When a project is in trouble Project Managers and the team members spend days and nights trying to bring back their project out of trouble by fixing errors and issues in the projects. If this process is not managed well it can make an impact on all the aspects of the projects including delays, cost-overruns, low quality and will also make impact on other projects run by the organization at the same time. Project teams spend time on fire fighting, create conflicts and get de-motivated as they might be working under pressure without a proper plan.

Dr. Madhu Fernando is a Project Management Consultant and Trainer and Director/CEO of Innova Strategies, Registered Education Provider for Project Management Institute USA.

How do you save a troubled project?

When I start implementing strategies to save a troubled project, I take every project as a new project. What happened in the past is something we cannot control. Passing the blame on the person who has managed the project, or people in the project is not going to make any contribution in saving the project. It is the last thing we should be doing at this point of time. We need to find out where and why it failed? What are the reasons that created unnecessary outcomes and the factors that influenced those reasons.

There are many tools we use in Project Management in saving a troubled project. I start with a Risk Management approach. Many projects are failing when there is no proper risk and change management system in place, so there would be no better place to start saving a troubled project than looking at the risks which caused the unexpected outcomes in the project.

How to use a Risk Analysis to save a project

Risk Analysis is commonly used at the beginning of the project to identify any risk that can make impact in our project outcomes, and to develop an action plan to minimize the impact of those risks. After the initial meeting, risk reviews should be performed throughout the project. In case of a troubled project, this plays a major role in identifying all the risks and developing a response plan to those risks. We keep a document called Risk register for this reason, which will include Identified risks and the strategies on how to respond in case risks occur in our project.

When the project is in trouble, before we save it you need to assume you are at the beginning of the project and doing it all over again. Think of the best project strategy you would apply for such a project. Since we have lessons learned from this project now, we can develop a brand new project strategy. Assuming you are doing a Project Risk Analysis at the early planning process, identify all the possible risks which can impact in your project and come up with an action plan to respond to them. Some risks might have already made impact on your project as you are now at the implementation stage. Then you can use tools like Cause and Effect diagram and identify risk factors that influenced the current problems in the project, and develop action plan that help your project recovery process.

Many project management standards and processes, as well as quality management standards today are based on similar risk management approach. This strategy helps the project recover as well as build confidence in the project manager and the teams that success is not impossible anymore, and help them turn the possible failure into a guaranteed success.