Unfinished projects in the IT realm are all too familiar. At one moment, the leader of the team has a brilliant idea that will transform the market. After the resources have been gathered and organized, the project kicks off. Somewhere in the middle of the project though, issues arise and the project stalls indefinitely. This is the reality of the IT world and it all boils down to lack of proper insight. How do you ensure that you are not part of the half that has failed? Let us look at some reasons why projects fail and how you can prevent failure.
1. Project management
Many projects in the IT realm fail because there is no proper management of resources. Most leaders who start projects dive into the field without getting the proper professional project management in place. Having a great management plan ensures that no resources are wasted. A proper timeline of the project course is also established, and every resource is spent where it is needed.
2. Ownership issues
When it comes to achieving success in big projects, there needs to be a proper structure on ownership. The ownership of the product, responsibilities, and the business aspects of the project all need to be properly considered. In modern times, responsibilities are not left to a single individual in the organization. Shared responsibility is often the best method to ensure success.
3. Scope and requirements
Many projects also fail because the scope of the project has not been established. The requirements must also be made explicit so that there is no overestimation or issues of inaccuracy. If the project involves thorough testing of software, everybody needs to be on the same page about what is needed. All members of the development team, for instance, need to be informed on the proper software testing guide to avoid conflicts.
4. Business-side issues
Every project that is conceptualized has the ultimate goal of being a business. Many IT projects tend to get the IT part, but they often forget about the business aspect. To avoid failure, you must ensure that you have considered the business aspects of the project. The project thus needs to have a business leader who will handle all the stakeholder issues and other issues that relate to the market.
5. Stakeholder involvement
Finally, many projects also fail due to a lack of stakeholder involvement. Project leaders often tend to get caught up in the development process such that they forget about the business stakeholders. Failure to have proper communication often ends up derailing the project. This is why there needs to be a communication expert in the team who can keep the stakeholders updated on the progress of the project.
In Summary
There is no denying that every single project comes with its fair share of distinct challenges. However, most projects in the IT realm face similar problems which have similar solutions. Understanding these problems and having solutions in place can go a long way in keeping your project secure throughout the development process.
This is a good list but by no means complete.
Software Project Failures are caused by unmitigated risks that become issues.
Good project management should identify and prevent these risks from becoming issues. The most common ones are:
Poor project management
Poor Management Engagement
Poor Quality – poor quality of requirements / designs / architecture / documentation / coding
Size – projects that are large are exponentially more likely to fail.
High Complexity – complex requirements / designs / architecture / documentation / coding
Staff ability and collaboration.