as the most impactful driver.
PMI also highlights a pattern that shows up in higher-performing projects. Teams define success criteria early, use a measurement system that fits the work, and track performance as the project unfolds. Taken together, those habits materially improve results.
The report also highlights levers related to people and resourcing. Team morale matters, as does funding through to completion. The same goes for resource management, because gaps in capacity and capability can undermine even a sound plan. These are not side issues; they are recurring contributors to whether projects deliver value.
Finally, it shows that success varies by context. NPSS differs by industry and by funding source, so the baseline is not a universal constant. Some sectors perform above the global average, while others offer greater opportunity for improvement. Funding source correlates with different success patterns as well.
All of these positions PMI’s M.O.R.E. framing as a practical response to the research findings. If success is value and perception, you have to manage perceptions, not just plans. If success is outcomes, you have to own success beyond delivery mechanics. If conditions shift, you have to reassess relentlessly. If sustainability and social impact predict success, you have to expand your perspective beyond the immediate deliverable and the project boundary.
Delivering M.O.R.E.
PMI’s “Delivering M.O.R.E.” report is a call to action. It builds directly on the Measuring Project Success research and turns it into practical guidance for how project professionals should show up. It frames a deliberate shift from “project management success” to “project success.” PMI positions this as a broader vision for the profession, one that supports its purpose of maximizing project success to elevate our world.
The report explains why this shift matters now. Measuring success mainly through execution metrics is less relevant in a world of rapid innovation and volatile conditions. The emphasis shifts to whether stakeholders perceive the delivered value as worth the effort and expense. That framing also makes “perceived value” central, since success depends on how key stakeholders experience the return relative to what they believe was invested.
It then defines M.O.R.E. as the behavior change PMI wants from the profession, presented as a 2025 call to action with four moves:
Manage Perceptions
Success requires customers, executives, and other key stakeholders to perceive sufficient value relative to the perceived investment.
Case Study: “Two stakeholder groups, one project”
Operations wants stability. Sales wants speed. Both judge success differently. The PM sets up separate measures for each group and surfaces where they conflict.
Practices: stakeholder map plus “value statements per group,” tailored communications, explicit trade-off statements, pre-reads before key meetings.
Own Project Success beyond Project Management Success
Take accountability for the full breadth of outcomes, not only executing requirements, while minimizing waste and making value clear to key stakeholders.
Case Study: “Hand-off cliff”
A team completes the build and closes the project. Support is not ready, so incidents rise, and stakeholders call it a failure. The PM views operational readiness as a key to success.
Practices: readiness checklist, support runbooks, warranty period, handover rehearsals, clear “who owns what” after go-live.
Relentlessly Reassess Project Parameters
Assume ongoing change, then keep reassessing value perceptions with stakeholders and adjusting plans as conditions shift.
Case Study: “The market moved”
Competitors release a feature that changes customer expectations. The team pauses, revalidates the benefit hypothesis, and adjusts the roadmap.
Practices: periodic value review, hypothesis tracking, stop-start-continue decisions, backlog reprioritization tied to emerging signals.
Expand Perspective
Consider impacts beyond the project itself, including how the work aligns with the enterprise’s broader goals and, ultimately, the world.
Case Study: “Social impact is part of the value”
A public-facing project could improve access for some groups while excluding others. The PM uses an inclusion lens early and tests with diverse users.
Practices: stakeholder expansion beyond the usual set of sponsors, customers, and users; accessibility criteria, pilot groups, fairness checks, plain-language communications.
How M.O.R.E. Aligns with the NEXT PMI Strategy
PMI also situates M.O.R.E. inside PMI:NEXT strategy, describing it as part of the organization’s direction and culture shift. It also highlights what PMI has already been doing to support the profession. Examples include PMIxAI, an AI Practice Guide, AI courses, and the AI platform PMI Infinity.
The report also lists supporting ecosystem moves such as partnerships and acquisitions intended to broaden capability and reach.
The overall message is that “M.O.R.E. success” does not mean more work. It means different work, with a wider field of view and clearer accountability for outcomes. PMI presents this as a collective movement across the ecosystem, not a solo expectation placed only on individual project managers.
How M.O.R.E. May Affect PMP Questions
It is difficult to tell how M.O.R.E. and the Measuring Project Success Report will impact new PMP questions. There are no specific ECO tasks or enablers that mention M.O.R.E. However, we should be on the lookout for questions that offer a broader perspective of project success. We need to move away from the mindset that project success is defined solely by the triple constraints of time, cost, and scope. That is an outdated view PMI is trying to eliminate.
Triple constraint thinking may still appear in answer choices, but it may be incomplete. It can be a distractor when the scenario is asking you to consider value, adoption, and how success is perceived by key stakeholders.
Rather than memorizing the report statistics, focus on how to apply the mindset. Identify what different stakeholders will consider “success,” and make that visible early. Consider whether the value delivered is worth the effort and expense. Think beyond the project boundary when it matters, since downstream impacts can change how the work is judged. We must also consider the impacts of our work in the larger setting of our organization and community.
Try to apply this mindset shift when answering questions. When you see:
- Competing stakeholder definitions of success → think Manage Perceptions.
- Handover, adoption, benefits not realized → think Own Project Success.
- Market/regulatory change → think Relentlessly Reassess.
- Social impact, downstream effects, unintended harm → think Expand Perspective.
Further Reading
- Maximizing Project Success: Elevating the impact of the project profession – PMI’s project success research and reset paper
- Deliver M.O.R.E. – PMI’s launch page for M.O.R.E. free training and PDF summaries
Congratulations! You earned the M.O.R.E. badge.