Assignment Task
Introduction
- How do we define project success or failure? What criteria do organisations use to identify project success or failure? Each individual or group of people who are involved in a project interpret their project’s success/failure in the context of their own way of understanding based on their needs and expectations.
One typical example is Ford’s Edsel, which launched in 1957 with extensive market research. Although it was designed to cater to wide market preferences, Ford lost its opportunity as consumers had shifted to compact cars. On one hand, the failure of the Edsel highlights the importance of speed to market. On the other hand, it conveys that maintaining an accurate schedule is crucial in project management. Moreover, poor communication, inaccurate/unrealistic deadlines, and/or out-of-touch project managers can significantly delay a project, making it irrelevant or valuable.
Another example is the Volkswagen emissions scandal, commonly known as “Dieselgate.” Volkswagen, a globally renowned automotive company, faced a severe obstacle when it was revealed that they had installed software in their diesel vehicles to manipulate emissions tests. This project’s quality failure not only led to massive recalls, financial penalties, and lawsuits but also damaged Volkswagen’s reputation significantly. The scandal serves as a significant reminder of how failures in project quality can have negative effects on even the most leading, established, and recognised companies.
Bear in mind, criteria are not the same as factors. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a criterion is defined as “a standard by which you judge, decide about, or deal with something” whereas a factor is described as “a fact or situation that influences the result of something”. In other words, factors can lead to a series of events that ultimately meet the overall success criteria of the project, so they should not be used as synonymous terms.
Your Task
You are required to identify a real-world case: a failed project, then explain why the project is unsuccessful based on the criteria you identified (from the literature, either journal or conference papers). The report should include the following information:
- Company background and the project that you have selected
- Identification (from the literature, either journal or conference papers), description and justification of the criteria that was used to sanction the project. This should include a financial or intangible justification with detailed explanation
- A critical review about how the project was deemed to have failed and the criteria applied, including an insightful analysis of how the pre and post project analysis differed
- Appropriate conclusions
- Provision of suggestions or recommendations about how similar projects should be deemed feasible in the future and how the pre and post project criteria should be aligned