The following entry is a part of the Pattern Library. The Pattern Library illustrates some of the common patterns of events that have the potential to lead to project failure.
Name : Vanishing Visionary (aka dump and run)
In brief :
A Project Sponsor conceptualizes and initiates a project, but fails to follow through to ensure successful delivery. They provide the vision, assign the project to a Project Manager (dump) and then wash their hands of any further responsibility for the pr...
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Causes of failure
Desperate for Done
The following entry is a part of the Pattern Library. The Pattern Library records the common patterns of events that have the potential to lead to project failure.
Name : Desperate for done
Scope : Behavioral pattern (patterns that influence the actions of an individual or group)
Outline :
Tracking the status of tasks is a key responsibility for the Project Manager. As part of that responsibility, Project Managers interact with the team to monitor the completion of each individual ac...
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SNCF
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
SNCF (Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français) / RFF (Réseau Ferré de France) - France
Project type : New trains
Project name : Regiolis / Regio 2N
Date : May 2014 Cost : In the region of $15B Euro
Synopsis :
Even a single missed detail has the potential to cause significant problems. Having purchased 2,000 new trains French Railway company SNCF found out h...
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British Home Office
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' project has re...
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Berlin Brandenburg Airport
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
Berlin - Germany
Project type : Airport Construction
Project name : Brandenburg airport
Date : Ongoing Cost : 5B Euro
Synopsis :
Normally known for their efficiency and engineering prowess, the new airport in Berlin is a rare example of a troubled infrastructure project from the Federal Republic of Germany. Perhaps "Brandenbug" rather than "Brandenburg" airport wo...
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State of Oregon
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
Oregon Health Authority - USA
Project type : e-Commerce marketplace
Project name : Cover Oregon
Date : Apr 2014 Cost : $248M
Synopsis :
The problems implementing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in the USA have been well documented. Intended to expand the availability of health insurance to a larger number of people, ACA gave individual states the choice of creating ...
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Corporate Culture – Part 3
In parts one and two of this series, we've looked how corporate cultures affect the outcomes a project attains and where cultures come from. In this final post in the series we'll look at the mechanisms through which cultures spread and what organizations can do to promote a healthy culture.
Pretty much every business leader understands the value of having a positive corporate culture. The state of many businesses however illustrates that not every business leader understands how to shape...
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Corporate Culture – Part 2
Last week I posted thread that outlined some of the different types of corporate culture and started the process of looking into how corporate culture influences project outcomes. In this week's post we'll look at where cultures come from.
Part of the reason corporate culture is so poorly understood is because few organizations appreciate how cultures form. Cultures are invisible and they are hard to define. They develop out of ongoing interactions rather than a single moment in time and ...
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Corporate Culture – Part 1
Culture is a powerful force in any human system. It establishes the norms of behavior and acts as a reference point for the expectations we have of each other and ourselves. While we are all used to the idea of culture in our public societies (cultures driven by national identity, religious affiliation, generational groups and /or fashion), culture in the workplace gets less attention. While the phase "corporate culture" is banded around, few organizations really have a grasp of what it is, how ...
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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...
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