Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” – a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world.
Organization: Lululemon Athletica Inc.Project type: Fashion design / launchProject name: Get low collectionDate: Jan 2026Cost: Not disclosed
Synopsis:
Successful product launches require alignment between innovation, quality control, brand expectations, and governance. Lululemon’s Get Low collection demonstrates how even well-resourced organizations can...
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Quality Management
Squeezing your customer
Following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” – a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world.
Organization: WestJet AirlinesProject type: Aircraft interior reconfiguration / product redesignProject name: Ultra-basic economy seating rolloutDate: 2025 – 2026Cost: Not disclosed
Synopsis:
To succeed in complex environments, project leaders must balance financial objectives with human factors, regulatory constraints, and publ...
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Charlie the CRA ChatBot
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” – a list of failed and troubled projects from around the world.
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A Bridgerton Ball takes a Fall
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” – a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
Project type : Social ballProject name : Bridgerton night Date : Sep 2024Cost : Unknown
Synopsis :
A hit television show like Netflix's Bridgerton is about escapism. A glimpse of the sumptuous side of Georgian England and the grace of the Regency period. After 3 seasons the show has built up a considerable following and unleashed a yearning am...
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Aguwani-Sultanganj bridge collapse
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” – a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
Organization: Bihar State Road Construction Corporation - Bihar state India
Project type : Bridge construction
Project name : Aguwani-Sultanganj bridge
Date : Jun 2023
Cost : $208M USD
Synopsis :
Humans have been building bridges for millennia and there are of course inherent risks. Today those risks are well understood and modern engineering helps ensure bridg...
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Panorama
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” – a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
Organization:
Project type : Integrated Public Health Information System
Project name : Panorama
Date : Apr 2020
Cost : $115M
Synopsis :
Audit reports can be a gold mine of information that reveal insights into the status of a project. One such report that caught my eye this week covers an IT system developed in Canada to help identify, manage and track a pandemi...
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Iowa Caucus
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” – a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
Democratic Party of Iowa – USA
Project type : Election vote tally system
Date : Feb 2020
Cost : A major embarrassment
Synopsis :
Looking for a way to embarrass yourself on election night - There's an app for that!
With the world watching, the first tentative steps towards America's November 2020 Presidential election were taken in the school halls, community ce...
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Customs and Border Protection
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” – a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
Department of Homeland Security – USA
Project type : Staff recruitment
Date : Apr 2019
Cost : $23M to hire 22 new staff
Synopsis :
In 2016, as part of the USA's renewed focus on border security, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) was charged with increasing the number of border agents who secure the nation's points of entry. The goal was to increase enfo...
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Boeing 737-MAX
The following entry is a record in the “Catalogue of Catastrophe” – a list of failed or troubled projects from around the world.
Organization : Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Project name : 737-MAX
Project type : Commercial aircraft design
Date : Apr 2019
Cost : 346 lives lost
Synopsis :
Designing and building today's commercial aircraft must be among the most complex projects in the modern age. The two leading players in the industry are America's Boeing Commercial Airplanes and Europe's Airb...
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Spotting a leader
Synopsis - Effective 'leaders' know what quality is and feel a sense of responsibility for achieving quality. If a person waffles, waivers or avoids discussing quality, chances are they will not make an effective leader.
It's pretty clear that project success rates are higher where projects have effective leadership and lower where there was either no leader, or where those in the leadership roles didn't discharge their duties effectively. Effective leaders align people, focus people a...
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