The Causes of Project Failure

This case study was originally prepared as part of Project Management Applications, the capstone course of the Master of Science in Project Management in the Department of Management Science at The George Washington University, by the graduating students listed

The paper is divided into three sections, the first of which will establish a timeline of events. This project background will serve as a case study for the analysis in the following section that will be structured such that each of the previously mentioned facets will be independently analyzed and contrasted with project management principles. Finally the paper will conclude with a summary of the analysis and recommendations based on

1) The difference between projects that fail and those that are ultimately successful has to do with:

Running head: HOW TO NOT DO A PROJECT- THE SEVEN CLASSIC MISTAKES How to not do a Project The Seven Classic Mistakes Menaka Katapadi Kamath The University of Texas at Dallas Author Note Menaka Katapadi Kamath, Naveen Jindal School of Management, The University of Texas at Dallas Menaka Katapadi Kamath is now at Naveen Jindal School of Management, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080. Correspondence concerning this journal should be addressed to Menaka Katapadi Kamath, 7760 McCallum Blvd Apt 18104, Dallas, TX 75252. contact: mxk165230@utdallas.edu Abstract This assessment summarizes the failures and classic mistakes that occur during the life cycle of a project and best practices to prevent and overcome mistakes. Every project basically centers around mistakes that are either people or process related. Seldom are the chances that mistakes have anything to do with technology or the product itself. There are seven classic mistakes that are found to occur very commonly in nearly one third of projects. They include poor estimation and scheduling, ineffective management of stakeholders, insufficient management of risks, planning insufficiently, giving less importance to quality assurance, weak work force issues and insufficient sponsorship of project. Proactively identifying problems and taking corrective measures to alleviate the hiccups can prove to be very helpful in handling these mistakes prematurely. How to not do a project The Seven classic mistakes Every

Project management provides reasonable scientific solutions in order to overcome difficulties and achieve success. Each project has a variety of objectives have to achieve, these objectives are vary and can be for organization objectives or for social objectives. However, the project objectives could face some obstacles could be lead to limited success. The attempt to discover the factors of project success and project failure was not easy task for both scholars and expertise. These definitions can provide a close understanding and explanation for these terms. Many project management literatures have variety definitions of project success. (Adinyira, 2012) pointed out that Pinto and Slevin (1988) defined the success as delivering projects on proper time, cost and quality. Others like westerveld, elizabith have different ideas regarding the success that are related to the judge of stakeholders and organizational management. However, nowadays success become more complex issue to determine, it is not only meeting the costs and time it is belonging to the typology and sector of the project

In this paper the word ‘project” is defined, discussed and elaborated on. The phases of a project lifecycle and its purpose are to be discussed, and how it is important for organizations to use project management to accomplish tasks will in conclusion be discussed thoroughly. The indisputable word ‘Project” may be defined in numerous unusual ways, some can all have the same meaning and others can mislead a reader. The definition that accurately explains what a project is, comes from the Houghton Mifflin Company (2009) website stating; “something that is contemplated, devised, or planned; plan; scheme.” A definition that can mislead a reader is this definition from the same website just two paragraphs

©2006 by the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. This case was prepared by Derek Yung ’03 and Alex Gershbeyn ’03 in collaboration with Joseph F. Norton, Senior Fellow, Center for Research on Technology and Innovation, Kellogg School of Management, and Principal, SOCHIN Consulting Group, under the supervision of Professor Mark Jeffery. Some facts within the case have been altered for confidentiality reasons. Cases are developed solely as the basis for class discussion. Cases are not intended to serve as endorsements, sources of primary data, or illustrations of effective or ineffective management. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 800-545-7685 (or 617-783-7600 outside the United States or Canada) or e-mail custserv@hbsp.harvard.edu. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or

If the organization ignore the above points definitely they will face the failure. There are two reasons for the failure for the projects one is strategy development and another one is strategy deployment. The strategy development is the creating and establishment for an organization and the strategy deployment is the translation of strategic plans into actions and results.

Projects have been part of human society. Since historical existence of the human society, people have always joined efforts to execute various initiatives. Projects draw a number of people who in turn oversee specific duties or aspects to achieve certain objectives. However, projects are complex, a factor that calls for proper leadership and collaboration. Failure to have effective leadership and management may occasion project failure (Turner, 2014).  In essence, most projects are defined by systems and departments that are overseen by specific individual or entities. The aim of structuring projects along various lines or specialties is to enhance success rates. In light of this, this paper reviews, evaluates and critically

In “Response of IT Project Management: Infamous Failures, Classic Mistakes, and Best Practices”, R.Ryan Nelson (2007) argued that the best way to avoid classical mistakes and finally stay away from infamous failure is to use best practices proactively and knowledgeably. He also suggested that project managers focus on people and process, institute their own best practices, and improve best practices by identifying the problems most occurs in specific project and using the matrix.

Project management is becoming more and more important in the development of the any country. Many organizations have used project management techniques to assist in reducing the failures and increasing success in implementation of projects. Although there is an increasing of awareness in project management by different organizations, projects continue to fail.

Researchers have recognized noteworthy and consistent factors to explain project success to some extent but the primary contributing factors to project success are still unrevealed (Hobbs and Besner, 2006).

In some situation, a system too large to build without an overall plan that coordinates the people working on it. According to Sharon Florentine, senior writer of CIO.com, 50 percent of businesses experience IT project fail in 2012. The most common reason, responded by 74 percent of interviewees, is a lack of resources to meet project demands [4]. Three years later, the failure number increased that 55 percent of businesses surveyed experienced an IT project failure within last 12 months [5].

According to (Wysocki, 2007), project is defined as “a sequence of unique, complex, and connected activities having one goal or purpose and must be completed by a specific time, within budget, and according to specification”. It is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the number of project failures in organisation today. Similarly Chakravorty, (2010) Points that their are over 60% failures in project, also Vitalsmart and Concours Group (2006) supports this research by stating that the percentage of failures in projects are more than 80% in general. Airbus SAS’s project of manufacturing the superjumbo jet A380 was one of those projects titled as failed.

Thamhain, H. J., and D. L. Wilemon. “Conflict Management in Project Life Cycles.” Sloan Management Review,