Four Root Causes of Project Failure

In a previous post, Root Causes of Project Failure, I discussed four root causes based on research at the Institute for Defense Analyses.

In that Blog, some measures were included. Here are the details of those measures, defined in the Technical Measurement Guide. ?

Since all projects operate uncertainly, those measures need estimates before and after use.

• Before the project starts, could you assess the feasibility of success?
• During the project, please make sure the work is performed according to (IAW) the plan.
• After the project is completed, capture and assess the lessons learned to build a reference class database for the next project.

Failure to do these actions is itself a root cause of project failure.

Key Performance Parameters

KPPs are considered essential for successful mission accomplishment. They represent capabilities or characteristics so significant that failure to meet the performance threshold can cause the concept or system selected to be reevaluated or the program to be reassessed or terminated. Each KPP has a threshold and an objective value.

Trade studies typically may trade off everything except a KPP. In other words, KPPs are non-tradeable. They flow from the operational requirements and are documented in the Operational Requirements Document, the Capability Development Document, or the Capability Production Document.

Key System Attributes

KSAs are attributes considered most critical or essential for an effective capability but not selected as KPPs. They provide decision-makers with an additional level of capability prioritization below the KPP. A KSA does not have to be related to a KPP, and there is no KSA' sication that multiple KSAs equal a KPP.

Measures Of Effectiveness

MOEs measure how well an operational task or task element is accomplished by using a system. The data used to measure the effect (mission accomplishment) comes from the system's use in its expected environment.

MOEs often have green/yellow/red limits established early in the program and are tracked until they turn green or are demonstrated to be unachievable. The MOE can be stated either as a question or a declarative statement. The MOE is often expressed in terms of accomplishment gained per cost incurred.

Measures of Performance

MOPs are components, or subsets, of MOEs. The?degree to which?a system performs is one of a number of possible measures of?how well?a system's task is accomplished. MOPs can be accumulated to assess an MOE that is not directly measurable. Several MOPs may be related to the achievement of a particular MOE.

MOPs supply supporting data to determine MOE status as it evolves over the life of a program. Together, they decide what constitutes successful operations for the system. MOPs and MOEs are derived from requirements or the Concept of Operations. Their selection should be based on their ability to discriminate between levels of good MOPs, MOEs, KPPs.