Taking over a failing project

Sometimes, you may be brought in to manage an already existing project. There is no guarantee that you will be given a brand new project to execute. Taking over a failed project in particular can be daunting as you need to succeed, where the other has failed.

I’ve put together a few little nuggets to help.

1.Understand the whys; What were the challenges? How did the project all of a sudden come to a halt? At this stage, it is important to gather as much facts and information as possible, so as to enable you strategize for a smooth execution

2.Introductory meetings: These meetings are not to expose the previous project manager (as it may not have been entirely his fault),but to understand from your team, what went wrong and also an opportunity for you to create some small wins and execute your plans.

3.Review existing documentation: A top tip is to review existing lessons learned documentation and even the RAIDS logs to give you an overview of what could have possibly gone wrong. Frame 7. 4.Review requirements: Go back to the drawing board and review those requirements created at the initial stages. At this point, you may decide to remove certain requirements, based on the new budget and schedule, ensuring that the scope is realized.

5.Resourcing: It’s important to do an assessment on your existing resources so as to identify if you not only have the right number of resources, but the right skill set too.

6.Walk that walk: You’ve gathered all the facts and information you need, and it’s now time to put yourself in motion and begin to plan and execute all those ideas you have in place to get your failing project off to a good start!

Good luck!"