How to Recognize Troubled Projects

Presented By: Sally Johnson, MBA, PMP

 Project Management Quotes
“Trying to manage a project without
project management is like trying to
play a football game without a “No matter how good the team or
game plan.” – K. Tate how efficient the methodology, if
we’re not solving the right problem,
the project fails.” – Woody Williams

“If you have never recommended

canceling a project, you haven’t been
an effective project manager.” –
Woody Williams
Definition of Troubled Project
A project where the difference between what is
expected & what has been accomplished exceeds
the acceptable tolerance limits, pushing into a
course that will inevitably lead to failure.

Title: Identifying and Recovering Troubled Projects – How to Rescue Your Project From Its Failure
Author: Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, IPMA-B, PMP
Published: PMI Global Congress Asia Pacific, Hong Kong – 2007 & Mundo PM Magazine , Curitiba - October - 2006
Link to Source
Statistics…
Statistics…
70% of organizations have suffered at least one project
failure in the prior 12 months!

50% of respondents also indicated that their projects

failed to consistently achieve what they set out to
achieve!

Source: KPMG (New Zealand)

Type of survey: Survey of 100 businesses across a broad cross section of industries
Study Details: KPMG survey of Project Management practices in New Zealand finds some truly startling results.
Date: December 2010
Link to Source
Link to Reference Article
Statistics…
38% of projects don’t meet their business goals…
17% fail altogether

For every $1M spent on projects…

$135K is gone forever due to project failure

80% of the leaders in the C-suite say executing strategic initiatives

is critical to their existence…
Yet 50% of all strategic initiatives fail

Source: Michael Kaplan, PMP

Article Title: Tools Alone Won’t Improve Project and Portfolio Management
Date: August 12, 2014
Link to Source
Statistics…
17% of large IT projects go so badly that they can threaten the
very existence of the company

On average, large IT projects run…

45% over budget
7% over time
…while delivering 56% less value than predicted

Source: McKinsey & Company in conjunction with the University of Oxford

Type of survey: Study on large scale IT Projects
Study Details: A study of 5,400 large scale IT projects (projects with initial budgets greater than $15M) finds
that the well known problems with IT project management are persisting.
Date: 2012
Link to Source
Statistics…
“Fuzzy business objectives, out-of-sync stakeholders, and excessive
rework” mean that 75% of project participants lack confidence that
their projects will succeed

A stunning 78% of respondents reported that the “Business is

usually or always out-of-sync with project requirements”

Source: Geneca
Type of survey: Interview based study of software projects
Study Details: Interviews with 600 people closely involved in software development projects finds that even at
the start of a project many people expect their project to fail!
Date: 2010-2011
Link to Source
Statistics…
Barriers to Success
58%
60%
49%
50%

40% 35%
32%

30%
Barriers to Success

20%

10%

0%
Changing Corporate Under Lack of senior
mindsets & culture estimation of management
attitudes complexity support

Source: IBM
Type of survey: Survey of 1,500 change management executives
Study Details: IBM survey on the success/failure rates of “change” projects
Date: October 2008
Link to Source
What are the signs of a troubled project?
 Scope
Your project may be • Frequent changes in scope of project
• Lack of agreement between stakeholders on
in trouble when… requirements and/or objectives

Risks
• Significant increase in
risk exposure Stakeholders
(probability and/or • Clients, executive managers
impact) and/or stakeholders express
• Failure to implement discontent
a risk contingency • Insufficient involvement by
plan client/stakeholders

Resources Documentation
• Not enough resources & Formation
• Significant increase in • Increased informality &
team turnover improvisation in executing
• Team shows lack of PM process
experience in Cost & Schedule • Project plans updated less
implementing project frequently & less confidence
• Project delays and/or
cost over run in the data

Title: Identifying and Recovering Troubled Projects – How to Rescue Your Project From Its Failure
Author: Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, IPMA-B, PMP
Published: PMI Global Congress Asia Pacific, Hong Kong – 2007 & Mundo PM Magazine , Curitiba - October - 2006
Link to Source
Other Signs…
How to spot a project that is on its way down…
1. Poor project planning or not planning at all
2. Disagreement on project requirements
3. Lack of team involvement
4. Lack of a clear defined project end
5. Unrealistic demands
6. Failure to stop or plan again

