Failing Projects

Failing ProjectsApril 2010

Daniel NewmanINTERNATIONAL PROJECT MANAGER

International Project Management

Over 1, 500projects in Europe, per

year*

* estimate


Over 100Government IT projects

in the United Kingdom per year*

* spectrum.ieee.org


40% FAIL to deliver*

* estimate


Project Failure

is RISING, especially within

I.T.*

* Gartner, META, and the Standish Group International


Project Failure

is costing BILLIONS*



Project Failureis WORLDWIDE*



WHY?


Failing projects

- what are they?- when do they occur?- avoidance? - tools & techniques- deploy countermeasures - case study

Answers


what are they?

• unrealistic timelines

• limited resources and understanding

• incredible internal and external pressures

• poor organisational support

• where termination is not an option

• designated a doomed project by everyone


when do they occur?

• during fast cash spending epochs (dot.com)

• on new programmes, projects and initiatives

• for favours ,"IBM CEO is my Godfather"

• when ego is under threat

• when good money is thrown after bad

Millennium Dome, £80 Million over budget!


cost £650 million to build and currently £650 million to run

The Dome


Wrote off $526 million on new automated supply-chain management system


10 years and $7 billion obliterated in under 40 seconds. Ariane 5, destructs due to software error.


Software errors cause $3.45 Billion credit over-payment.


Blowout preventer technology aboard Deepwater Horizon fails to kick in. 210,000 gallons of oil pours into the sea - daily!


NothingIsImpossible

Or are they ?

Failing projects,are impossible to deliver!


avoidance?

• you can say no, but prepare to be fired!

• negotiate creation of a project portfolio

• keep your ear to the ground, go to meetings

• be creative and proactive throughout

• keep watch and react wisely


tools & techniques?

• strategic bunker*, see everything in 1 place

• acquire project champion (CEO, no less)

• stress management – client and You!

• enforce quality with roles & responsibilities

• distort time (focus intently avoid disasters)

• collaborate with good tools - SharePoint!

* CRITICAL


deploy countermeasures?

• assess, prioritise, and agree deliverables

• identify all stakeholders, and dependencies

• register all risks, issues, and changes

• instill and promote transparency

• communicate and motivate everyone

• if all fails, call me!

critical path


GSM Portal Project:CURRENT Status: Stableo Full project authority acquiredo All suppliers re-engagedo Client apology and paymento Project back on track

Last updated: 1 Second ago

STRATEGIC BUNKERDependencies:Content providersIBMSiemensMotorolaMarcoms (internal)

PrioritiesAudit (include Archives)Content Management SystemPortal DesignSystem IntegrationSetup of all EnvironmentsCommunicationsRe-Use

Simulation70 Scenarios55 Counter measures

RISK log: If CMS not developed by us – then other projects impacted

Status: Failing Project

Description:

Immoveable deadline

Lack of QA & design resources

No system integrator

No project methodology

Environment setup incomplete

Client scope growing exponentially

Poor supplier management

Last updated: 20 Days ago

Location: Eastern EuropeProject: Launch largest GSM portalDuration: 45 daysTeam size: 27 – 35Cost: 4.7 million GBP

Issues log:

o Channels– 75%

o Team development–

50%

o Project motivation-

85%

o Trust- 90%

Case Study

Zagreb:Status: Critical

o Engage taskforce

o Deploy resuscitation

measures

Last updated: 2 Days ago

WARNING: Project

suspended

Chennai:Status: Normal

o QA team acquired

o Java programmers

landed

Last updated: 5 Days

ago

IPM


Thank you

Information:0033 6 46 61 47 32

[email protected]

Clients include:

ABC NewsAmadeusGSKHMVIBMInteractive1J Sainsbury Plc Knight FrankLBNL Mobilkom Austria– VipnetNational Westminster BankPwCThe British CouncilThe European Society of Cardiology Daniel Newman

INTERNATIONAL PROJECT MANAGER

Technology

Failing Projects