Project Kill

At what point do you kill a project?

That was the question posed on a recent 2 day project management event we ran for a client. It’s a great question and one which the group pondered over for a while. They came up with an interesting list, some of which are shown below. They may not be specific to your situation, but they were to this group:

* when the project has formally ended i.e. all the deliverables have been accepted by the client and the project formally closed. The group agreed that the post project review would check the level of client satisfaction

* when it is obvious that the project will not deliver against the original business case. This was an interesting debate. One person suggested that a project may not meet all of the original business case but may still deliver a ‘significant project’ for the client. However, consensus seemed to be that if the original business case could not be met better to stop the project and rethink the business case OR abandon

* when the project is so over budget that you are simply pouring money into a sinking hole

* when key stakeholders object to or clearly do not buy into the project and without them, the project will clearly not succeed. The group felt that some consultation process be established to move this forward. If it was clear that the stakeholders would not buy in then abandon in its current form another project should be set up to coax and influence them and then restart the project

* when the project does not fit with the overall strategy of the company. This was met with total unanimity by the group who felt their organisation did too many projects and not all fitted into the company strategy

* when risks are so high that too continue would impact negatively on the company – financial, publicity, health and safety were cited here

Interestingly, no one in the group had ever been involved in abandoning a project, as a project manager, team manager or a sponsor.

A common cry from people who attend our training events are that there are too many projects, not all will be delivered, and not all fit the strategy of the company. How many projects have you stopped or to put it another way; how many need to be stopped?

About the Author

Ron Rosenhead helps people deliver projects. He is author, consultant, coach and trainer all in the field of project management. To receive your free e-course on project management go to: www.projectagency.co.uk

“Project: Kill” starring Kung-Fu Leslie Nielsen!

Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) The Remixes $5.99 …

Thao & Justin Power Sessions (Dig) $10.43 All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed….

Goth Witch Project $25.99 …

Leslie Nielsen: The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler and Project Kill $9.70 …

Project Kill [VHS] $1.00 …

Project Kill [VHS] $1.00 …

Lysol Brand Concentrate Disinfectant – Original Scent: 12 OZ $4.04 LYSOL Brand Concentrate is the fast, easy way to deodorize and make your home sanitary. Simply dilute with water and use on a wide variety of surfaces. LYSOL Brand Concentrate is great way to get a sanitary bathroom by cleaning and deodorizing toilets, tubs, sinks and shower stalls. In Babies’ rooms, diaper pails and cribs provide ideal spots to use LYSOL Brand Concentrate. For sanitary laundry, s…

Enforcer Prod. ERK2 Drain Care Root Kill $14.00 Root killer granules will not harm trees and shrubs. Kills only the roots inside the pipe. Contains copper sulfate. 2 lb. container….

Sweeneys 9011 Mole and Gopher Plunger Trap $11.94 Senoret 9011 Sweeney’s Mole Trap Trap and kill moles effectively without the use of chemicals or poisons. Designed for easy activation and equipped with a safety pin for secure operation. Each trap is powder coated for long-lasting, reusable application and boxed individually, fully assembled, with complete operating instructions. Senoret 9011 Sweeney’s Mole Trap Features: Mole trap Kills moles Al…

Safer Brand 5025 Houseplant Sticky Stakes Insect Trap, 7 Traps $1.19 A great tool for early detection of flying insect infestations; insects are attracted to the bright yellow Houseplant Sticky Stakes, and then get caught on the surface. The stakes conveniently fold to stick in the soil, or can hang from the plant itself. To clean up, gardeners simply wrap the stake in paper and throw away. A safe, mess-free way to take care of houseplant pests. Seven strips p…