Over three quarters (77%) of project professionals say business acumen improves strategic decision making, yet less than a fifth (18%) are highly proficient in it.
That gap is costing organisations more than they realise. Especially in I.T. projects, where the line between delivery and business value is thinner than ever.
A couple of observations:
#1: When I.T. projects fail to deliver full business value, it is rarely down to a flaw in the technology or the deliverables in and of themselves. Often, the real root cause lies in a disconnect between project execution and the organisation’s wider commercial goals.
#2: Business-savvy project professionals consistently outperform their solely technically focused peers in delivering business value and commercially beneficial outcomes.
While delivery methodology and technical skill remain essential, they are no longer enough on their own. Increasingly, levels of success are linked to levels of business acumen.
It’s more than a buzzword, business acumen is the ability to understand how an organisation makes money, what its strategic goals are, and how decisions and actions at the project-level impact overall business performance. In the context of I.T. delivery, business acumen can make the difference between a project that ticks all the delivery boxes but misses the mark, and one that drives genuine, measurable business value.
Recent findings from the Project Management Institute’s 2025 Pulse of the Profession report confirm this shift. The report highlights business acumen as a critical skill for project professionals and links it directly to stronger project outcomes. Tellingly, though only 18 percent of project professionals are considered highly proficient in it.
WHY BUSINESS ACUMEN MATTERS IN I.T. PROJECTS
Business acumen allows project professionals to:
Make decisions in alignment with business goals
Prioritise features and deliverables that support commercial strategy
Communicate with impact to non-technical stakeholders
Anticipate the broader implications of project risks and delays
PMI’s global research supports these observations. Organisations reported significant benefits from having business-aware professionals within their project teams:
77% said it facilitated strategic decision making during project execution
71% said it enabled more effective stakeholder expectation and conflict management
62% saw improvements in project risk identification and mitigation strategies
49% said it helped uncover and capitalise on new business opportunities
These figures suggest that commercial awareness does more than enhance delivery. It actively shapes how a project supports the long-term health and growth of the business.
WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE IN PRACTICE
Over the years, Stoneseed has watched this play out repeatedly during Project Management as a Service (PMaaS) engagements: The professionals who consistently drive the strongest results are not just those with solid delivery credentials but rather they are the ones who instinctively understand the client’s commercial landscape, strategic pressures and customer needs.
They ask better questions during discovery phases. They adapt more effectively when priorities shift. They speak the language of stakeholders, not just Gantt charts and RAID logs.
Most importantly, they keep sight of the bigger picture while managing day-to-day delivery.
On the other hand, teams that lack business acumen can struggle to bridge the gap between I.T. and the rest of the organisation. These teams may hit deadlines and stay within budget, but still fail to deliver a project that makes a tangible difference to the business.
Interestingly, this issue is not limited to junior or inexperienced professionals. Business acumen is not solely about years on the job. It is about exposure to diverse environments, the ability to think commercially, and the confidence to challenge or refine delivery plans in light of strategic aims.
BUSINESS ACUMEN as a SERVICE
Many organisations now recognise the importance of business acumen within I.T. Project teams, however building it internally can take time. Training and coaching helps, but the most effective development happens through real-world exposure to projects where business case strategic thinking is valued and expected.
Project teams with a Business Analyst, naturally, have a head-start when it comes to business acumen, but it’s not always possible to maintain a permanent BA, especially if they are benched much of the time! Business Analysis as a Service (BAaaS) from Stoneseed is a natural solution here and, actually, it’s worth considering the positive commercial impact of PMaaS as a whole.
At Stoneseed, development of business acumen has been organic:
- Our management team has, between them, decades of experience in I.T. project management and across various sectors;
- When hiring PMaaS talent, the ability to align project and business goals is a key recruitment factor;
- All PMaaS engagements are built around business case
It all adds up! It’s among the reasons why Stoneseed clients notice and benefit from such strong business awareness from all our experienced PMaaS talent, not just our BAs. By working across different sectors, delivery models and organisational cultures, they develop a sharper sense of what success looks like from a business perspective, not just a project one.
Importantly, these professionals also act as catalysts for internal growth. When placed alongside in-house teams, they can help elevate thinking, ask the right questions, and build business context into every stage of the project lifecycle.
SHIFTING THE I.T. PROJECT MINDSET
I remember, years ago, a Finance Director telling an I.T. Project Leader that the “commercial side” was “none of his business”. I.T. was a back-room function, we were expected to be “seen and not heard”. Today, forget none of our business, I.T. is the business!
I.T. projects are no longer just about systems implementation or infrastructure upgrades. In most cases, they are part of broader digital transformation efforts or customer experience initiatives. That means they carry commercial implications far beyond the project team.
To meet such expectations, project professionals must be able to join the dots between delivery activity and business outcomes. This has required a mindset shift: Success is not defined solely by delivering on time or on budget but by delivering in a way that supports strategic goals and creates measurable value.
Business acumen is an asset that is fast becoming a key requirement!
BUT … it isn’t about turning project managers into finance directors or strategists. It is about giving them the tools to make better decisions, frame issues in business terms, and steer their projects towards outcomes that matter.
WHILE THE VALUE IS CLEAR, THE SUPPLY IS NOT.
The challenge is that business acumen remains a relatively rare skill in many project environments. PMI’s research suggests that while demand is growing, capability is not keeping pace.
Only 18% of Project Professionals are highly proficient, and 16% believe that they have low business acumen proficiency, as we learned 77% say business acumen improves strategic decision making. The gap represents both a risk and an opportunity.
The risk is that organisations continue to pour time and resources into I.T. projects that never quite hit the mark.
The opportunity is to raise the bar by embedding business awareness into every project team, whether that’s through development, recruitment or by working with experienced PMaaS professionals who already bring that mindset.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Business acumen is no longer a “nice to have” for I.T. project professionals.
It is a proven enabler of smarter decision making, stronger stakeholder engagement and more commercially valuable outcomes.
The PMI data is clear. The real-world impact is even clearer. Teams that bring business insight to their I.T. delivery consistently outperform those that do not.
Whether your organisation builds that capability internally or brings it in through experienced support, prioritising business awareness in your I.T. projects may be one of the smartest strategic moves you can make.
Technology will keep evolving, the ability to align it with business value is what will define real commercial success.
More about Project Management as a Service from Stoneseed
SOURCES:
https://www.pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/boosting-business-acumen#inside
