Your technology project is late, over budget or not delivering. Here’s what is usually going on.
Read the video transcript
Let’s talk about the project that’s going sideways.
If you’re watching this, you probably have a technology project that’s late, over budget, or not delivering what you were promised. Maybe it’s an ERP, a custom platform, an integration or an app. The type doesn’t matter much, because the pattern is almost always the same.
Most projects don’t fail in the code. They fail in the first few weeks. The scope came from a sales proposal, not from a clear business need. Nobody on your side has the authority to make fast decisions. And the vendor reports activity, hours, tickets, sprints, instead of results you can see.
Here’s what most owners don’t consider. When a project is in trouble, the instinct is to add money or add people. That rarely works. The real decision is whether to finish what you started, cut the scope to what creates value, or stop.
Before you decide, think about three things.
First, is the original goal still the right goal? Write down the business result this project was supposed to deliver.
Second, what is actually done, versus reported as done? Get an independent look at working software, not status reports.
Third, who on your side owns the decisions? Without that person, a new vendor will give you the same result.
If you’d like to talk through your situation, book a conversation below. And if you’re not ready for that yet, download the Project Rescue Checklist. It covers ten warning signs and what to do about each one.
Why this happens
Most technology projects don’t fail in the code. They fail at the beginning. The scope was defined by a sales proposal instead of by a business need. Nobody on your side has the authority to make decisions quickly. The vendor reports activity, such as hours, tickets and sprints, instead of results.
On top of that, leadership and the technical team speak different languages. Problems stay invisible until the budget is gone, and by then everyone is defending their position instead of fixing the project.
More money or more developers rarely fixes a project in trouble. The pressure to “finish what we started” pushes owners to keep paying, when the right move may be to cut the scope down to what creates value, change how decisions are made, or stop.
Three things to think about before you decide
- Is the original goal still the right goal?Write down the business result this project was supposed to deliver. If that result no longer matters as much, finishing the project as designed is the wrong target.
- What is actually done, as opposed to reported as done?Ask for an independent look at working software and real data, not status reports. The gap between the two tells you how much risk is left.
- Who on your side owns the decisions?Without one business owner with authority over scope and budget, a new vendor or a bigger budget will produce the same result.
30-minute conversation
Want to talk through your project? Book a 30-minute conversation. No pitch. You’ll leave with a clearer picture either way.
Book a conversation contact@thorusconsulting.com · +1 (512) 484-6096The Project Rescue Checklist
10 warning signs that a technology project is in trouble, and what to do about each one.
One email with the resource. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.