Comments on: Why It’s So Hard to Pull the Plug on a Failing Project http://www.pmhut.com/why-its-so-hard-to-pull-the-plug-on-a-failing-project Sun, 12 Feb 2012 05:36:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Chris http://www.pmhut.com/why-its-so-hard-to-pull-the-plug-on-a-failing-project/comment-page-1#comment-758 Chris Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:09:26 +0000 http://www.pmhut.com/why-its-so-hard-to-pull-the-plug-on-a-failing-project#comment-758 Great article, great comments... Measurement thresholds and portfolio reviews are a great way for leadership to understand the health of a project compared to its individual milestones and its peer initiatives. On the flip side, I've found that project teams I've been on also do not want to disband after successfully implementing a project. It seems that there is a certain comfort level associated with being part of a project team, whether the project is succeeding or failing. Great article, great comments… Measurement thresholds and portfolio reviews are a great way for leadership to understand the health of a project compared to its individual milestones and its peer initiatives.

On the flip side, I’ve found that project teams I’ve been on also do not want to disband after successfully implementing a project. It seems that there is a certain comfort level associated with being part of a project team, whether the project is succeeding or failing.

]]> By: Doug Cazel http://www.pmhut.com/why-its-so-hard-to-pull-the-plug-on-a-failing-project/comment-page-1#comment-760 Doug Cazel Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:55:58 +0000 http://www.pmhut.com/why-its-so-hard-to-pull-the-plug-on-a-failing-project#comment-760 Great article. I like the AON example. Most of the major projects I've worked in the last 24 months have been "Recovery" of ERP systems. These projects had no contingency, and no pre-determined measurement at each milestone (as Andy has stated in his response). In most cases the cost of pushing a project to completion and then having to "recover" can be 10 times the initial cost, take longer then the first project, and quality, well quality quickly turns to a massive effort to just meet the basis legal requirements. Great subject! Doug Great article. I like the AON example. Most of the major projects I’ve worked in the last 24 months have been “Recovery” of ERP systems. These projects had no contingency, and no pre-determined measurement at each milestone (as Andy has stated in his response). In most cases the cost of pushing a project to completion and then having to “recover” can be 10 times the initial cost, take longer then the first project, and quality, well quality quickly turns to a massive effort to just meet the basis legal requirements.

Great subject!

Doug

]]> By: Andrew Meyer http://www.pmhut.com/why-its-so-hard-to-pull-the-plug-on-a-failing-project/comment-page-1#comment-759 Andrew Meyer Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:37:31 +0000 http://www.pmhut.com/why-its-so-hard-to-pull-the-plug-on-a-failing-project#comment-759 Barry, great post with wonderful examples. I would expect nothing less from a Wisconsin graduate. You actually provided me with something I've been looking for. Justification for having gates or thresholds on projects. To me, a threshold is a point where the project has to be evaluated against predetermined measurements in order to determine if the project is continued or ended. I believe any major project (greater than 6 months or over say $10M) should have at least two and probably not more than 4 threshold review meetings. What you provided was an additional justification. Contingency planning. Prior to beginning a project or a phase on a project, the threshold and at least one viable contingency plan should be known. The decision in the threshold review should not be an evaluation of the project, it should be an evaluation of whether to continue the project or switch to the contingency plan. Andy Barry,

great post with wonderful examples. I would expect nothing less from a Wisconsin graduate.

You actually provided me with something I’ve been looking for. Justification for having gates or thresholds on projects. To me, a threshold is a point where the project has to be evaluated against predetermined measurements in order to determine if the project is continued or ended. I believe any major project (greater than 6 months or over say $10M) should have at least two and probably not more than 4 threshold review meetings.

What you provided was an additional justification. Contingency planning. Prior to beginning a project or a phase on a project, the threshold and at least one viable contingency plan should be known. The decision in the threshold review should not be an evaluation of the project, it should be an evaluation of whether to continue the project or switch to the contingency plan.

Andy

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