Title: Project Management That Works

Authors: Rick A. Morris with Brette McWhorter Sember
Book Published: 2008 by American Management Association
What are some methods to identify
a troubled project?
Methods to Identify Trouble
The method you use will depend on
your company’s project management
maturity level & practices

Project Status Reports

• Earned Value (Scope, Schedule, Cost)
• Risk Issues
• Outstanding issues to be decided and/or resolved by upper
management

Vital Signs Scorecard (see example on next slide)

Example of Signs Model…
Vital Sign Variance Score Your Project Score
<10% 0
% variance between actual & planned schedule 10% - 20% 1
>20% 2
<10% 0
% variance between actual & budgeted cost 10% - 20% 1
>20% 2
>90% 0
% of contractual deliverables completed on
80% - 90% 1
schedule
<80% 2
<10% 0
% variance between resources actually used &
10% - 15% 1
budgeted resources
>15% 2
1-3 Risks 0
# of risk events with high probability & high impact 4-5 Risks 1
6 Risks or more 2
Total

Title: Identifying and Recovering Troubled Projects – How to Rescue Your Project From Its Failure
Author: Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, IPMA-B, PMP
Published: PMI Global Congress Asia Pacific, Hong Kong – 2007 & Mundo PM Magazine , Curitiba - October - 2006
Link to Source
 What are some ways that you identify
troubled projects in your organizations?
What are the root causes
of a troubled project?
Common Classes of Project Failure
Under estimation Market &
& Analysis Strategy

Organizational
Skills, Knowledge & Planning
& Competency

Engagement, Leadership &

Teamwork, & Governance
Communication

Risk
Quality

Title: Identifying and Recovering Troubled Projects – How to Rescue Your Project From Its Failure
Author: Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, IPMA-B, PMP
Published: PMI Global Congress Asia Pacific, Hong Kong – 2007 & Mundo PM Magazine , Curitiba - October - 2006
Link to Source
 Behavior Patterns

Symptoms of a
Failing Project

Drivers & Contributing

Factors

Dysfunctional or
Ineffective Title: Identifying and Recovering Troubled Projects
Decision Making – How to Rescue Your Project From Its Failure
Author: Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, IPMA-B, PMP
Published: PMI Global Congress Asia Pacific, Hong
Kong – 2007 & Mundo PM Magazine , Curitiba -
October - 2006
Link to Source
- Schedule slippage
- Quality problems
- Budget overruns
- Products that don’t meet the business needs
- Elevated staff turnover
Trigger Events
- Individual actions
- Mistakes or events that trigger or contribute to failure

Behavioral Patterns
- Broad patterns of behavior & structural issues that establish the
context within which the chances of failure are increased
- Lack of situational awareness - Lack of trust or openness
- Inexperience & training issues - Misaligned goals
- Cognitive biases - Communication problems
- Political issues - Dysfunctional corporate cultures
What can be done?
Remember the PMI Code of Ethics
Chapter 1: Vision & Applicability
Chapter 2: Responsibility
Chapter 3: Respect
Chapter 4: Fairness
Chapter 5: Honesty

Title: Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct

Published: Project Management Institute
Link to Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct
What can you control?
What you can control? What you can’t control?
Successful planning & execution of the Your sponsor(s) and/or client(s)
project • Their decisions & actions
Managing of project stakeholders Priority/Importance of your project within
the organization
Managing communication Corporate culture
Managing the project team Political issues
Managing the project risk Unrealistic project demands
Managing the project schedule Risk events that affect impact the project
Managing the project budget …
Managing the project conflict
Managing the project delivery

This is not a comprehensive list!

Project Recovery vs. Project Termination
• How important is the project for the sponsor, the
Project Importance? stakeholders, & the organization?

• Can the project continue as planned & defined or

Planned/Redefine? does it need to be completely redefined?

• The organizational impacts & the resource needs

Impact/Resources? for the recovery are feasible to produce the desired
recovery?

• Is there a need for political support so that the

Political Support? project can be recovered?

• Are you (the project manager) personally motivated

Motivation/Interest? & interested to do what need to be done to recover
the project?

