How to Save a Failing Project

How to Save a Failing Project

by Ralph R. Young, Steve M. Brady, Dennis C. Nagle
Released May 2009
Publisher(s): Berrett-Koehler Publishers
ISBN: 9781567263404

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Book description

You CAN Turn Around A Failing Project!
Poor project results are all too common and result in dissatisfied customers, users, and project staff. With countless people, goals, objectives, expectations, budgets, schedules, deliverables, and deadlines to consider, it can be difficult to keep projects in focus and on track. How to Save a Failing Project: Chaos to Control arms project managers with the tools and techniques needed to address these project challenges. The authors provide guidance to develop a project plan, establish a schedule for execution, identify project tracking mechanisms, and implement turnaround methods to avoid failure and regain control.
With this valuable resource you will be able to:
• Identify key factors leading to failure
• Learn how to recover a failing project and minimize future risk
• Better analyze your project by defining proper business objectives and goals
• Gain insight on industry best practices for planning

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. About the Authors
  5. Contents
  6. Foreword
  7. Preface
  8. Acknowledgments
  9. Introduction
    1. Which Processes and Practices Are Critical?
    2. In Brief
    3. Suggested Reading and Resources
  10. Part I - I Project Awareness: How to Recognize a Failing Project
    1. Chapter 1 - Why Projects Fail
      1. Key Factors Leading to Failure
        1. Poorly Defined Requirements
        2. Scope Creep
        3. Stakeholders Have Different Expectations
        4. Stakeholders Have Unrealistic Expectations
        5. There Is No Real Need or Demand for the Product
        6. There Is a Lack of User Involvement in the Project
        7. Change Management Is Lacking or Ineffective
        8. Poor Quality Control
        9. Problems Are Caught Too Late
      2. The End Results of a Failed Project
        1. The Customer’s Point of View
        2. The Effect on Team Members
        3. The Impact on Business
        4. Blame
        5. Unwanted Publicity
      3. In Brief
      4. Suggested Reading and Resources
    2. Chapter 2 - Is Your Project Out of Control?
      1. Missed Milestones or Deliverables
      2. Lack of Product Quality
      3. Different Opinions of the Project’s Purpose
      4. Failure to Estimate Costs and Schedule in Advance
      5. Dependence on Heroes
      6. Customer Disapproval
      7. Employee Frustration
      8. Other Subtle Signs of Trouble
      9. Regaining Control
      10. In Brief
      11. Suggested Reading and Resources
  11. Part II - Project Planning: How to Recover a Failing Project
    1. Chapter 3 - Analyzing Your Project
      1. Assessing Why Your Project Is Failing
      2. Defining the Business Objectives the Project Should Meet
      3. Defining the Functional Goals the Project Should Satisfy
      4. Deciding Whether To Move Forward
      5. Encouraging Management’s Positive Involvement
      6. Performing Process and Procedure Development
        1. Planning
        2. Requirements Development and Management
        3. Peer Reviews
        4. Defect Prevention
        5. Quantitative Management
        6. Change Management
      7. Changing the Culture of a Project
      8. In Brief
      9. Suggested Reading and Resources
    2. Chapter 4 - Why Create a Plan?
      1. Creating a Single Vision
      2. The Plan Components
      3. The Plan Development Process
      4. Fact-based Management
      5. Controlling Change
      6. In Brief
      7. Suggested Reading and Resources
    3. Chapter 5 - Creating the Plan
      1. Defining the Plan Requirements
      2. Defining the Plan Elements
      3. Project Activity Types
      4. Applicability of Planning Activities
      5. How to Write a Section of a Plan
      6. Planning Using Inch Stones
      7. Monitoring and Communicating Plan Development Status
      8. In Brief
      9. Suggested Reading and Resources
    4. Chapter 6 - Building a Team
      1. Defining the Team Composition
      2. Creating the Team Vision
      3. Setting the Team’s Expectations
      4. Communicating with Stakeholders
      5. In Brief
      6. Suggested Reading and Resources
    5. Chapter 7 - Identifying the Products
      1. The Purpose of the PBS
      2. Preparing to Build the PBS
      3. Developing the PBS and Defining the Products
      4. Estimating Product Size
      5. Defining Quality Objectives
      6. In Brief
      7. Suggested Reading and Resources
    6. Chapter 8 - Identifying the Work
      1. The Purpose of the WBS
      2. Preparing to Build the WBS
      3. Developing the WBS and Defining the Work
      4. Estimating Effort
      5. In Brief
      6. Suggested Reading and Resources
    7. Chapter 9 - Establishing a Schedule
      1. The Purpose of the Schedule
      2. Transitioning from the WBS
      3. Reviewing the Schedule
      4. Communicating with Stakeholders
      5. In Brief
      6. Suggested Reading and Resources
  12. Part III - Project Execution: How to Minimize the Risk of Future Failure
    1. Chapter 10 - Executing the Plan
      1. Creating Mini-Schedules
      2. Documenting Processes
      3. Frequent Replanning
      4. Keeping the Right Team
      5. In Brief
      6. Suggested Reading and Resources
    2. Chapter 11 - Managing External and Internal Expectations
      1. Where Expectations Come From
      2. Expectations of Different Stakeholders
      3. Communicating and Managing Expectations
      4. Meeting Minutes
      5. In Brief
      6. Suggested Reading and Resources
    3. Chapter 12 - Managing Scope
      1. Defining the Requirements
        1. Writing a Vision and Scope Document
        2. Establishing a Joint Team
        3. Using Better Requirements Elicitation Methods and Techniques
        4. Ensuring That Every Requirement Meets the Criteria for a Good Requirement
        5. Identifying the Rationale for Each Requirement
        6. Using an Automated Requirements Tool
        7. Ensuring That Each Requirement Is Testable
        8. Employing Measurement in Requirements Work
      2. Evolving the Real Requirements
      3. Prioritizing Requirements
      4. Tracing Requirements
      5. Managing Requirements
      6. In Brief
      7. Suggested Reading and Resources
    4. Chapter 13 - Managing Quality
      1. What Is Quality?
      2. Planning for Quality: Quality Control Audits
      3. Peer Reviews and Inspections
      4. Defect Prevention
      5. Quantitative Management
      6. Improving Quality by Improving Performance
      7. In Brief
      8. Suggested Reading and Resources
    5. Chapter 14 - Optimizing the Plan
      1. Techniques
      2. Defect Prevention Using Statistical Methods
      3. Defect Prevention Using Nonstatistical Techniques
      4. Return on Investment
      5. In Brief
      6. Suggested Reading and Resources
  13. Final Thoughts: A Recommended Approach for Project Success
    1. Key Processes and Guidelines
    2. Characteristics of the Project Approach We Recommend
    3. Suggested Reading and Resources
  14. Acronyms
  15. Glossary
  16. References
  17. Index

Product information

  • Title: How to Save a Failing Project
  • Author(s): Ralph R. Young, Steve M. Brady, Dennis C. Nagle
  • Release date: May 2009
  • Publisher(s): Berrett-Koehler Publishers
  • ISBN: 9781567263404