As managers, we have experienced project failure in some shape or form. It can come from working on a project you know should have not have passed through the governance body and now you have no choice but to lead, or it can be a project that has incredible potential but no one is on board.
Below is a list compiled of what my colleagues/mentors and I consider as signs of project failure. Some items in the list coincides with what can be found on Companies Management blog
- Project Manager work on the project because it’s their job (and not doing so could result in losing their job or upsetting the leadership team).
- Client expectations are not realistic and cannot be met.
- Client keeps changing the project requirements/scope.
- Wrong resources assigned to the project/tasks.
- Poor or Lack of Communication with the client, stakeholders, etc.
- Lack of involvement from stakeholders.
- Poor planning – planning is to rigid and doesn’t give space to handle any issues/risks. Planning is solely done by project managers.
- Absence of Risk Management
- Management works to make senior management/director/VP’s happy.
- Project is based on CXO’s dream.
Feel free to comment from your own experience what you think is the reason why projects fail.
A copy of this post can be found on ProjectManagers.net
Graduate with B.A.Sc with a formal academic background in Electrical Engineering. I like trying on different hats - from Software Developer, Hardware Engineer, Software Testing to my fav Technical Program Manager. Most recent project was helping the smooth on boarding of Skype into Microsoft!
I have a great passion for technology and am always searching for what new things we can expect in the next wave. 
Very convincing. I see one of the key prescription for project failure is the leadership assign the project management role/post to a non-qualified person.