Starting a new project is always challenging and even though we start with enthusiasm and determination, sometimes we forget some things that lead to project failure.
A failed project is one whose results do not meet its objectives or do not achieve what was planned on time and within budget.
There were many reasons for failure, including:
1. Poor planning
Although the importance is sometimes overlooked, a lack of planning can cause a project to fail.
The existence of a successful project depends on correctly defining in detail the scope, time frame and role of each member. This way, you will have a specific path to follow.
2. Poorly understood business case
Failure to understand the “why” behind the “what” causes projects to deliver results that do not meet the real needs of the organization. It is a failure that results from not asking, "What are we really trying to achieve?"
The ambiguity and lack of clarity around the benefits of the work results from poor communication of the vision around the project. Failure to document the “why” of a project often results in misalignment of its objectives with those of the business strategy and strategic vision for the business in general.
2. Unsupported project management culture
We see many organizations that simply don't "get" project management, which leads to a basic top-down misunderstanding of what project management is and the value it brings.
This can lead to inexperienced and/or untrained individuals managing projects with little management support and missed opportunities to develop team skills to achieve better project results.
3. Inconsistently defined resources
Planning should not be limited to agendas, meetings, and responsibilities. It should also include human, intellectual, financial or structural resources. If they are not set consistently, deadlines cannot be met, which may jeopardize the outcome of the project.
4. Unclear goals
Project goals should be clearly defined, and over time you'll know whether you're doing the right thing. Remember, choosing measurable goals helps you better visualize your progress and helps you know how close you are to achieving your results.
5. The scope of the project is poorly defined
The project scope defines everything you will (and won't) do. Scope creep in project management refers to continuous, uncontrolled changes in project scope. In general, an undefined project scope results in a scope crawl definition, the former being vaguely defined, documented, or controlled.
6. Inaccurate estimates of cost and time
Inaccurate cost and time estimates are often vague guesses of team members who calculate expected task duration and project cost based on the average time and cost it took for previous projects. Although the method of calculating the estimated task duration and cost may be accurate, it can also lead to estimates that are not entirely accurate.
This can cause all kinds of problems for employees who are assigned tasks and required to complete them according to estimated times. When tasks are not completed in line with the estimated time, employees have to face the wrath of upper management for no apparent fault of their own.
7. No control over details
Monitoring is essential to successful projects, even knowing the details of many projects at once can be very difficult.
As a result, it is important to know how your project is progressing, whether it is on schedule and whether the budget is under control. This way, if there are any differences from the initial plan, you can still correct it.
8. Lack of transparency
It is imperative that everyone involved in projects have a complete view of the project so that it does not fail - not just the project manager, but other team members as well.
This includes clear communication, good document management, and transparency about the status of assignments, all of which can be achieved through fully digital central files.
9. Lack of communication
Communication is the key to good project management. Without the proper tools and processes to allow interaction between team members and the project manager from the start, effective communication can rarely be achieved.
10. Change direction
Among the ways projects fail, a very common one is scope creep. This concept refers to changes that are required when the project has already started and that were not planned before. This is very common when projects are not appropriately documented and defined beforehand.
11. Unrealistic expectations
When you want to do something fast, with a limited budget, and a small team, it can really make your project fail. You must be realistic when it comes to your teams capabilities, deadlines and available resources - only then can you get the results you want.
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