Most difficult decision in the project lifetime

The decision on whether the project has been one of the unfortunate, is most painful part of the project of its lifetime. For many, it is a taboo area, so it’s no wonder that in Latvia it is hard to “get to the contract”, but it is so easy to deliver. Latvians rarely have the competence and ability to break down the process, even it is clear that it leads nowhere. Of course, customers can argue that IT developer knows and understands what he is doing, but the statistics says that ~ 77% of cases, reliance is unsubstantiated. So what is the basis for reliance?

Here is my next recovery project I have been assigned to.

Today I came out of the project management meeting where I had two alternatives to offer for the contractor – we break the contract today and heal the wounds, or restart the project in different composition and with different delivery mechanics. And still they do not understand why I am frustrated. I do not support “…we are still in the process” responses. The project has passed 2 months and 2 are ahead. Contractor theoretically could fix it all, if he would understand that something is bad, but there are no miracles in projects. At least not good miracles.

Project success is determined at the time of its creation and usually within first 2-4 weeks, it gains its progress rate, or velocity. One should not be an Oracle, to understand that project, which will go ahead with the velocity 1/100 of its amount in single month, likely will take 100 months to complete, but the contractors are confident that it will complete in, lets say 10 months. Usually this is wrong. Why this self-deceiving is necessary?

I do not know how contractor will respond – they have a couple of days time, but clearly I start looking for alternatives. Alternatives – this is my way to save project. Yes, I am canceling projects if necessary, and this costs time and stability for a while, but if I will not do, the reserves will be spent and we will be the same situation, just without ability to recover. The truth is that delay is not a real alternative in project management.

Termination must be predictable, be able to be taken into consideration by all parties. However, there must be an explicit warning system that enables timely response and make adjustments. Readiness to break the process if it goes to the failure may be one of the secret reasons as to why my projects tends to successfully and on time. It is a responsibility to oneself and of all those involved, and a willingness to take responsibility and consequences for their own action.