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ReasonsWhyProjectsFail
~ByTomCarlos
Inaperfectworldeveryprojectwouldbeontimeandwithin
budget.Butreality(especiallytheprovenstatistics)tellsavery
dierentstory.Itsnotuncommonforprojectstofail.Evenifthe
budgetandschedulearemet,onemustaskdidtheprojectdeliver
theresultsandqualityweexpected?Trueprojectsuccessmustbe
evaluatedonallthreecomponents.Otherwise,aprojectcouldbe
consideredafailure.
Haveyoueverseenasituationwhereprojectsbegintoshowsignsof
disorganisation,appearoutofcontrol,andhaveasenseofdoomand
failure?Haveyouwitnessedse ingswhereeveryoneworksinasilo
andnooneseemstoknowwhattheotherteammemberisdoing?
WhataboutteammemberswholivebythecreedIlldomypart(asI
seet)andafterthat,itstheirproblem.Evenworseiswhenteam
membersresorttongerpointing.Situationssimilartothese
scenariospointtoasignthatreadsdanger.Andifyoureadthene
printundertheworddangeritreads,yourprojectneedstobe
broughtundercontrolorelseitcouldfail.
Whenprojectsbegintoshowsignsofstressandfailure,everyonelookstotheprojectmanagerforanswers.Itmayseem
unfairthattheburdenofdoomfallsuponasingleindividual.Butthisisthereasonwhyyouchosetomanageprojectsfor
aliving!Youvebeentrainedtorecogniseanddealwiththesetypesofsituations.
Therearemanyreasonswhyprojects(bothsimpleandcomplex)fail;thenumberofreasonscanbeinnite.However,if
weapplythe80/20rulethemostcommonreasonsforfailurecanbefoundinthefollowinglist:
https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/reasonswhyprojectsfail.php 1/2
3/23/2017 ReasonsWhyProjectsFail
Evenwiththebestofintentionsorsolidplans,projectcangoawryiftheyarenotmanagedproperly.Alltoooften,
mishapscanoccur(andusuallydo).Thisiswhentheprojectmanagermustrecogniseawarningsignandtakeaction.If
youunderstandthedierencebetweensymptomsandproblemsandcanspotwarningsignsofprojectfailure,your
trainingwillhelpyoutakestepstorighttheshipbeforeitkeelsover.Yes,itstheprojectmanagersresponsibilityto
correctthelistingnooneelse.Inadditiontoapplyingtheprocessesandprinciplestaughtinprojectmanagementclass,
youcanalsouseyourpersonalworkskillsofcommunication,management,leadership,conictresolution,and
diplomacytotakecorrectiveaction.
Duringthecourseofmanagingaproject,theprojectmanagermustmonitoractivities(anddistractions)frommany
sourcesanddirections.Complacencycaneasilysetin.Whenthishappens,theprocessofmonitoringbreaksdown.This
iswhytheprojectmanagermustremainincontrolofaprojectandbeawareofanyactivitywhichpresentsariskof
projectfailure.Yes,thisiswhyyouarepaidthebigbucks.
TomCarloshasover20yearsofcumulativeexperienceinbusiness,technical,andtrainingenvironments.HeisaCertiedProject
ManagementProfessional(PMP)andmemberoftheSacramentoValleyPMIChapter.Forotherarticlesonsimilarsubject,youcan
visitThomasCarlosConsultingorcontacthimattom@carlosconsulting.com(mailto:tom@carlosconsulting.com)
ProjectSmart.Allrightsreserved~www.projectsmart.co.uk
https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/reasonswhyprojectsfail.php 2/2