ADVISORY ARTICLE
By Yogi Schulz
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
The larger and more complex a project is, the more susceptible it is to cost overruns, schedule delays, and technical difficulties that lead to project failures. Project failures can result in production underperformance, financial losses, regulatory penalties, and reputational damage. In severe cases, failures jeopardize the careers of associated leaders and corporate viability.
As with other categories of work, the list of reasons that can lead to project disappointment or failure is longer than the list of best practices that lead to success. Preventing project failure requires disciplined attention to the interconnected management, engineering, operational, and organizational topics listed below, which are required for successful completion.
Sufficient front-end planning
One of the leading causes of project failure is inadequate front-end planning (FEP). A frequent reason for rushed or incomplete planning is pressure from management to get on with it.
Poorly defined project objectives, unclear technical requirements, and insufficient economic analysis create instability, including nasty surprises about scope, cost, and schedule, throughout the project lifecycle.
FEP improves project outcomes by ensuring:
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- Project scope is clearly defined.
- Project assumptions are extensively documented and validated.
- The tangible cost-benefit amounts are realistic.
- Stakeholder expectations are analyzed.
- Regulator concerns are anticipated.
- Technical and business environment risks are considered.
Well-executed FEP reduces late-stage engineering changes and vendor underperformance, two of the largest drivers of cost escalation in large projects.
In-depth scope defence
Scope creep frequently occurs when team members or stakeholders introduce additional features, appealing technologies, or new operational requirements after execution begins. While often well-intentioned, these additions frequently lead to schedule and cost overruns.
In-depth scope defence is achieved by:
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- Stating the elements of project scope as precisely as possible.
- Documenting all proposals for scope additions.
- Deferring approval of scope additions to follow-on projects except in the most urgent circumstances.
- Using accumulated scope proposals to define follow-on projects.
Strong governance processes help ensure that scope additions are rarely approved.
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How to cite this article: Schulz, Y. (2026). One more time: Preventing project failures, PM World Journal, Vol. XV, Issue VII, July. Available online at https://pmworldjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/pmwj166-Jul2026-Schulz-One-More-Time-Preventin-Project-Failures.pdf
About the Author
Yogi Schulz
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Yogi Schulz has over 40 years of Information Technology experience in various industries. Yogi works extensively in the petroleum industry to select and implement financial, production revenue accounting, land & contracts and geotechnical systems. He manages projects that arise from changes in business requirements, from the need to leverage technology opportunities and from mergers. His specialties include IT strategy, web strategy and systems project management.
Mr. Schulz regularly speaks to industry groups and writes a regular column for Engineering.com and for TechNewsDay.com. He has written for Microsoft.com and the Calgary Herald. His writing focuses on project management and IT developments of interest to management. Mr. Schulz served on the Board of Directors of the PPDM Association, the global energy data professionals, for 20 years, until 2015. He can be contacted at yogischulz@corvelle.com.
His new book, co-authored by Jocelyn Schulz Lapointe, is “A Project Sponsor’s Warp-Speed Guide: Improving Project Performance.”
To view other works by Yogi Schulz, visit his author showcase in the PM World Library at https://pmworldlibrary.net/authors/yogi-schulz/
