Problems: Identifying and Troubleshooting the Three Most Serious Project Problems; Criteria for Cancellation
Anna Murray · 2015
The vast majority of software projects encounter problems. This chapter provides fundamental principles about project problems. It defines the most common late-stage problems that crop up (business user revolt, risk emergence, and hidden project infections) and what to do about them. It discusses why adding additional resourcesgenerally doesn't help due to the "threshold effect" and "the maximum number of wallpaperers" rule.The chapter gives advice on how to deal with the phenomena of"we talked about it in a meeting once" and lack of documentation. Risks are reviewed, and recommendations are given on what to do in the case of each of the five major risk areas. The chapter givesstrategies to employ when programmers ask for more time. Types of project infections are laid out,along with advice on which ones can be treated and how. Managing a bad technology team is explored and when it may be necessary to fire a team. Managing a wrong technology choice and when to abandon a technology are examined. The sunk-cost bias is defined. Lack of project leadership and its project impact are presented.