The Top 13 Project Selection Methods
The Top 13 Project Selection Methods
Table of Contents
Method #1: Benefit Measurement Methods
Cost-Benefit Ratio
Economic Model
Payback Period
Discounted Cash Flow (DCF)
Net Present Value (NPV)
Scoring Models
Internal Rate of Return (IRR)
Opportunity Cost
Method #2: Constrained Optimization Methods
Linear Programming
Non-linear Programming
Integer Programming
Dynamic Programming
Multiple Objective Programming
Method #1: Benefit Measurement Methods
The Benefit Measurement Methods are likely going to be the only methods you'll be using
directly as a project manager. While less complex than the Constrained Optimization
Methods, they often don't require an advanced degree in finance to understand them.
They are great for smaller projects that aren't especially complicated. Benefit Measurement
Methods, as the name suggests, rate potential projects according to a specific model and
compare those results between the project candidates. Below are the most common Benefit
Measurement Methods you'll be using as a PM.
1. Cost-Benefit Ratio
The simplest of the Benefit Measurement Methods, the cost-benefit ratio is an effective way
of communicating the potential value of a project in easily understandable terms. It
measures the costs of investing in a project against the value of the return once it is
completed.
A project that requires $280,000 in resources to complete with an expected $420,000 return
would have a 4:6 (or 2:3) cost-benefit ratio. Essentially, every $2 invested in this project
would yield $3 in revenue. Projects with a lower cost-benefit ratio (or a higher benefit-cost
ratio) should be selected if evaluated only by this method.
2. Economic Model
The Economic Model, also known as the Economic Value Added (EVA), is similar to the Cost
Benefit Ratio technique in that it describes the difference between costs invested and
revenue generated in one number - profit.
Investopedia aptly defines EVA as net operating profit after tax - (invested capital X weighted
average cost of capital). This model provides a clear representation of the quantifiable
benefits of a project once it's completed and can help give you a solid idea of what kinds of
returns to expect for each project.
3. Payback Period
The Payback Period Technique takes a look at how long it will take your company to recoup
its expenses with a particular project. If our $280,000 project were to bring in $20,000 a year
once it's completed, the total payback period would be 14 years.
It's worth remembering though, that any time you try to factor in returns over time you
should be looking at the present dollar value of the future revenue as inflation and interest
will all come into play.
4. Discounted Cash Flow (DCF)
The Discounted Cash Flow Analysis handles the problem of calculating the present value of
future earned dollars. This is one of the best ways to calculate value of returns that occur
over a long period of time rather than immediately after completion.
While the Payback Period Model is easy to calculate and simple to understand, the
Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model incorporates the time value of money. This concept helps
translate future earnings into present day dollar values since a dollar in hand has more
earning potential than one promised for later.
5. Net Present Value (NPV)
Using Discounted Cash Flow, the Net Present Value (NPV) model helps put the whole
lifecycle of the project into perspective in terms of earnings.
For instance, calculating the earnings for year one of the project may return a net loss of, say,
$800. Year two may see a loss of $200, while years three, four, and five may result in gains of
$500, $1000, and $1500. All of these values would of course be informed by the DCF concept
to translate future values into present dollars.
The Net Present Value of the project, then, would be the combination of all of these
numbers ($3000 minus losses of $1000) and would equal $2000.
While there are a number of essential free tools at a project manager's disposal in general,
the easiest one for calculating NPV is Excel by far.
For help in determining how to calculate NPV using Excel, head over to Microsoft's help page
dedicated to the subject.
The equation for determining Net Present Value according to Finance Formulas is:
npv calculation
6. Scoring Models
Scoring Models may be the most flexible way of comparing projects to one another. Rather
than focusing purely on financials, Scoring Models let you determine which qualities of a
project are most important to you, your team, and your company at large.
You may, for example, choose to look at profitability, overall risk, support from stakeholders,
and the difficulty of the project.
Once the criteria are chosen, you'll want to weigh them according to your priorities and rank
each project in terms of these four measures using a consistent scale. The total numbers for
a single project are then combined and used to reflect the project's total value, making it
easy to compare your projects to one another.