Even best projects can fail.

Welcome to Data Uncollected, a newsletter designed to enable nonprofits to listen, think, reflect, and talk about data we missed and are yet to collect. In this newsletter, we will talk about everything the raw data is capable of – from simple strategies of building equity into research+analytics processes to how we can make a better community through purpose-driven analysis.

Last week I paused deliberately (okay, it was a last-minute-plans-changed semi-staycation, still…). So I designed that time-off with equal parts of intention, freedom, and healing. In case you missed it, I even shared a post on my reflection process in case it helps you in your mindfulness journey.

In this process of being authentic, vulnerable, and self-compassionate, I have come to share with you more than I thought. Some days we share the challenges, the other days, it's the small wins we make on the way. Either way, sharing my reflection process with you was my way of reminding you that today – this moment, this is all we have in control. So, claim this moment – with clear intentions and conscious choices.

Let's now talk about our main topic today – the fact that even the best projects can fail. Yes, they can (and I do carry the hard-learned experiences of some failed projects). Despite the best intentions, planning, stakeholder alignments, robust tools, expert team members, weekly check-ins, long/medium/short emails – despite all that and more – projects can fail. And, from my experience, I can assure you – with mindful pivoting, ultimately, things turn out okay. Though at that moment, I admit - it feels a big deal! But look at those failures carefully, and you will notice a bunch of lessons that possibly made you wiser exponentially.

I want to talk about that post-failure process. Those moments when the logical mind switches between "what is happening?" and "what do I do to save this?".

I suppose you, as well as I, have seen this struggle

(between "what is happening?" and "what do I do to save this?").

• countless times,
• from leaders of various nonprofits – regardless of size or sector,
• for projects that can be about something like CRM transition, in-house analytics product launch, new dashboard-driven donor stewardship process, or analytics-driven alumni engagement.

This is especially true around data and analytics-based projects and products, where the investments – emotional and financial – are too high even to imagine the idea of detours, let alone failures.

I remember a particularly intensely chaotic project a few years ago. We were a team of 7 consultants working on a $14M capital campaign for a nonprofit with 45 staff members. Things derailed quickly in that 90-day project – though it started like any other (impeccably detailed timelines, clear goals and outcome documents, calendars booked with check-ins). It wasn't like we weren't seeing minor red flags to manage here and there, but it wasn't long to understand

• the leadership had transitioned too soon, too many times to have clear reporting structures,
• the board had way too much involvement in the day-to-day operations,
• the systemic infrastructure wasn't close to supporting the work needed to set up and operationalize a long-term capital campaign,
• the alignment within teams over critical reports and dashboards varied widely – leading to discrepancies in reporting.

By the 45th day of the engagement, we knew we wouldn't finish on a successful note. We needed a strategy – a good, solid strategy – to recover. The only problem was – this strategy required a partnership between my client and us to assess and differentiate between

• what is going on vs. how much of it is in our (as consulting partner's) control, and,
• what is going on vs. how much of it is out of our control and scope.

So, that begs us to ask – what can we do about post-failure or near-failure projects?

Here are 4 absolute musts – regardless of whether you are the leader of the entire project or the individual contributor responsible for running parts of engagement.

1.???Halt operations – with a neutral stand.

"Neutral stand". I know that is easier said than done, but if you are willing to pause and assess, you must build appropriate space for it to happen. Too optimistic ("no matter what, we will have to continue") and too pessimistic ("this is the fault of [xyz], let's get straight to address that") – both approaches will lead to no safe space for clear assessment of the situation from your stakeholders.

So, pause operations for an appropriate duration (depending on the criticality and the nature of operations) and create a space for dialogue.

2.???Bring all relevant stakeholders relevant to the table.

The flags indicating your project to be near failure must include all relevant stakeholders to the discussion table – that includes everyone from the funder and sponsors of the project, executors, and the ones going to be affected by the implementation. This space is about the huddle together, after all. So, say if you assess why the recently acquired expensive CRM's dashboarding tools are not disseminating analytics insights as hoped. Include:

• Sponsors (relevant board and leadership).
• ?Executors (internal and external research/analytics team).
• End-users of the analytics insights (philanthropy team members).

3.???Evaluate and acknowledge the underlying issues.

Now is the time to be brave and vulnerable in evaluating, identifying, and acknowledging all possible issues:

• Budget constraints
• Unrealistic/misaligned expectations
• Unrealistic timelines
• Continuously expanding scope
• Historical data issues
• Issues in the original problem statement

???Or perhaps something else…

Avoid inadvertent blame games and create a judgment-free space for the team to truly recognize the gaps that led to this situation.

Evaluate if the project is worth saving and design the next steps appropriately.

Even if you have invested a lot of resources in the project, sometimes, it just may not be redeemable. So don't feel pressured to save a project because you have invested in it already (I know it sounds easier said than done, still).

Take a step back and think about the project objective + original outcomes objectively. Collectively with your team, ask some tough questions. For example, does the project align with your broader strategic goals? Will the project serve all the people it is designed for? How can you define and quantify the project's impact on overall strategic goals? Are there parts of the project that you can save now and table the rest for the future?

Do not finish the meeting until the group has reached a consensus. If this requires an additional meeting, set the date before you leave. In the case of large projects, it may take a few days to discuss all the options.

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Projects with the best intentions or most resources are not immune to failure. It is also possible that you observe major towards-failure flags after your first launch and implementation. Regardless of which stage (of the project) those indicators of failure appear, remember that mistakes and failures are part of learning.

What matters then is - how you recognize, acknowledge, and handle that failure.

Because that affects your organizational culture, your commitment toward social equity, and the quality of the project undertaken. Valorizing "let's keep pushing" can inadvertently become a plausible justification for perpetuating structural inequalities and inequities.

***?So, what do I want from you today (my readers)?

Today, I want you to

• What comes to mind when you think of your past failed projects? Any specific lessons you want to carry forward?

***For those reading this newsletter for the first time,?here is some intro of this newsletter?for you. :)