As what I have learned, a project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a product, service or result. A project is temporary in that it has a defined beginning and end in time, and therefore defined scope and resources. And a project is unique in that it is not a routine operation, but a specific set of operations designed to accomplish a singular goal.
Failure refers to the state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective, and may be viewed as the opposite of success. In a perfect world every project is made for success but in reality, it tells us a different story. In the business world, failing is not in their dictionary. Failing in their projects is very uncommon to them. But we cannot remove the fact that we are not perfect and there are some little instances that our projects may fail. These are the reasons for project failures:
† Poor Estimates
Bad estimates lead to bad cost projections. Here are some tips to improve estimating practices:
1. Ask the vendor - Often if you are purchasing or implementing a system, during contracting asks the vendor for the amount of effort. Good vendors will share their resource estimates and effort. I know McKesson and Cerner have these to help the organization understand how much effort they need to pony up. Poor vendors will tell you that they do all the work. Truthfully, in my almost 2 decades of experience, I have never been engaged in implementing a system where the vendor did all the work.
2. Have the resources accountable for implementation assist with the RFP evaluation- The best way to bring your team is to have them partake in the RFI, RFP efforts. During the evaluation of the RFPs, have them estimate implementation efforts. Not only does this help have a solution resolved upon a needs assessment, but the requirements are now known.
3. Always have staffs do the estimate - While it may be hard, let staffing have the final estimates to verify and assure they are comfortable. Once on a project all of the estimation was completed by a senior technology director. This individual was new to the organization and not familiar with how interwoven the old technology (Novell File Servers) where to the organization. The estimate provided to retire was way too short of a timeframe and didn't consider some integration points with the mainframe. Having the staff review the estimate and rework it, provided an opportunity to properly frame the project effort
† Scope Changes
Controlling and managing scope change is critical to the success of any project, as scope changes can significantly impact the cost, schedule, risks and quality of the entire effort. Scope is defined early in the planning and estimation phases, there are many reasons for changing it later on — for instance, a stakeholder may acquire additional insight into a problem during the course of the project. There are four strong reasons why scope management must be a top priority for the successful project manager:
Cost: Scope change can affect work that has been already performed. This means rework costs for work that has already started or worse, been completed.
Schedule: With each scope change, precious project resources are diverted to activities that were not identified in the original project scope, leading to pressure on the project schedule. The project manager must also consider impact on the project’s critical path.
Quality: When not analyzed thoroughly, scope changes lead to quick fixes that can affect product quality.
Morale: Scope changes can cause a loss of control of the team’s planned work. Changing focus or direction to meet the change requests adversely impacts team morale.
Here are helpful tips and techniques for keeping scope change on track:
Proactive Change Identification: Scope changes are waiting to happen, so the project manager should take an active role in identifying these changes with stakeholders. By being proactive, the project manager can incorporate the vital few changes that account for 80% of the stakeholders’ issues and concerns.
Sponsor Approval: Always get the sponsor’s approval and buy-in for the change request before authorizing any related work. If it is difficult to have the sponsor review every change, ask him/her to review a set of change requests. Alternatively, the change can be classified as routine or in need of further analysis.
Thorough Impact Analysis: It’s easy to conduct a superficial change impact analysis, however the repercussions are not very pleasant. An impact analysis needs to consider all the configuration items that will be affected by the change and associated costs.
Communicate Changes: In a large project team, changes can be overlooked if they are not communicated in a timely way. People like to know what they are working on and to be kept informed of project decisions. Proper team communications are essential to understanding and overcoming resistance to change.
Avoid Scope Creep: Scope creep occurs when changes are allowed without proper impact analysis, and without reviewing schedule and cost implications. This is common with repetitive minor incremental adjustments, where the project budget and schedule are not kept in sync with the effort involved for the changes. In this scenario, there is no way to avoid a runaway project syndrome. Scope creep is a symptom of a process problem; the solution is to implement a process to track each change and control its implementation
† Work Breakdown Failures
A work breakdown structure (WBS) in project management and systems engineering, is a tool used to define and group project’s discrete work elements in a way that helps organize and define the total work scope of the project. The Work Breakdown Structure provides a common framework for the natural development of the overall planning and control of a contract and is the basis for dividing work into definable increments from which the statement of work can be developed and technical, schedule, cost, and labor hour reporting can be established. we must plan of what should be done!
