Canceled Projects

Best in class companies look at canceling projects as a failure, and worst in class companies look at canceling software projects as a relief. Worst in class companies spend more time on canceled projects than they do on completed projects. The ratio is generally 2 to 1. Best in class companies seldom cancel projects. The worst in class software organizations cancel more projects than they complete. It is not just software projects that get canceled all initiatives get canceled before they are completed or implemented. Worst in class organizations typically move onto a new initiative before a prior initiative has been completed. In organizations with low productivity rates, it is common to have more time spent on canceled projects and initiatives than on completed projects.

Worst in class companies tend to cancel software projects during the testing phase when it becomes evident the project is not going to be implemented. The organization has ignored all the warning signs and continued to push the project forward.