Catastrophe Disentanglement: Getting Software Projects Back on Track

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Step 1—Stop

To stop a runaway passenger train, according to a popular survival handbook, you locate the emergency brake, pull the handle, call for help, and then make your way to the front of the train [1].¹ Dealing with a runaway software project is not much different. When you have determined that the project is indeed out of control and is unlikely to be completed with any reasonable degree of success, the next step is painful but clear: pull the brake. Then make your way to the front.

This is a difficult, controversial decision because it will always be open to harsh criticism from some circles. It is a tough decision also because, as we ...