Sydney Water

Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world. Sydney Water- Australia Project type : Customer Management System Date : Dec 2009 Cost : $70M AUD Synopsis : Project to modernize and consolidate Sydney Water's Customer Management Systems runs into trouble.  Project is delayed by 18 months and exceeds its original budget by more than 100%.  Overruns and delays mean that the project's return on investment is ...
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MI5 – MI6

Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world. MI5 - MI6 - UK Project type : Intelligence sharing system Project name : Scope Date : Mar 2009 Cost : reported to be tens of millions of pounds Synopsis : System designed to share intelligence between separate groups in the UK intelligence gathering community is cancelled due to "technical concerns".   The Cabinet Secretary reported "… we know that the way t...
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Marine One

The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world. US Navy Project name : Marine One Date : Jun 2009 Cost :$13B Synopsis : To allow for rapid and safe transport of the President and other VIP's, the US Government maintains a fleet of VIP transport helicopters. The current fleet of Sea King and Blackhawk helicopters was first deployed in the 1970's. Following the 9/11 attacks, the US Government decided tha...
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Air Canada

Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world. Air Canada Date : Aug 2009 Cost :$67M Synopsis : Following more than 3 years of development effort, Air Canada suspends its efforts to implement a next-generation air reservation and departure control system. Citing capital cost issues the airline announces a $67M write down related to the development. Originally planned to start deployment in 2007, the implem...
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Veterans Affiars – USA

Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world. Veterans Affairs - USA Project : Replacement Scheduling Application (RSA) Date : Aug 2009 Cost :$41M Synopsis : After seven years of development the Veterans Affairs (VA) Replacement Scheduling Application (RSA) is scrapped. As a component of the larger HealtheVet system, the Replacement Scheduling Application was to allow veterans to request and view medical...
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Department of Transport – UK

  Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world. Department for Transport - UK Project name : Shared Services Date : May 2008 Cost :$160M Synopsis : Program to improve efficiency in the UK's Department of Transport ends up costing more than it saves.  By sharing hardware and software services across the department the project was intended to save the organization $114M.  A May 2008 study the the U...
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Firearms Registry

Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world. Canadian Federal Government - Canada Project name : Canadian Firearms program Date : Jun 2006  Project Cost :$1,000M CAD Synopsis : In what may be the worst budget overrun in history, the costs to implement a registry of firearms balloons from $2M to $860M.  Original plan called for the program to cost $119M of which all but $2M would be covered by license ap...
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State of Wisconsin

Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world. State of Wisconsin Project name : EnABLES (Enhanced Automated Benefits Legal Enterprise Services) Project type : Unemployment claims tracking Date : Feb 2007 Cost :$23M USD Synopsis : Replacement for a 1970's system used for tracking unemployment claims cancelled after only 1 of 7 phases is successfully completed.  Project plan called for an existing package...
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FBI Virtual Case File

Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world. Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) - USA Project : Virtual Case File - Project Trilogy Date : Apr 2005 Cost : $170M USD Synopsis : Ambitious program to replace paper based reporting of crimes and investigations with an online system is scrapped.  System was intended to aid efficiencies and allow pieces of information gathered through different channels at...
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National Health Service – UK

Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” - a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world. National Health Service - UK Project name : NHS Care Records Service Date : Oct 2008 - UPDATED Sep 2010 Cost :$24B project (World's largest civil IT project) Synopsis : Rollout of the Care Records Service component of the UK's National Program for IT grinds to a halt after pilot sites report significant problems.  Already 4 years behind schedule, the initial ...
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