News & Insights

Driving Project Success with the Project Collaboration Index (PCI)

Collaboration is the action of working with others to achieve a common purpose. That’s simple enough. “Aren’t we doing that all the time on projects” you might ask? The answer is most definitely yes. However, as projects grow in size and complexity, success increasingly depends on building a collaborative project system between individual organisations, a system that is distinguished by a best for project mindset.

That’s why we created the Project Collaboration Index (PCI). It’s designed to measure and improve collaboration on projects, both within and across organisational boundaries. We’ve made it a research-based, practical tool to help leaders guide decisions and spark important project discussions.

What is the PCI?

The PCI gives project leaders a clear view of how collaboration is working — what’s going well and what needs attention. It helps ensure teams are aligned and working effectively towards project goals.

The PCI assesses the quality of working relationships within a project. It captures key factors that determine success:

• Ease of working together – Do teams experience smooth workflows or operational friction?
• Relationship strength – Is trust and mutual respect embedded across teams?
• Pace alignment – Are all stakeholders moving in sync to meet project demands?
• System effectiveness – Do governance and processes enable or hinder collaboration?
• Openness and transparency – Are decisions and communications clear and inclusive?
• One-team culture – Is there a shared mindset driving collective project goals?

Benchmarking for Improvement

The PCI benchmarks your project against PHI™’s Great Projects Benchmark, providing insights into how your team compares to industry-leading projects. By understanding collaboration gaps, leaders can take targeted action to improve performance before risks escalate.

Turn Insights into Action

Great collaboration doesn’t happen by chance—it’s measured, refined, and embedded in project culture. The PCI equips leaders with data-driven insights to strengthen team dynamics and drive better project outcomes.