At some point in a project management career, the following happens. You do the research, plan well, gather a good team, and kick off. But then, somewhere, things fall apart. Deadlines are missed. Deliverables don’t live up to expectations. Customers are dissatisfied. Understanding the common failures that can derail a project is crucial for steering it toward success. Let’s delve into the reasons for project failure and explore ways to fix them for next time.
Lack of Clear Objectives
One of the primary reasons for project failure is the lack of clear and well-defined objectives. Without a precise understanding of the project outcomes, stakeholders will struggle to align and synchronize their efforts, resulting in confusion and lack of focus. After all, there’s no way to know whether you’ve succeeded when you aren’t entirely sure what you’re trying to accomplish.
How To Prevent It
We’re positive that you already know you should be setting SMART and CLEAR goals, so we won’t go further into details as to why those are important. Instead, we want to focus on making sure your goals are specific and visibly articulated. Often, teams will come up with SMART goals believing they are specific enough; news flash, they’re probably not.
Let’s say, for example, there is a big corporation called Tech Innovations that is acquiring smaller Spec Inc. The lead project manager’s project is to ensure the successful integration of Spec Inc.’s technology solutions into Tech Innovation’s existing systems, servers, and infrastructure to enhance product offerings and market competitiveness. The team has identified the following as their SMART goal.
“Complete the integration of core technology systems within nine months from the acquisition date”
This goal is actually not specific enough. There are 40 things to tackle within this that should be set out to ensure success. Instead, the goal should look like:
“Relaunch Spec Inc tooling directly to Tech Innovations servers with less than 4 hours of business interruption. This implementation must be completed on March 31, 2024, and must have a backup plan in case we approach the 4 hour downtime mark”
As you can see, the new goal is much more specific in the second scenario. A good way to test whether a goal is specific enough is to run out of questions when reviewing it. If no more questions come up, then the goal is as clear as it should be.
Ineffective Communication
Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful project management. When communication channels break down or become ineffective, project progress can be hampered, leading to misunderstandings, delays, and conflicts. It is one of the most common reasons for project failure.
How To Prevent It
Set a clear communication plan at the beginning of your project. Determine how often you need to receive updates, have well-run meetings, get real-time, honest feedback, and more. Enhancing communication through regular updates, clear action items, and active listening can foster collaboration and keep all team members on the same page.
Continuing from our example above, the above goals outline the successful integration of Spec Inc technologies into Tech Innovations servers with less than 4 hours of downtime. That means both teams need clear communication on the exact process and stages of integration leading up to and during the project. As well as increased communications with all stakeholders on the day of launch. This increased need for communication and availability was set at the beginning of the project so all parties were prepared and ready to act in case of an issue. In the case where an issue does arise, the first step is to inform and prepare the sponsor and key stakeholders. Lack of communication when an issue comes up is the quickest way to make the issue even bigger than it already is. Implement a protocol that is proactive and emphasizes open communication
Poor Resource Management
Inadequate resource management can significantly impact your project’s timeline, budget, and quality. Projects need proper personnel, time, and financial allocation to avoid delays, cost overruns, and subpar deliverables.
How to Prevent It
Here are some questions to ask yourself next time
- What human resources are required? Which people and for how long? Are they working on another project, or could they be called away before my project is completed? Have I truly got the right talent onboard?
- What outside vendors will we rely on? What are their lead and turnaround times and limitations?
- What knowledge resources might we be lacking? Can I bring in an expert or conduct training to build my team’s requisite project management skills?
Continuing with the same example, the project manager must ensure software engineers & IT personnel are available to complete the transition. Along with backup support if there are technical issues (e.g., the transition taking longer than 4 hours). Once we confirm the required personnel is prepped and ready, we want to ask ourselves additional questions about the resources required. Does the current Tech Innovation system have everything it needs to integrate Spec Inc.’s technology successfully? If not, then what needs to be added? What people are required for that to happen?
Scope Creep
Scope creep refers to the gradual expansion of project scope beyond the originally defined boundaries. It seems so innocent at first, but it can lead to unclear goals and objectives, increased costs, timeline extensions, and reduced quality as additional requirements are introduced without proper evaluation.
How to Prevent It
Preventing scope creep requires diligent scope management, setting clear boundaries, conducting regular scope reviews, and systematically addressing any changes to maintain project alignment. The best practice to setting a scope is not just stating what the scope is, but also clearly stating what the scope is not.
Here is where goal setting comes to bite you. If goals are poor, then scope creep can occur. If the goal is amazingly specific then you will know when you don’t reach it and avoid said creep. By understanding the exact goal of the new deployment, the resources required, and the communication to get it done, the team can isolate where any costs or time have crept over budget. It’s all about the planning.
Lack of Risk Management
Ignoring or underestimating project risks can leave projects vulnerable to unforeseen issues and setbacks. Risk management involves identifying, assessing, and mitigating potential risks to safeguard project success.
How to Prevent it
By conducting comprehensive risk analyses, developing risk response strategies, and proactively monitoring risks throughout the project lifecycle, organizations can improve their resilience to uncertainties.
You can monitor a project using RAID: risks, actions, issues, decisions. The risks part of RAID involves identifying, analyzing, evaluating, communicating, and updating risks. This plays a key role in risk management by forcing you to fully consider and develop a plan for risks early on. RAID will also help you monitor other aspects of your project, so it’s an all-around effective process to implement.
With our example of Tech Innovations, many risks could occur during and at the end stages of the project. For instance, compatibility issues between the two systems may arise, leading to delays in integration and functionality issues, increased cybersecurity threats due to the integration of new technologies and systems or resistance from employees toward adopting new technologies and workflows during the integration process. All these risks need to be identified and mitigation strategies put in place. Enhance the mitigation strategy by creating a step-by-step playbook that is well-tested and rehearsed.
Conclusion
Remember, understanding the reasons for project failure is the first step toward implementing corrective actions and steering projects toward successful completion. The sooner you begin implementing the proper project planning, the more money and time you save. Valstroom has a team of seasoned program and project managers who are practiced in all aspects of project management. Contact our team today if you need help preparing for your next big project or help with rescue and recovery in a current one!