† Not Enough Time
This is the common problem why a project may lead to failure. In making a project, the team must set a specific span of time to finish the project. Time is gold but mostly it is wasted. We make time management table before starting the project but sometimes when we are in the situation, we find ourselves lacking of time because we made a wrong estimate. Time is very difficult to handle. So in making a project, we must be sure that the time estimate we allotted fits the completion of the project we planned to do. So to avoid failure because of this factor, we must manage our time. Time management refers to a range of skills, tools, and techniques used to manage time when accomplishing specific tasks, projects and goals. This set encompasses a wide scope of activities, and these include planning, allocating, setting goals, delegation, analysis of time spent, monitoring, organizing, scheduling, and prioritizing. Initially, time management referred to just business or work activities, but eventually the term broadened to include personal activities as well. Time Management can be considered as a project management subset and is more commonly known as project planning and project scheduling. Time Management has also been identified as one of the core functions identified in project management
† Incompetent Project manager
The project manager can be treated as the most important person in the project team. He/she is the one that will lead his/her members. If your project manager is incompetent, nothing will happen to your project. Your project manager must be goal- oriented to make your project successful. He/she is the source of strength of the team. He/she must make sure that every little detail of your project is doing great. He/she must be competent enough to handle the challenges they may encounter as they pursue their project. To be an effective project manager you must posses all of this:
† Inspires a shared vision
§ An effective project leader is often described as having a vision of where to go and the ability to articulate it. Visionaries thrive on change and being able to draw new boundaries. It was once said that a leader is someone who "lifts us up, gives us a reason for being and gives the vision and spirit to change." Visionary leaders enable people to feel they have a real stake in the project. They empower people to experience the vision on their own. According to Bennis "They offer people opportunities to create their own vision, to explore what the vision will mean to their jobs and lives, and to envision their future as part of the vision for the organisation." (Bennis, 1997)
† Good Communicator
§ The ability to communicate with people at all levels is almost always named as the second most important skill by project managers and team members. Project leadership calls for clear communication about goals, responsibility, performance, expectations and feedback.
There is a great deal of value placed on openness and directness. The project leader is also the team's link to the larger organization. The leader must have the ability to effectively negotiate and use persuasion when necessary to ensure the success of the team and project. Through effective communication, project leaders support individual and team achievements by creating explicit guidelines for accomplishing results and for the career advancement of team members.
† Integrity
§ One of the most important things a project leader must remember is that his or her actions, and not words, set the modus operandi for the team. Good leadership demands commitment to, and demonstration of, ethical practices. Creating standards for ethical behavior for oneself and living by these standards, as well as rewarding those who exemplify these practices, are responsibilities of project leaders. Leadership motivated by self-interest does not serve the well being of the team. Leadership based on integrity represents nothing less than a set of values others share, behavior consistent with values and dedication to honesty with self and team members. In other words the leader "walks the talk" and in the process earns trust.
† Enthusiasm
§ Plain and simple, we don't like leaders who are negative - they bring us down. We want leaders with enthusiasm, with a bounce in their step, with a can-do attitude. We want to believe that we are part of an invigorating journey - we want to feel alive. We tend to follow people with a can-do attitude, not those who give us 200 reasons why something can't be done. Enthusiastic leaders are committed to their goals and express this commitment through optimism. Leadership emerges as someone expresses such confident commitment to a project that others want to share his or her optimistic expectations. Enthusiasm is contagious and effective leaders know it.
† Competence
§ Simply put, to enlist in another's cause, we must believe that that person knows what he or she is doing. Leadership competence does not however necessarily refer to the project leader's technical abilities in the core technology of the business. As project management continues to be recognized as a field in and of itself, project leaders will be chosen based on their ability to successfully lead others rather than on technical expertise, as in the past. Having a winning track record is the surest way to be considered competent. Expertise in leadership skills is another dimension in competence. The ability to challenge, inspire, enable, model and encourage must be demonstrated if leaders are to be seen as capable and competent.
