A new article I contributed on SandHill.com, entitled "Patterns of Project Management Success," allowed me to answer the questions, based on our experiences here at Tenrox: which projects were successful? Which ones disappointed or failed, and why? We are fortunate to be able to recognize sets of behaviors that forecast success or failure.
Success begins with consistency. Characteristics for success include small teams combined with a "roll up your sleeves" work ethic where work gets done, not delegated until it gets lost. Success also depends on reliable, simple communication, starting with the Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) that we have discussed here before.
Failure begins with a lack of basic project management skills. Characteristics of failure include poorly communicated requirements and poorly managed expectations. In my book The Rise of the Project Workforce, entire chapters are dedicated to business case development, implementation challenges and user adoption. These are critical methods for avoiding common mistakes that lead to project failure.
