The document discusses reasons for project failures and provides guidance on when to cancel or "pull the plug" on failing projects. It identifies common causes of IT project failures such as lack of user involvement, unrealistic expectations, and poor planning. It also discusses failure behaviors to check for like blocking and shooting down ideas. The document advises pulling the plug only after removing misunderstandings and failure behaviors, objectively evaluating output quality, and applying lessons learned to ensure future project success.

1. Pulling the Plug Stephen Hedges Laura Solomon Executive Director Library Services Manager [email_address] [email_address] OPLIN http://www.oplin.org

2. SHAME

4. How do you recognize failure?

5. Failures? Or not?

6. Project Design Scope Cost Schedule

7. Project management triangle

8. “ The Rule of Stephen” + 50% = True cost

9. Looking at project planning in finer detail

11. WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY?

12. Will it fit the mission?

13. Check your toolbox

15. (Already invented)

16. Can you really compete?

17. Check your timing

18. Budget—think ahead

19. Who’s with you?

20. Will you blame PR later?

21. What’s the ROI?

22. How to evaluate? All projects are not created equally Harness your critics Know when to evaluate Keep your team on the team

23. Causes of IT Failures

24. Missing pieces

25. Lack of user involvement

26. Lack of knowledgeable resources

27. Inappropriate tools and methods

28. Unrealistic expectations

29. Lack of executive support

30. Lack of planning

31. Poor quality control

32. Some other causes of IT failure: Poor project management Poor communication among the parties Poor processes for identifying and managing risks associated with the project

33. Check for "failure" behaviors

34. Failure behaviors include: Blocking Feeding the trolls Shooting down ideas

35. What can we learn from sales people?

36. When is it time to pull the plug ?

37. Only when… You’ve removed all misunderstandings, failure behaviors, and sloppy expectations After objective evaluation of the quality of the project's output. No emotional/subjective evaluations! If your objective criteria still indicate failure, pull the plug

38. Not every project can succeed

39. Be decisive

40. Don’t send mixed signals

41. Apply what you learned

44. STRETCH!