{"id":897,"date":"2024-07-05T00:41:14","date_gmt":"2024-07-05T00:41:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tgfrconsulting.com\/blog\/?p=897"},"modified":"2024-07-05T00:41:15","modified_gmt":"2024-07-05T00:41:15","slug":"project-failure-undiscovered-rework-and-project-planning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tgfrconsulting.com\/blog\/product_development\/project-failure-undiscovered-rework-and-project-planning\/","title":{"rendered":"Project Failure – Undiscovered Rework and Project Planning"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Whenever a project fails to meet its objectives, a deep dive tries to explain the source of the failure. Too often this failure traces to a plan that creates “undiscovered rework”. This “undiscovered rework” results in chaos, with project execution moving from a proactive to reactive process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Undiscovered Rework results in Reactive Execution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 1981, G P Richardson and A L Pugh II published the book \u201cIntroduction to System Dynamics Modeling with DYNAMO\u201d.  Within this book, the learning project described a model that represented the progress of a project.  This model demonstrated that the concept of \u201cundiscovered rework\u201d, that is, the gap between actual and perceived project was the key factor in project delays.  Specifically, this gap between perceived progress and actual project created a range of inner \u201cfailure loops\u201d as shown in the following figure<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

These \u201cfailure loops\u201d transform a project a proactive to reactive posture. Rework and impacts cascade will beyond the initial issue.  Consider the following example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Subsystem integration reveals interfaces that were not fully developed and tested.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. The team diverts resources from other tasks, causing delays in those tasks due to lack of resources.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Delays impact downstream tasks depending upon the integration.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Further delays cascade other project tasks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Soon the delays and reactions cascade throughout the project.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Distribute this scenario over an entire project and the reaction to the \u201cundiscovered rework\u201d consumes the project’s proactive progress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Project Planning and Undiscovered Rework<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Establishing the timelines, cost and scope of a project depends upon balancing the four basic parameters for a project.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Parameter<\/td>Description<\/td><\/tr>
    Time<\/td>When will the project deliver the completed product?<\/td><\/tr>
    Scope<\/td>What product features will the product deliver?<\/td><\/tr>
    Resources<\/td>What people and funding will be applied to the project?<\/td><\/tr>
    Quality<\/td>What will be the project’s and product’s level of quality?<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
    Project Parameters<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    The “Pick 3” axiom states that planning can set and adjust three of these parameters, but the fourth parameter will float depending on the other parameters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Consider the following examples of this axiom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n