† Problem Solving Skills
§ Although an effective leader is said to share problem-solving responsibilities with the team, we expect our project leaders to have excellent problem-solving skills themselves. They have a "fresh, creative response to here-and-now opportunities," and not much concern with how others have performed them. (Kouzes 1987)
† Cool Under Pressure
§ In a perfect world, projects would be delivered on time, under budget and with no major problems or obstacles to overcome. But we don't live in a perfect world - projects have problems. A leader with a hardy attitude will take these problems in stride. When leaders encounter a stressful event, they consider it interesting, they feel they can influence the outcome and they see it as an opportunity. "Out of the uncertainty and chaos of change, leaders rise up and articulate a new image of the future that pulls the project together." (Bennis 1997) And remember - never let them see you sweat.
† Ability to Delegate Tasks
§ Trust is an essential element in the relationship of a project leader and his or her team. You demonstrate your trust in others through your actions - how much you check and control their work, how much you delegate and how much you allow people to participate. Individuals who are unable to trust other people often fail as leaders and forever remain little more that micro-managers, or end up doing all of the work themselves. As one project management student put it, "A good leader is a little lazy." An interesting perspective!
† Ineffective use of Project Management Discipline and Processes
In making a project you must know all the project management discipline and processes and all the things it comprises. You must know what to use and where to apply it. Ineffective use of one of the project management discipline and processes can definitely lead to failure. Each discipline has a special purpose in the success of the project. If one of the project processes is ruined, it affects the rest of the processes. We must make sure that we follow all the legal project management and disciplines and processes.
† Lack of Proper Management Support
You can’t start a single project if you don’t know anything about proper management. Proper management is the very important key to the success of your project. You must know how to handle all the things that encompasses your project. You must properly manage your project so that it will not fail. You must seek the approval of the management. For example, if you are given a project to do and if the times comes that you finish it, you must first submit it to your instructor and he will check if you comply all the qualifications given.
† Wrong Use of Technology
It is difficult to think of a situation where businesses can do without technology and computers today. It is extremely difficult to say whether businesses depend on computers or computers created business opportunities. Technology plays a vital role in improving our lives for something better. A little bit of common sense and you will be able to save a lot of money even after the most expensive technology. With technology by your side you can be sure of an easy life. Whether it’s the Internet or the telephones our lives have been made easier. But at the same time it’s true that technology also brings frustration and depression as a result of desire which has been increased with the rise in technology. But there is a brighter as well as a darker side to everything. Our professional world is incomplete without technology. Almost everything starts from technology and ends with technology. Whether it is the establishment of communication or the applications that demand the help of technology, it’s a hardcore technological world. This has been pointed out in a negative sense as many feel that technology for fun is no less than an undesirable curse. Right from the latest mobile technologies to the most fashionable systems that are believed to reflect an individual’s status till the social networking world on the Internet, it’s all fun for teenagers. Things are getting digitalized and stores are going online. With the general people using technology for fun even the business owners are expanding themselves on the Internet and making them available at the click of a button. As the standard of technology is rising, the number of frauds making the wrong use of technology is also increasing with time. These frauds are spread all over the Internet and in various places where you can never imagine their presence. Cyber crime is a result of the mastermind of such frauds in technology. So, give a thought before taking an important step in a technological expense. Your own care and foresightedness can help you. We can certainly enjoy the benefits that technology can offer but only when we know how to make use of technology in a more strategically and systematic way. It’s time when technology should not only be thought in terms of costs and expenses but also in terms of opportunity.
“Trial and error is usually the prime means of solving life’s problems. Yet many people are afraid to undertake the trial because they’re too afraid of experiencing the error. They make the mistake of believing that all error is wrong and harmful, when most of it is both helpful and necessary. Error provides the feedback that points the way to success. Only error pushes people to put together a new and better trial, leading through yet more errors and trials until they can ultimately find a viable and creative solution. To meet with an error is not to fail, but to take one more step on the path to final success. No errors means no successes either.”
Everyone dreams to succeed but we cannot deny the fact that the word “SUCCESS” includes the word “FAILURES”. All we need to do is to balance it. The problem comes when fear of failure is dominant. When you can no longer accept the inevitability of making mistakes, nor recognize the importance of trial and error in finding the best and most creative solution. The more creative you are, the more errors you are going to make. Get used to it!!
“We hear a lot about being positive. Maybe we also need to recognize that the negative parts of our lives and experience have just as important a role to play in finding success, in work and in life.”
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