Title: Identifying and Recovering Troubled Projects – How to Rescue Your Project From Its Failure
Author: Ricardo Viana Vargas, MSc, IPMA-B, PMP
Published: PMI Global Congress Asia Pacific, Hong Kong – 2007
Mundo PM Magazine , Curitiba - October - 2006
Link to Source
 Project Termination
- After evaluation of the troubled project, you may determine that
there is not good business case for project recovery so we may
need to cut our losses & move on rather than waste time & money
on project recovery planning
- In this case of project failure, we need to plan euthanasia – let the
project die as painlessly & with as much dignity as possible
Project Recovery
Project manager may need to –

- Perform triage to avoid project failure

- Sell the prioritized recovery plan to all stakeholders

- Communication is critical

- Motivate the team to reach for success

- Assure & give confidence to customers/stakeholders

- Provide financial analysts with a realistic plan that can be regularly

measured & reported
 Project Recovery
And also…

- Progress must be carefully monitored, controlled & reported throughout

the recovery

- Responses to unplanned events (risks) should be decisive, quick &

effective or you could be facing further project failure

- Keep your team positive

- Build in milestones so that you can publicize & praise even small
achievements

- Build a momentum based on success,

so that the team & stakeholders perceive it as can see
that its “normal” to meet milestones
 Project Success
“Success is the delivery of a product that
meets expectation” – James Neil
Definition of Project Success
Different people define success in different ways…

• Delivers all or most of what it said it would (scope),

Tier 1 regardless of schedule or budget performance

• Delivers what it said it would, on schedule and/or

Tier 2 within the agreed budget

• Delivers what it said it would, on schedule, within the

Tier 3 agreed budget & to the expected quality standards

• Delivers on all agreed project objectives, be they scope,

Tier 4 schedule, budget, quality or outcomes based (i.e., goals
to be achieved or strategic position to be attained)

• Product produced by the project created significant net

Tier 5 value for the organization after the project is complete
Layers in Project Success
 Success Factors
Study average
64%
Have a PMO 65%
Use Agile Project Management* 68%
Have a formal process to mature existing practices 69%
Have a formal process for developing project/program manager… 70%
Use Change Management** 71%
Have a career parth for those in project/program management 71%
Use standardized project management practices*** 71%
Use Portfolio Management** 71%
Use Risk Management** 72%
Have over 35% of project managers certified with PMP*** 72%
Have active sponsors on 80% or more of projects 75%
58% 60% 62% 64% 66% 68% 70% 72% 74% 76%

Organizations that have active project/program sponsors on at Key:

* Often
least 80% of their projects have a success rate of 75% ** Always
(11% higher than the average of 64%) *** Across all departments

Title: PMI’s Pulse of the Profession – Driving Success in Challenging Times

Author: Mark A Langley, PMI President & CEO
Published: Project Management Institute (March 2012)
Link to Article
 Success Factors
“Why do 64% of projects meet their original goals
& business intent while the other 36% do not?”

 Talent
 Project Management Basics
 Executive Sponsorship
 Focus on Benefits
 Change Management

Title: PMI’s Pulse of the Profession – Driving Success in Challenging Times

Author: Mark A Langley, PMI President & CEO
Published: Project Management Institute (March 2012)
Link to Article
Historic Project Success…
Empire State Building (1931)
• 102- story building (1st building to have more than 100 floors)
• Built in <15 months
• On time & under budget
Personal Project Success…
Habitat for Humanity & Whirlpool
1st Annual Building Blocks Event – Nashville, TN (2006)
Accomplishment: 300 Volunteers Built 10 house in 5 days
YouTube Video (Part 1 of 3)
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You Tube Video (Part 3 of 3)
Recommended Reading
A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (5th Edition)
(PMBOK® Guide)
Project Management Institute, 2013

Translating Corporate Strategy into Project Strategy

Peter Morris, PhD and Ashley Jameson, MS
Project Management Institute, 2006

Project Management Case Studies (4th Edition)

Harold Kerzner, PhD
Wiley, 2013

Project Portfolio Management: A Practical Guide to Selecting Projects, Managing Portfolios,

and Maximizing Benefits
Harvey A. Levine
Jossey-Bass, 2005

Project Management Roles and Responsibilities (2nd Edition)

J. Kent Crawford
Center of Business Practices, 2008

Organizational Project Management Maturity Model (OMP3): Knowledge Foundation

Project Management Institute, 2008
Questions/Answers
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