Every year, companies invest millions of dollars on large-scale IT projects that are technically correct, yet still fail to deliver promised results. Sometimes these large projects fail because nobody could clearly articulate what a successful outcome would look like in the first place. Without doubt, IT auditors and risk managers need a better approach that improves the odds of success with large or complex systems projects.
What IT professionals need here is a systemic framework for managing the risk of these mega projects; too often, we don’t have one. In essence, right now large projects should come with a disclaimer that reads: “Past performance is no guarantee of future success. The risk of failure is grossly underestimated and our confidence is over-rated, resulting in a seat-of-the-pants approach to project management.” That is not the way to go about things.
