SEH/TS: When the Unexpected Happens – A Project Rescue Overview

When the Unexpected Happens – A Project Rescue Overview

In the virtually any IT project, the unexpected happens. Most projects are subject to events beyond the control of those with the ultimate delivery accountability. There are drivers of a wide range in project development and implementation and the most challenging issue is recognizing when the project needs expert help.

Not every project goes as expected. Projects fail for a variety of reasons, most notably for structure, leadership and communication related issues. The majority of projects fails or are canceled because of ill-defined or changing requirements, inadequate project planning, poor operational and/or project management, uncontrolled quality, unrealistic expectations, inaccurate estimates, or naive adoption of new technology. As projects rescues usually have a high visibility at top management level, experience in knowing how to get it right the first time is critical. If that fails, a systematic approach to project rescue is essential.

A project needing rescue is any project already experiencing delays or cost increases, looking unlikely to hit milestones or that seems to have a constantly changing scope.

There are three main components of a Project Rescue – Triage, Turnaround and Closure.

Triage

The word triage is a French word meaning “sorting”, which itself is derived from the Latin tria, meaning “three”. The term triage literally means sorting into three categories. The categories are evaluation, categorization and prioritization.

There is an immediate need to evaluate or audit the current state of the project and measure it against expectations at the start of a Project Rescue. This is accomplished by and categorizing risks and critical factors, including the critical path. Interviews are conducted and research completed to identify the root cause of the issues stifling your project.

As facts and evidence begin to define the current state of the project it is important to begin the determination of whether you need to create an intervention plan or a plan to close down the project.
If it is determined that the project can be rescued, once the evaluation and assessments are complete and issues have been isolated, you must present the options to move forward in a prioritized Turnaround Plan.
If it is determined from the Triage that the project is unsalvageable and should be closed, a Project Shut-down Plan should be developed and project closure completed.

Turnaround

The key to turnaround is to use a proven project management methodology offering targeted guidance to the project team on how to minimize the budget overruns and get the project back on track to meet project and business objectives. There are two fundamental ways to accomplish project rescue: Full Intervention, and Mentoring or Coaching. An experienced Project Rescue Intervention Team or a Senior Project Manager experience in project rescue and mentoring is recommended.

Turnaround includes:

Rapid evaluation and resolution of unresolved issues
Risk assessment and development of a Mitigation Plan
Potential redesign of existing deliverables
Review and decisions on change requests

In essence it is a realignment and delivery of the project (people, process and technology). This is the point where the project plan is updated and the timeline and resource plans are adjusted. It is important to assess the need to redefine project team roles at this point in the rescue.
An Escalation Process and Communication Plan must be reviewed or developed to facilitate and support the Turnaround Plan. Continuous monitoring and progress reporting to top management are essential to success.

Closure

Closure occurs if the project is determined unsalvageable and/or when the project is delivered. A Lessons Learned Analysis is completed as part of the final project documentation in either case. The results of this analysis will serve as the foundation for future project success.

For more information or to talk with a technology expert about your own unique needs, contact SEH/TS at 612.758.6728.

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