why projects fail_presentation

© Totally Optimized Projects 2016

CIO Executive Council webinar Why projects fail

Jed Simms & Alex Chapman, Founders and creators of TOP®

© Totally Optimized Projects 2016

Why projects fail

And what you must do to be successful!

Jed Simms & Alex Chapman

© Totally Optimized Projects 2016

© Totally Optimized Projects 2016

Why projects fail

Everyone has an opinion

But who has done the research?

© Totally Optimized Projects 2016

‘Failure’ is not ‘success’

• Success is defined in business terms

“Success is the full delivery of the desired business outcomes, benefits and value in the business after the end of the project when everything is working just right.” • Any compromise, gap or deficiency in delivering this measure of

success equals failure.

© Totally Optimized Projects 2016

1 The true measures of success are not defined and therefore, not targeted or delivered

The TOP® Value Equation™

© Totally Optimized Projects 2016

2 Path dependency is neither understood nor managed

Path Dependence

“explains how the set of decisions and options possible at any point and for any given circumstance is limited by the decisions one has made in the past, even though past circumstances may no longer be relevant.”

Every decision you make, determines what you can and cannot do both now and in the future

© Totally Optimized Projects 2016

3 The organization does not have the ‘capability’to successfully deliver the project

© Totally Optimized Projects 2016

4 Ineffective business leadership (inc ineffective project governance)

Project or Program

Project manager

Strategy Business results

Sponsor/ Executive

Business outcomes

Benefits & value

Project Governance

© Totally Optimized Projects 2016

5 Execution gaps and deficiencies

StartThe starting point from which you are changing

Current state

ClarificationTo clarify and confirm where you are and what you don’t know

Clarify

ActivitiesTo prepare the changes and then implement them to realize the outcomes

Prepare

Implement

OutcomesClear, specific and measurable definitions of what you want to achieve – your measures of success

Future state

ActivitiesTo ensure the end state is sustained and is able to be developed further

Sustain

© Totally Optimized Projects 2016

6 Insufficient focus on benefits and value

Project Delivery Benefits delivery Outcomes, benefits and value delivery

© Totally Optimized Projects 2016

Bottom line: To succeed you need to equip the business to perform its roles

© Totally Optimized Projects 2016

“It really is that simple”

© Totally Optimized Projects 2016

Strategy execution • Value Delivery • Made Simple

www.TotallyOptimizedProjects.com