Why Do Some Projects Fail?

Generally speaking, any given project can be placed into 1 of 3 categories:

1. Successful: Successful projects are described as being completed on time, within budget, and include all of the originally planned features.

2. Challenged: Challenged projects are in fact operational, but are delivered over budget, behind schedule, and with fewer functionality than was originally planned.

3. Failed: Whereas failed projects are those that are cancelled before completion.

While much praise is given to projects that are deemed successful by the above criteria, some projects are doomed from the onset, and furthermore, an effective project manager will cancel (or fail) a project that is NOT showing promise towards successful completion. Money saved is just as good as money earned! Sometimes this is against the company’s strategy and vision or policy.

If you ask people what factors cause problems in projects these are the sort of things they will say:

• Undefined scope/Scope creep
• Unclear objectives/Unclear expectations
• Vague requirements
• Uncontrolled change
• Unclear roles & responsibilities
• Stakeholder conflicts
• Lack of user involvement/Poor user input
• Change in project size, budget & scope
• Lack of leadership from sponsor/Internal politics/Change in key personnel
• Poor architecture
• Inadequate monitoring & reporting
• Skills that do not match the job/ Inadequate skills for project completion
• Inadequate planning/Poor cost & schedule estimation/Failure to plan/Schedule overruns
• Inadequate communication/ Communication breakdowns/Poor communication between business & IT
• Team know it's impossible but management believe it will be done
• Ignoring reality, wishful thinking/Late failure warning signals/Lack of fact-basis analysis

It is surprisingly rare for people to say that IT technology causes project failure or major difficulties. It is usually project management - or a lack of it - that causes the grief.

There was a touching belief a few years ago that if only one could write down every step a project must tread, then project managers could simply follow the process and out the other end would pop a successful project. Huge methodologies were spawned, money was made. But it isn't like that.

If you wanted to become a plumber you'd learn how to use each of the 50 tools in the plumber's toolkit. On your first, simple job you might only use 2 of them, but knowing which 2 and how to use them to best effect is obviously key. On a large plumbing job you might even use half the tools in your toolkit, but you'll never find any job on which you'll need to use every tool in the box.

The same with project managers: it's all about being equipped with tools for managing risks, defining scope, planning and scheduling, resolving conflict, etc. and then using these tools appropriately if and when needed. You cannot manage projects by rote.

“Calm seas never make skillful sailors.” - Unknown author