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Measuring Performance and Benchmarking Project Management at the Department of Energy (2005) / Chapter Skim
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3 The Benchmarking Process
Pages 21-26

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From page 21...
... Benchmarking is a core component of continuous improvement programs. As Gregory Watson noted in his Benchmarking Workbook, 12 of the 32 criteria for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award refer to benchmarking as a key component of quality assurance and process improvement (Watson, 1992)
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From page 22...
... The gap between actual performance and preferred achievement is typically analyzed to identify opportunities for improvement. Root cause analysis usually follows to assess the cause of unsatisfactory performance, and a search for best practices may be used to help address performance problems.
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From page 23...
... Postproject benchmarking is usually used to assess performance of a project delivery system to provide for lessons learned and feedback that can be used to establish benchmarks for future comparisons. Most organizations tend to begin with postproject comparisons and later progress to the earlier uses as confidence in the benchmarking process builds.
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From page 24...
... As project processes become automated, this barrier should shrink. Lessons Learned Lessons learned from past benchmarking efforts can be helpful for an organization embarking on a benchmarking initiative: Senior management buy-in and support are vital to success, but even with this support, generating enthusiasm is difficult (McCabe, 2001)
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From page 25...
... 2004. Presentation to the Construction Industry Institute Annual Conference, Vancouver, British Columbia, July 2004.
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Key Terms

  • project management
  • project team
  • construction industry
  • industry institute
  • continuous improvement

  • measuring performance
  • process improvement
  • external benchmarks
  • management tool
  • improvement cycle

  • project improvement
  • construction project
  • unsatisfactory performance
  • project execution
  • assess performance

  • integrated project
  • management process
  • improving performance
  • project decisions
  • performance appraisal

  • past benchmarking
  • lack performance
  • postproject benchmarking
  • benchmarking externally
  • project processes

  • benchmarking requires
  • project authorization
  • benchmarking agreements
  • guide project
  • team performance


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