The 2013 Index marked a five-year high in project performance, with 52 percent of projects being completed on-time, on-budget and in-line with scope (up from 39 percent). Meanwhile, there was also a drop in project failures, halving from 2012 to just 2 percent.

Many of the gains made in optimal delivery were at the expense of projects delivered over time / budget, down 10 percent (19 percent).

Planit Testing Index 2013: Project Outcomes by Year

When examining outcomes against primary project methodology, V-Model again registered the most successfully (55 percent on time, budget and scope).

Waterfall performed the most poorly (49 percent on time, budget and scope), and was most likely to complete over time and budget (23 percent).

Projects utilising Agile significantly improved their performance over the past year, more than half being completed on-time, budget and scope, up over 40 percent from 2012. Agile also reported the least over-time and budget projects (16 percent), down 11 percent, but did show the most project cancellations (4 percent).

Planit Testing Index 2013: Project Outcomes by Primary Methodology

When focusing on some of the better-represented industries, namely Financial Services, Government and IT, it was interesting to see the dramatic turn-around registered by the public sector, moving into top spot for projects completed optimally. By comparison, last year Government performed most poorly of these industries in a race that was far more level than the results registered in 2013.

Planit Testing Index 2013: Project Outcomes by Industry

 On time, budget, scope   Significant changes   Over time/budget  Postponed  Cancelled