The ultimate guide to strategic project management for long-term success

Most companies realize the importance of planning and managing projects well. However, not many organizations also understand the importance of choosing the right projects, the ones that will help move the business forward. Projects that sync with business strategy are 57 percent more likely to be beneficial to the business. 

So what can you do to ensure your organization’s projects are making a noticeable impact?

Enter strategic project management. This method ensures not only that your teams’ projects are completed on time and on budget, but that they meet your organization’s strategic goals. 

In this article, we show you what strategic project management is, why it’s essential for business growth, and how you can implement it in your business.

What is strategic project management?

Strategic project management aligns a company’s project-based activities with its larger vision and goals. 

While traditional project management focuses on planning and executing projects within schedules and budgets, strategic project management involves taking a step back to look at the bigger picture and ensure that the projects further your company’s current objectives.  But it doesn’t forget the day-to-day details. This type of project management also ensures your projects are executed well.   

So far, it looks as if there is considerable overlap between strategic project management and traditional project management, right? The key differentiator is strategic project management’s broader lens, which looks at the impact on your company’s goals and future.  

Considering strategy during project selection has many benefits. Strategic project management ensures resources go to the most important initiatives. It also simplifies decision-making, helping the company’s major projects deliver the best value. 

You can also use a strategic project management approach to hold your organization accountable to its strategies. This comprehensive exercise requires your company to revisit its strategy at every milestone to further your vision.

Why strategic project management is essential for business growth

Organizations often face a common challenge: lack of clear goals. 

But when you include business strategy in project management discussions, everyone involved understands how the project aligns with the company’s overall vision. 

“From my experience scaling SaaS [software as a service] ventures like Textdrip, strategic project management isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s the engine that keeps business growth on track,” says Philip Portman, CEO and founder of Textdrip, a short-message-service marketing platform. “Without it, you’re just reacting. With it, you’re building with intention.

“Strategic project management helps align every initiative with your long-term business goals, whether that’s launching a new feature, expanding into a new market, or onboarding new customers,” Portman continues. “It turns vague ideas into focused execution. For us, that meant translating “Let’s grow our healthcare segment” to a real road map with timelines, resource allocation, and KPIs [key performance indicators]. That shift gave us clarity and speed.” 

Strategic project management gives organizations a competitive advantage. While other businesses are deep in task-associated details, organizations that prioritize strategy also have their eyes on the bigger picture. They can align their initiatives to business goals and cater to consumer trends or market shifts.

Key principles of strategic project management

The overarching principle of strategic project management is that every project must further your company’s performance toward its objectives as outlined in your vision and mission. 

Other key principles of this approach include the following: 

• Simplify everything: “You don’t need bloated plans,” says Portman. “What you do need is clarity: What’s the goal? Who’s responsible? What does success look like? If a team member can’t answer those in 10 seconds, it’s time to simplify.”
• Prioritize projects strategically: Portman notes that “not all projects are created equal. We use the ICE method [impact, confidence, effort] to evaluate ideas before jumping in. It keeps our team focused on what actually moves the needle.” Your company may need to shelve or discard any projects that do not align with your goals. 
• Collaborate cross-functionally: Don’t limit activity to an individual department. Bring in people with diverse experiences and expertise. Engagement from across your business extends the pool of resources available, increasing the chance of project success. 
• Pivot when necessary: Strategic project management is not a one-off process. It requires continuous iteration. Your company’s goals may shift based on internal and external factors, and projects sometimes need to pivot to align with new goals. “Strategic project management doesn’t mean being rigid; it means building a structure that allows for adaptability while still holding people accountable for results,” says Portman. 
• Manage risk proactively: Risk management is essential to keep projects on time, on budget, within scope, and aligned with company objectives. If there are issues with a project, your organization should be able to identify the issue and resolve it before it causes havoc.

6 steps to implementing strategic project management

If you’d like to get started with strategic project management, follow this step-by-step framework:

1. Define project objectives that align with your long-term business strategy.

Clearly identify the link between the project and what your organization aims to achieve over the next few years. 

“Begin with your outcomes,” says Portman. “What are your business goals this quarter or year? Growth? Retention? Innovation? Every project should tie back to one of those.” Establish KPIs and regularly monitor them to ensure the project is on track. 

2. Identify stakeholders.

What people or groups will have a vested interest in the project? These people will influence its outcomes. Determine how project management leadership will engage and build relationships with these stakeholders for the best chance of project success. And don’t forget to seek their feedback at key project milestones. 

3. Determine potential obstacles.

Assess your company’s risk. What could derail the project operationally or strategically? It may help to outline multiple scenarios. 

For example, if you foresee the project going over budget, consider cost-cutting measures you can implement. If you think the business strategy may shift based on consumer trends, consider how the project can adapt. 

4. Keep a flexible approach with project plans.

Strategic project management involves schedules, budgets, task lists and assignments, resource allocation plans, and other project plans, just as traditional project management does. However, it’s important to remain agile, regardless of how many plans you’re juggling. 

If the strategy changes, the project must pivot with it. If it doesn’t align with the business strategy, the project may not be successful. 

5. Use strategic project management software.

“Get the right tools, but don’t overcomplicate it,” says Portman. “The magic isn’t in the software; it’s in setting clear expectations, tracking progress, and reviewing results regularly.” 

Regardless of which strategic project management tool you choose, prioritize flexibility and customization, so you can adapt the tool to meet your business’ specific needs. The tool should also give you a big-picture overview of your vision and task-management features for the day-to-day details. 

6. Make strategic project management a part of your culture.

The strategic project management approach can’t be just a project-based initiative. Embed it in your work culture. 

“We do weekly project stand-ups not to micromanage, but to give space for honest updates, unblock challenges, and celebrate progress. Strategic project management only works when it’s part of how your team thinks, not just a process you bolt on.”

Jotform Boards: A strategic project management tool for long-term success

Using strategic project management, you can align your company’s projects with high-level business goals, while managing the daily details of project execution. Jotform Boards facilitates this approach by providing a centralized workspace where teams can manage projects strategically rather than just tracking individual tasks.

With its kanban-style interface, Jotform Boards enables teams to visualize project alignment with business objectives at every stage. You can customize workflows to match your business processes and see how every task contributes to your organization’s long-term success.

In addition to giving you a strategic bird’s-eye view of the project, Jotform Boards helps you organize tasks using drag-and-drop functionality. Project managers can assign priorities, deadlines, and responsibilities for effective task management. Jotform Boards also makes it easy to track progress, spot roadblocks, and make strategic shifts.

One of the best project management tools available, Jotform Boards enables real-time collaboration, workflow automation, project time management, and team communication. Project managers and team members will always be fully aware of project progress and how it relates to your organizational goals. Whether you’re managing multiple projects or focusing on one strategic initiative, give Jotform Boards a try today. It’s free to get started!