The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
British Home Office - UK
Project type : Immigration controls
Project name : e-Borders
Date : Mar 2014 Cost : £224M
Synopsis :
With changing security threats, securing a country's borders has become an ever increasing priority. The United Kingdom's efforts to secure their borders has suffered a significant set back after the now cancelled 'e-Borders' proj...
More
Examples of failed projects
Sinking of the RMS Tayleur
Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world.
White Star Line
Project name : RMS Tayleur
Project type : Passenger ship
Date : 1854 (filed under historical failures)
Cost : Unknown
Synopsis :
The sinking of the White Star Line's Titanic on her first voyage is one of the world's classic disaster stories. What few people know is that the Titanic was not the first passenger liner sailing under the White St...
More
State of Minnesota
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
State of Minnesota - USA
Project type : e-Commerce marketplace
Project name : The Affordable Care Act - MNsure
Date : Jan 2014 Cost : In the region of $150M USD
Synopsis :
In Oct 2013, President Obama's Healthcare.gov website caused a stir by becoming the year's biggest troubled IT project story. What got less attention was the fact that some of the US ...
More
Avon Products
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
Avon Products - Canada
Project type : Product sales and ordering system
Project name : The "Promise" project
Date : Dec 2013 Cost : $100 to $125M
Synopsis :
Ding-dong - Avon calling. According to reports, a significant number of the Avon sales team in Canada will no longer be pressing any doorbells. One of the world's most established direct sales compan...
More
Healthcare.gov
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
Department of Health and Human Services - USA
Project type : e-Commerce marketplace
Project name : The Affordable Care Act
Date : Oct 2013 Cost : Unknown
Synopsis :
When the President of the United States has to address the issue in front of the whole nation, you know you’ve created a serious mess. The Affordable Care act of 2010 is President Obama’s sig...
More
British Broadcasting Corporation
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
British Broadcasting Corporation - UK
Project type : Digital archive
Project name : The Digital Media Initiative
Date : May 2013 Cost : £100M
Synopsis :
Having started operations in 1922, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is one of the world's oldest and most respected media production and broadcasting organizations. Covering both entertainment ...
More
J.C. Penny
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
J. C. Penny Company Inc - USA
Project type : Nationwide merchandise pricing strategy
Project name : Fair and square
Date : Nov 2011 - May 2013 Cost : Contributor to $1B loss
Synopsis :
Know thy customer is the marketer's prime directive. Understand your stakeholder's is the Project Manager's corollary. J.C. Penny is a national level department store chain in the U...
More
New Zealand Ministry of Education
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
Ministry of Education - New Zealand
Project type : Payroll system
Project name : Novopay
Date : Sep 2012 - May 2013 Cost : $30M NZD
Synopsis :
A 2010 report by accounting firm KPMG shone a spotlight on ineffective Project Management practices in New Zealand. Reporting that a shocking 70% of organizations included in the survey had experienced a failed pro...
More
J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.
Project type: Financial risk analysis tool
Project name: New Synthetic Credit VaR (Value at Risk) Model
Date: Sep 2011 (project) - Apr-Jun 2012 (operational failure)
Cost: Approximately $6B
Synopsis:
Sometimes the mightiest of the mighty is humbled by the meekest of the meek. Microsoft Excel may not be the most grandiose sof...
More
Airbus – A380
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
Airbus SAS - France
Project name : A380
Project type : Commercial aircraft development
Date : Dec 2000 - Oct 2007
Cost : $6.1B in additional costs due to project delays*1
Synopsis :
I've often written about decision-making in the project environment and how the decisions made in a project shape the outcomes the project achieves. Often when a project ...
More