Rescue Your Troubled Project
By Sandy Farnan, PMI Writer
Project failure is a part of project management and the statistics are sobering.
PMI’s 2010 Pulse of the Profession survey reported US$350,000 as the amount
wasted for every US$1 million spent on projects. A 2011 survey conducted by PM
Solutions, Inc. reported that of the US$200 million in projects the average
organization manages each year, US$74 million worth of projects are at risk of
failing.
 A failed project not only costs organizations money and potential clients, but can also have a negative impact on the project manager associated with it and his or her career. Thus, it’s critical to try to recover troubled projects before they become total failures.
Here is a brief review of what experts say are some factors that can cause trouble in your project and lead to failure:
- The project manager lacks appropriate experience
- Poor requirements definition due to lack of or late customer engagement
- Unrealistic estimates, expectations or goals
- Poor contracts and vendor management
- Scheduling challenges causing missed milestones
- Team members get pulled or reassigned
- Poor communications
Tips for Recovery
Although it’s prudent to acknowledge the things that can go wrong, it’s more important to focus on possible solutions. Here, the experts offer advice on how to rescue your troubled projects:
Assessment
“Troubled project rescue begins with an assessment of what is actually happening on the project, and that means keeping the project going,” says Brian H. Munroe, PMP, a speaker, trainer and coach
in Ontario, Canada, with more than 15 years of practical experience. He is council leader for the PMI Troubled Projects Community of Practice.
Mr. Munroe suggests you:
- Have someone who is emotionally disassociated from the project lead the assessment;
- Ensure the assessment team has full and open access to all material and personnel;
- Review documentation, conduct surveys and interviews and perform root cause analysis;
- Avoid chasing down “symptoms and signs” as opposed to true root causes; and
- Clearly communicate your intentions and actions during the assessment to all key stakeholders
Sergio Martin Rodriguez, PMP, an IT engineer and master in projects evaluation in the oil and gas industry
in Argentina, agrees that a quick and thorough assessment is the way to gain credibility or rebuild the stakeholders’ trust in you. Only after the assessment can you prepare an executive report for stakeholders.
Stakeholder Management and Clear Communication
“Proper management of your stakeholders’ and customers’ expectations is the critical factor to escape the disaster,” says K.G. Baek, PMP, PgMP, manager of a project management team of a major brake system supplier for railway and commercial vehicles in Seoul, Korea.
Part of managing your stakeholders’ expectations is providing clear communication – and providing it often. Mr. Baek notes that problems can fester with poor communication to customers or key stakeholders, with a serious impact on the success of project.
Mr. Munroe advises that once you have made the assessment, document your plan of action and follow it carefully and clearly communicate your intentions and actions to the “recovery” stakeholders – those who are involved in seeing this project brought back around – who may not be the same stakeholders as those for the original failing project.
Empower Your Team
Rather than placing blame, which will damage your project team and can further damage your project, empower your team so that everyone owns the project recovery.
“Influence change and monitor its effectiveness. Coach and mentor your team through the recovery effort and pay close attention to passing on the key lessons learned,” says Mr. Munroe.
Mr. Rodriguez concurs: “Be prepared to communicate how the project is aligned with the company’s strategies. This way, you will be able to negotiate resource leveling, prioritization and [possibly] get special service level agreements to put the project back on track.”
Positive Attitude
Maintain a positive attitude and let that attitude reach your team.
“It’s fundamental to keep a positive mind, and spread that mindset among the project team,” says Mr. Rodriguez. “Reinforce engagement, develop new leaders and build a positive environment.”
Don’t let that troubled project spoil your record or your reputation. Take a deep breath, follow this advice and turn that troubled project around.
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