Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world.
The foundation for student life (Oslo) – Norway
Date : May 2009 Cost :$14M + some dirty laundry
Synopsis :
As part of a move to SAP the Oslo based Foundation for Student Life elected to tie the laundry facilities in the student village into their accounting systems. Integrating the laundry machines into the accounting systems meant that students had to pay fo...
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Failed private sector project
Qantas
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world.
Qantas - Australian airline
Project name : Jetsmart
Date : Feb 2008 Cost :$40M
Synopsis :
"Jetsmart" engineering parts management system is renamed "Dumbjet" by aircraft engineers because the system is so difficult to use. Failure to engage the engineers who would be the eventual users of the system into the requirements and design processes resulted in a...
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University of Wisconsin
Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world.
University of Wisconsin
Project type : Payroll and benefits system
Date : May 2006 Cost :$28M USD
Synopsis :
Payroll and benefits system project is abandoned after 5 years of effort. Board of governors (regents) had not received a single report on the project in its 5 years and was unaware that the University was facing a large scale project failure.
Cont...
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Centrica PLC – UK
Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world.
Centrica PLC – UK
Project name : Jupiter
Date : Feb 2007 Cost :$6340M USD
Synopsis :
Efforts to combine billing systems for electrical and gas supply into a single system dissolve into a shambles. Level of manual intervention required to handle billings exceeds ability of staff to keep up with the system. Additional 2,500 recruited to try to restore order. ...
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Lufthansa Systems – Germany
Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world.
Lufthansa Systems – Germany
Project name : FACE (Future Airline Core Environment)
Date : Sep 2007 Cost : Undisclosed
Synopsis :
New airline passenger reservation system cancelled after 2 years of work. Little information provided, but press release quotes problems with supplier performance.
Contributing factors as reported in the press:
Press release note...
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Waste Management Inc – USA
Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world.
Waste Management Inc - USA
Project : Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system implementation
Date : Mar 2008 Cost :$100M USD
Synopsis :
Enterprise Resource Planning system implementation fails to meet needs. Waste Management claim vendor used a dummy prototype for pre-sale demo while asserting that the solution was an out-of-the-box solution that would requi...
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British Airways – UK
Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world.
British Airways PLC. / British Airports Authority
Project :Move of operations into Heathrow Terminal 5
Date : Apr 2008 Cost :$32M USD
Synopsis :
Opening of Heathrow Terminal 5 labeled a fiasco after 28,000 bags get lost and hundreds of flights are cancelled. Problems resulted in British Airways having to cease accepting passengers with bags to check-in while...
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Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Following entry is a record in the "Catalogue of Catastrophe" - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world.
Edinburgh Fringe Festival (World’s largest arts festival)
Date : Jul 2008 Cost : Reports indicate a cost of £300,000 (but likely more)
Synopsis :
Implementation of a new on-line ticketing tool fails the day after production release. Seven weeks later after repeated outages, not a single ticket had been mailed out. Breakdown in advanced sales result in cash...
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