1. Failure to meet budget
If you exceed the budget by 10%, it's usually acceptable. However, 50% is unacceptable. There is no other way but to check project spending carefully, ideally on a weekly basis. Forecasting further budget spending is a matter of course too; only then can you intervene early and prevent budget overruns.
2. Failure to meet the schedule
Projects too often deviate from their original schedules. This problem has the same solution as budget overruns - strict control. You also have to catch scheduling failures in time so you can catch up, otherwise the whole project will develop in a different direction.
3. Poorly defined requirements
Project requirements define all the planning and forecasting. If you don't clearly define what the project is supposed to do at the beginning, you can expect many problems and extra unnecessary work.
4. Unprepared customers
If a customer claims they are ready for a project, that doesn't have to be true. Customers often lack a deeper understanding of the context of the project in connection to their company or department. They are unable to specify their true needs. The result is poorly defined requirements.
5. Missing resources for project implementation
These include mainly poorly formed teams lacking key knowledge, skills or experience. Lack of skills may, moreover, occur during the course of the project, which can be extremely costly. Another problem lies in incorrect estimates of the scope of the project and work to be done.
6. No support from higher up
Any project which lacks support from the company's management can't work in the long term. It will be a loss not only of resources, but, soon, also consumer confidence.
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