We've all seen a project that doesn't deliver what it should (any Boston resident has had a front-row seat to the Big Dig!). We asked some students what made for bad projects. We got some good stories, and a real sense that we all want to avoid repeating the same mistakes.
What might lie behind the project failures the students discussed? Here are some thoughts.
Project failures may be due to
- waning commitment/investment on the part of its members
- poor planning/time management that ensures incessant fire-fighting
- goals, deliverables that are too vague
- unclear understanding of the scope (and flexibility within that scope) that the project can address
- limited resources, in particular time (fire-fighting, again)
Skills/habits:
- planning
- flexibility
- conflict resolution
- team norms and practices
- listening/inquiry