Why Do IT Projects Fail

Fail

Industry research suggests that many information technology (IT) projects have a higher chance of failure than some other projects. While around 25 percent of IT projects crash instantly, up to half of these projects require some rework. To improve the success rate on future IT projects, it is essential to know the reasons behind the failure of several IT projects. Check out why even some big IT projects just come to a crash.

Poor project management

IT projects require great planning and supervision. When project planning is ineffective and there is lack of proper direction, projects might move toward failures. It is important to support projects through well-planned processes and appropriate software tools. Poorly managed resources and unclear targets and responsibilities lead to failing projects. More than half of IT projects fail due to poor project management.

Ineffective communication

There is a whole lot of communication that takes place throughout the project management cycle. For proper planning at every step, it is essential that ideas be clearly exchanged. Inputs from all stakeholders and project managers need to be collected smoothly to support systematic planning and decision-making. If things go missing at any stage, it could be disastrous for a project. Thus, ineffective communication may seriously hamper the success of IT projects.

Improper risk and change management

Every department involved in a project needs to coordinate well with other departments. In fact, all stakeholders also need to align well with the management’s strategies. If any change is implemented, management needs to know the final impact of that change. Improper risk management and change implementation can bring down just any project.

Ineffective implementation

It is not only important to plan strategies and project elements, but also to implement these strategies well in order to achieve success. If executive management fails to implement its plans, then the project also moves closer to failure.

Lack of skills and experience

A project may also fail due to the lack of skills possessed by human resources that are involved in project operations and implementation. Less experienced people may not be able to understand the intricacies of operations and changes in a proper way. Thus, it might lead to project failure.