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usds / playbook

The Digital Services Playbook
https://playbook.cio.gov/
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Missing Core Reason for "Failed" Projects #23

Closed runvnc closed 10 years ago

runvnc commented 10 years ago

Today, too many of our digital services projects do not work well, are delivered late, or are over budget. To increase the success rate of these projects, the U.S. Government needs a new approach.

The main reason that projects do not work well or do not meet delivery dates or budget expectations is that the goals are simply unrealistic given the actual resources available.

Contract allows the government delivery team the flexibility to adjust feature prioritization as the project evolves.

This is going in the right direction as far as providing some flexibility in project contraints, but only mentions one aspect -- scope -- and to a limited degree. See the "Iron Triangle" or PMBOK Star etc. Working within that structure of constraints and flexibility in all project management areas including resource allocation, scope, schedule, etc. are necessary for success.

These types of issues are directly affected by political situations, and so projects cannot be successful without successfully managing exterior politics that intersect at the project outset and throughout the process in a way that continues to align with the selected project configuration given the constraints.

runvnc commented 10 years ago

After reading about this $240 million Oregon "Obamacare" debacle, I have to add one more related issue. Resource allocation. With some projects coming in with extremely poor outcomes despite having what looks like plenty of resources, it is apparent that funds are not being properly allocated. That ties in again with the politics at the outset that I mentioned, and then the "Iron Triangle" or PMBOK Star come in.

cew821 commented 10 years ago

Thanks for this feedback. Take a look at the proposed addition in v1.0 and see if this helps address the point. Also please feel free to suggest a "Key Question" that might draw this out.