Everett HowardProject Manager II| Sacramento Municipal Utility DistrictCa, United States
In the built environment, various factors can contribute to project failure. Based on your experience, could you provide insights into some of the underlying causes of overall project failure, particularly in relation to selecting the appropriate delivery method (e.g., design-bid-build, IPD, CMAR, design-build, EPC) and assembling the right project teams? Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Everett, the factors that can contribute to project failure are unique to each project but some of the common ones are:
1) Choosing the wrong delivery method. Each method has it's own pros and cons and you need to be careful and make an objective informed collective decision.
2) Lack of expertise on the team. Shortage of skilled trades and PM members combined with poor leadership is an issue these days especially on construction projects.
3) Force Majeure external factors like unforeseen market condition, climate changes and regulatory changes. Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Everett,
agree with Rami that there are many reasons for project 'failures'.
Some relate to choosing methods, approaches, tools, and what could be called the engineering, rational side of PM. On the other hand, there are reasons related to the human side, as you say, the right (what is right??) team, culture, experience, and alignment (which is more irrational).
One consideration is to select a team that already has experience with the engineering tools you want to use, or if you have a team, select the tools they can use.
I'd add one to Rami's list: anti-patterns and organizational dysfunctions in the "system" surrounding the project. When a project gets into trouble, the natural tendency of some leaders is to see fault from within the project whereas many times the root cause is without...
Kiron Saving Changes...
William M Hayden JrAdjunct Assistant Professor| University at Buffalo, School of Management, Operations Management & StrategyBuffalo, Ny, United States
Thanks Everett.
Re: "underlying causes of overall project failure."
Lack of education of engineers "How to play nice with others."
Cheers,
Bill Saving Changes...
William M Hayden JrAdjunct Assistant Professor| University at Buffalo, School of Management, Operations Management & StrategyBuffalo, Ny, United States
Re: "various factors can contribute to project failure"
Transforming an assigned group of individual experts to your project does not,
in and of itself, make them "A Team."
Consider drafting a plan to facilitate that process.
Cheers,
Bill Saving Changes...
William M Hayden JrAdjunct Assistant Professor| University at Buffalo, School of Management, Operations Management & StrategyBuffalo, Ny, United States
So, Everett, To learn more that is needed that is rarely, if ever, part of our engineering education:
www.Deming.org
Cheers, Bill Saving Changes...
Athina KapousouzConstruction Project Manager| Royal HaskoningDHVAmsterdam, NH, Netherlands
Hi Everett,
Good question! Regarding the delivery method, some of the key factors of failure I have seen in both small and large organizations are:
- Selecting a delivery method that is not sufficient to cover the cash flow of a project and/or address the inherent risks due to lack of good overview and preparation
- The client side is not mature in the field of the project (eg new leadership, new market, core business and experience on a different field) and the sales team of the contractor are taking advantage of it to make a win
- The sales side is accepting the delivery method without input from internal experts (eg PM) not understanding the risks for the business
- Force Majeure, like bankruptcy of client, strong climate phenomena, strikes
- Too many change orders that make the selected delivery method obsolete
About having the right project team, I truly believe that is key. As you may have noticed most factors mentioned above are already related to the knowledge and skills of the project team, as well as how they work together. Above all, construction is about working together to solve complex issues and manage many risks to produce a great product for the community that will last for years. I really believe a good team can beat most of the problems coming from a challenging delivery method (and I have seen it happening), while a poor team can easily lead a project with a suitable delivery method to failure (sadly, I’ve also been witness to that).
Cheers,
Athina
Saving Changes...
William M Hayden JrAdjunct Assistant Professor| University at Buffalo, School of Management, Operations Management & StrategyBuffalo, Ny, United States
Re: "Underlying causes of overall project failure"
1. Lack or, or ineffective leadership at the org's executive level, and/or,
2. Lack of deliberate formation and development of project's individual experts
into an expert team, and/or,
3. Lack of psychological safety for each and all in the org to simply say what they think out loud, without fear of reprisal.
Cheers,
Bill Saving Changes...
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