WHY LARGE NUMBERS OF PROJECTS FAILS?

Why large numbers of projects fails?

Why large numbers of projects fails?

Introduction

In a perfect world every project would be on time and within budget. But reality (especially the proven statistics) tells a very different story. It's not uncommon for projects to fail. Even if the budget and schedule are met, one must ask "did the project deliver the results and quality we expected?" True project success must be evaluated on all three components. Otherwise, a project could be considered a "failure."

Analysis

Have you ever seen a situation where projects begin to show signs of disorganisation, appear out of control, and have a sense of doom and failure? Have you witnessed settings where everyone works in a silo and no one seems to know what the other team member is doing? What about team members who live by the creed "I'll do my part and after that, it's their problem." Even worse is when team members resort to finger-pointing. Situations similar to these scenarios point to a sign that reads "danger." And if you read the fine print under the word "danger" it reads, "your project needs to be brought under control or else it could fail."

When projects begin to show signs of stress and failure, everyone looks to the project manager for answers. It may seem unfair that the burden of doom falls upon a single individual. But this is the reason why you chose to manage projects for a living! You've been trained to recognise and deal with these types of situations (Sauer, Christopher , Liu, Li & Johnston, Kim, 2001).

There are many reasons why projects (both simple and complex) fail; the number of reasons can be infinite. However, if we apply the 80/20 rule the most common reasons for failure can be found in the following list (Williams, T., Eden, C., Ackermann, F., Howick, S., 2005):

Poorly managed

Undefined objectives and goals

Lack of management commitment

Lack of a solid project plan

Lack of user input

Lack of organisational support

Centralised proactive management initiatives to combat project risk

Enterprise management of budget resources

Provides universal templates and documentation

Poorly defined roles and responsibilities

Inadequate or vague requirements

Stakeholder conflict

Team weaknesses

Unrealistic timeframes and tasks

Competing priorities

Poor communication

Insufficient resources (funding and personnel)

Business politics

Overruns of schedule and cost

Estimates for cost and schedule are erroneous

Lack of prioritisation and project portfolio management

Scope creep

No change control process

Meeting end user expectations

Ignoring project warning signs

Inadequate testing processes

Bad decisions

Even with the best of intentions or solid plans, project can go awry if they are not managed properly. All too often, mishaps can occur. This is when the project manager must recognise a warning sign and take action. If you understand the difference between symptoms and problems and can spot warning signs of project failure, your training will help you take steps to right the ship before it keels over. Yes, it's the project manager's responsibility to correct the listing no one else. In addition to applying the processes and principles taught in project management class, you can also use your personal work skills of communication, ...