In many software projects, clients tend to focus solely on developers, underestimating the crucial role of Delivery Managers. They often believe that developers are the sole contributors to value creation. However, this perspective overlooks the significant impact that Delivery Managers have on the success of a project.
The Misconception
Clients often perceive Delivery Managers as overhead, not realizing that without proper delivery management, projects can veer off course, leading to wasted resources and unmet objectives. The absence of effective delivery oversight can result in teams working on features that don’t align with business goals, causing delays and increased costs.
The Reality
Delivery Managers ensure that the development process aligns with business objectives, facilitating communication between stakeholders and development teams. They help in prioritizing tasks, managing risks, and ensuring that the project stays on track.
✅ According to McKinsey, agile delivery leads to:
30–50% faster time to market
20–30% increase in customer satisfaction
30–50% gains in operational performance
McKinsey: Five trademarks of agile organizations
Even though the article is about Agile in general, these gains are only possible when delivery is handled properly — that’s where Delivery Managers come in.
Real-World Example
In one of our projects, the client chose to proceed without a Delivery Manager, believing the technical team could handle tasks on their own and it would save costs. The result?
The team spent months building features that were eventually deemed unnecessary.
The work lacked clear goals or stakeholder alignment.
Ultimately, this led to significant financial losses and project delays.
This could have been avoided with proper delivery oversight.
The Value of Delivery Management
- Alignment with Business Goals: Ensures that development work matches strategic objectives.
- Risk Management: Identifies issues early and implements mitigation strategies.
- Improved Communication: Keeps all parties in sync and reduces misunderstandings.
- Efficiency: Streamlines processes, reduces waste, and improves productivity.
Cost/Benefit Analysis
Let’s say you add a Delivery Manager to a team of 5 developers at 0.5 FTE. They won’t write code — but their presence can optimize the work and focus of the entire team.
According to McKinsey and Atlassian, that optimization can boost team efficiency by 20–30%.
That means:
0.5 FTE of delivery input → 1.5 FTE of developer productivity gains.
That’s ROI you don’t get by hiring “just one more dev.”
Closing Thoughts
While developers are essential for building the product, Delivery Managers are crucial for ensuring that the right product is built efficiently and effectively.
Ignoring the role of delivery management often leads to costly mistakes, misalignment, and project failure.
📚 Additional References
✅ Atlassian – Project Management in Agile Teams
“Strong delivery roles reduce context-switching and clarify team focus, increasing delivery predictability and quality.”
✅ PMI Pulse of the Profession
Companies that undervalue project management report 67% more project failures.
✅ Harvard Business Review – Why Good Projects Fail Anyway
“Many projects fail not because of poor development, but due to misaligned goals and scope creep — all of which Delivery Managers help prevent.”