Nelson (2007) Project mistakes | Kappelman et al. (2006) Early warning signs | Yeo (2002) Critical failure factors | Schmidt et al. (2001) Project risks | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Poor estimation and/or scheduling | Lack of top management support | Underestimate of timeline | Lack of top management commitment to the project |
2. | Ineffective stakeholder management | Weak project manager | Weak definitions of requirements and scope | Misunderstanding the user requirements |
3. | Insufficient risk management | No stakeholder involvement and/or participation | Inadequate project risk analysis | Not managing change properly |
4. | Insufficient planning | Weak commitment of project team | Incorrect assumptions regarding risk analysis | Failure to gain user commitment |
5. | Short-changed quality assurance | Team members lack requisite knowledge and/or skills | Ambiguous business needs and unclear vision | Lack of adequate user involvement |
6. | Weak personnel and/or team issues | Subject matter experts are overscheduled | Lack user involvement and inputs from the onset | Conflict between user departments |
7. | Insufficient project sponsorship | Lack of documented requirements and/or success criteria | Top down management style | Changing scope and objectives |
8. | Poor determination of requirements | No change control process (change management) | Poor internal communication | Number of organisational units involved |
9. | Inattention to politics | Ineffective schedule planning and/or management | Absence of an influential champion and a change agent | Failure to manage end-user expectations |
10. | Lack of user involvement | Communication breakdown among stakeholders | Reactive and not pro-active in dealing with problems | Unclear/misunderstood scope and objectives |
11. | Unrealistic expectations | Resources assigned to a higher priority project | Consultant/vendor underestimated the project scope and complexity | Improper definitions of roles and responsibilities |
12. | Undermined motivation | No business case for the project | Incomplete specifications when project started | Lack of frozen requirements |
13. | Contractor failure | Inappropriate choice of software | Introduction of new technology | |
14. | Scope creep | Changes in design specifications late the project | Lack of effective project management skills | |
15. | Wishful thinking | Involve high degree of customisation in application | Lack of effective project management methodology | |
16. | Lack of required team knowledge/skills | |||
17. | Insufficient/inappropriate staffing |