Why Do So Many Projects Fail?

Given the vast amounts of research into project management, the reams written on the methodology and objectives and the resources available to all aspiring project managers (PMs) you could be forgiven for thinking that there was no reason for a business-led task to fail in this day and age.

Yet thousands of projects throughout all manner of industries and disciplines descend into ignominious failure and sometimes even out and out catastrophe. So are the project managers just plain useless or at the very least unsuitable for the job in hand? Or do they ignore the manuals, guides and reference works that would show them the way to success in the mistaken belief that they know best?

There may be a kernel of truth in the above assertions but to make an accurate assessment of what it is that causes projects to fail on such a grand scale it is essential to look in more detail at the evidence of both past failed projects and the feedback of those involved in these tasks.

A recent survey of participants in unsuccessful projects highlighted several key areas in which their tasks failed to meet the basic criteria of project management methodology. Chief amongst these issues were unclear goals, poor communication and weak leadership and teamwork; all factors which can be easily addressed and overcome with the proper adherence to project management philosophy.

A lot of the trouble stems from employers selecting project managers on a seemingly arbitrary basis, seeing little or no need to adequately train them in the discipline. Often it appears that they are regarded as merely a figurehead for the team as a whole rather than the authoritative voice of control and direction that they should be.

Furthermore there is generally very little consistency in selecting PMs meaning that there may be several years between an individual's first and second stints in the hot-seat. This is not conducive to maintaining a strong through-line for a company or their projects.

Poor communication can be similarly linked to a lack of appreciation of the project's goals and objectives. Too often project managers take it for granted that their team has the same level of understanding of the task at hand as they do and consequently there is ambiguity in what the team is attempting to achieve. At best this can lead to a misunderstanding which causes delay to the project and at worst it drags the entire project off in completely the wrong direction.

The natural result of these circumstances is that project managers spend their whole time fire-fighting the problems that arise from these misunderstandings rather than doing the required amount of planning and preparation necessary for the overall project to succeed. Had the PM taken the time to fully brief their team at the outset of the project then these misunderstandings could have been easily averted and the task would have run infinitely more smoothly.

All too often in today's fast paced business world people throw themselves into projects at breakneck speed without taking the time to analyse their briefs or objectives which would save them considerable stress and heartache in the long run.