Project Success

Six Techniques to Deliver Successful Projects

Six Techniques to Deliver Successful Projects 1 Accountagility 2013

Every project has a risk of going off-track. Indeed, the statistics show that between 60 and 70% of business projects are considered a failure. These results are subject to interpretation, and may be even higher than reported. Of course, Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly (R. Kennedy), but its crucial to learn from our mishaps. This document discusses six common pitfalls that contribute towards project failure, and how to avoid them. Business projects can be particularly challenging since they may affect many areas of the organisation. These areas can have different stakeholders with conflicting views of requirements and project outcomes.

1. Define Project Success

There are as many different ideas about project failure as there are projects, and this itself can be an obstacle to successful projects. What is a failed project? remains a subjective question, considering that one persons success is anothers failure. A common definition of a failed project is one that was not delivered on time, to budget or which did not achieve initial objectives. So, a project delivered a week late, but which achieves all its objectives could still technically be considered a failure. Similarly, is a project that was delivered on time and on budget successful even if it was retired within a year of delivery? The idea of failure criteria is somewhat negative, and can encourage a we just have to get through this attitude. What if we planned for success rather than failure? We would then start our project plan with our vision of what a successful outcome should look like. With a clear idea of our success criteria we would be less likely to fail.

Focus on success, rather than failure

Define and agree a clear set of success criteria up front

Include longer term success criteria that plans for a good post-implementation experience

2. Articulate Project Objectives and Expectations

It is surprising that many projects fail because they did not deliver the agreed objectives. Firstly, if the project team is not completely in tune with what the customer is expecting, there is a high risk of scope creep, which can quickly lead to project failure. Likewise, where sponsors are unclear of the project outcomes and benefits, and how they are to be measured, there is little chance that their vision will be realised. To ensure that a project meets its objectives, it is vital that you agree high level requirements at the beginning of the process. Where possible use prototyping to demonstrate concept and value to stakeholders at key stages.

Agree high level project outcomes as part of the project charter

Where possible establish how the project benefits will be measured

Use prototyping (even as an initial phase) to demonstrate proof of concept and value


3. Implement a Phased Approach

The length of a project can be a contributor to failure, for several reasons. Firstly, a project that runs for two years without any tangible results carries significant project risk. With a rapidly changing business environment, such projects can become redundant before they are implemented. If we saw project management as a problem-solving exercise we would prototype our solutions, and split the larger challenge into smaller, manageable chunks.

Break larger projects into smaller phases where possible

Use earlier phases to prototype, proving concept

Allow new project knowledge or requirements to impact future phases

4. Get Management and Staff Excited About the Project

Senior management often are required to approve projects that do not impact directly on their day-to-day activities. This organisational gap between project sponsors and users can have a profound effect on the project outcome. Where projects do not have enough buy-in from project sponsors and senior management, projects may attract significant delays or could fail to be approved. The opposite can also be true, when senior staff initiate a project without selling it to their team. Users often feel marginalised as a result, and may even resist the project. The resulting loss of morale causes a lack of willingness to engage during and after the project, contributing greatly to the risk of failure.

Communicate project outcomes, benefits and costs clearly and to decision-makers

Sell benefits and any process changes to users before starting the project

Ensure that staff have an opportunity to feed into the project plan at all stages

5. Plan Project Resources

Projects are less likely to fail when they are adequately resourced. Staff availability and budget constraints make this a difficult balancing act. Overloading a project with junior staff in favour of more experienced staff time, particularly during scoping and planning can be expensive in the longer term. This can result in an inaccurate statement of work, or deplete the project team of the skills necessary to ensure accurate and efficient project delivery. An incomplete or inaccurate statement of work could lead to an unrealistic budget and time frames, with predictable consequences. Rather leverage experienced staff time to get the project specification right, rather than on troubleshooting later on.

Ensure project costs are estimated only when requirements are agreed

Reduce senior staff time needed on projects by leveraging them during planning and scoping

Maintain some project budget for technical expertise


6. Adopt a Suitable Project Methodology

There are countless project methodologies (Waterfall, PRINCE2, Agile, and so on), each with its advocates. Unfortunately there is a common myth that following a methodology ensures success (however defined). In reality, there is no one size fits all project methodology - each methodology provides only a roadmap and a toolkit to manage projects. Using an unsuitable methodology can add unnecessary overhead onto a project, detracting from more valuable tasks.

For example a project which requires short development cycles and regular changes is unlikely to be best suited to a Waterfall methodology, but would work particularly well with an Agile approach. The need for project change is an area that is key to choosing the right methodology. Equally, strictly following a single methodology may also yield an unsatisfactory result. Methodologies can be combined or tailored to suit your organisation and projects. Of importance is that your team are able to consider a range of methodologies, to achieve best fit with the project.

Choose a methodology that suits the project

Tailor the methodology to provide a better fit

Communicate clearly how project changes and new requirements will be dealt with

Make sure that your stakeholders understand how they interface with the chosen methodology

Delivering Successful Projects

Projects are about people, not just tasks. The plethora of methodologies proves that there is no silver bullet to guaranteeing project success.

In this document we argue that the first step towards project success is to define the criteria by which we will judge it. A focus on success rather than failure is likely to engage stakeholders better, in turn leading to more successful project outcomes.

Following that, adoption of a solid and well thought-out methodology will concentrate resources on valuable activities this is particularly important when costs are an issue.

Successful projects are also about true engagement and buy-in. This can only be achieved with regular and well-structured communication regarding cost-benefit, impact and other project information. This in turn is more likely to get both decision-makers and users excited by the project, and contribute to a positive project outcome.

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