The management of risk is considered a key discipline by the Project Management Institute and the... more The management of risk is considered a key discipline by the Project Management Institute and the Association for Project Management. However, knowledge of what needs to be done frequently fails to result in action consistent with that knowledge. The reasons for this ...
The consistently successful delivery of projects remains an ambition that many organisations do n... more The consistently successful delivery of projects remains an ambition that many organisations do not achieve. Whilst the reasons behind project failure are many, one recognised factor is the 'planning fallacy' -over-optimism in the planning phase of a project. Whilst the planning phase of a project may be a battle for acceptance and resource allocation, the execution phase is a battle for delivery. Based on both qualitative and quantitative data gathered from a project management simulation, this study set out to establish whether optimism bias persists beyond the planning phase and into the execution phase, and, if so, to explore the reasons why. The results confirm the extent and impact of optimism bias in initial project planning. More importantly, the contribution of this study is to demonstrate on-going or sustained false optimism.
ABSTRACT Many organizations turn to project management offices (PMOs) in order to increase projec... more ABSTRACT Many organizations turn to project management offices (PMOs) in order to increase project efficiency, cut costs, and improve success rates in project delivery. However, many PMOs face the challenge of a lack of recognition of their contribution, leading to the need to repeatedly justify their existence. This paper provides new insights into the success and failure of PMOs and also provides the rationale and structure for a holistic approach to establishing and sustaining a PMO.
Many organizations turn to project management offices (PMOs) in order to increase project efficie... more Many organizations turn to project management offices (PMOs) in order to increase project efficiency, cut costs, and improve success rates in project delivery. However, many PMOs face the challenge of a lack of recognition of their contribution, leading to the need to repeatedly justify their existence. This paper provides new insights into the success and failure of PMOs and also provides the rationale and structure for a holistic approach to establishing and sustaining a PMO.
As business problems become more complex, so do their associated risk and uncertainty. Frequently... more As business problems become more complex, so do their associated risk and uncertainty. Frequently, organizations try to deal with risk through the application of standard processes -- often supported by rigid structures of compliance. Despite this, risk still creates huge problems for all sorts of activities, from banking to major investment projects. Yet, some organizations seem to thrive on uncertainty, and although they have encountered inevitable adversity, they remain considerably resilient. In this Executive Report, we explore the key aspects of what we call a "culture of resilience." We have found that traditional risk management is too limited for the complex problems many organizations face, and conclude that -- with the right approach to cultural change -- many more organizations can become more resilient.
ABSTRACT OVERVIEW: New product development projects are highly risky technical undertakings. Orga... more ABSTRACT OVERVIEW: New product development projects are highly risky technical undertakings. Organizations frequently seek to manage the risk involved using standard risk management procedures, knowing that a company that better manages risks is less vulnerable. Nevertheless, NPD projects continue to fail to meet expectations for delivery time, budget, and outcomes. In this paper, we explore reasons why, despite employing self-evidently correct risk management procedures, adversities occurred in 19 major information systems projects. Project managers focused on the familiar, the measurable, the favorable, the noncommittal, and the controllable while excluding other risks that significantly affected their project performance. We have characterized this tendency as a series of five lures that leave projects vulnerable to risks.
... JONATHAN LUPSON LECTURER IN PROJECT AND PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT CRANFIELD U... more ... JONATHAN LUPSON LECTURER IN PROJECT AND PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY CRANFIELD BEDFORDSHIRE MK43 0AL UNITED KINGDOM ... in the area of project management according to Pender (2001). ...
The management of risk is considered a key discipline by the Project Management Institute and the... more The management of risk is considered a key discipline by the Project Management Institute and the Association for Project Management. However, knowledge of what needs to be done frequently fails to result in action consistent with that knowledge. The reasons for this ...
ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore the zone of tolerance concept in relation to pe... more ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore the zone of tolerance concept in relation to perceptions of service encounters, specifically when service failures are likely to occur. A simulated restaurant experience consisting of a series of dining service ...
Purpose: Quality has been extensively studied in repetitive operations, but it remains un-der--re... more Purpose: Quality has been extensively studied in repetitive operations, but it remains un-der--researched in projects. The uncertainty and dynamics of projects challenge the princi-ples of quality models, and call for project--tailored solutions. This article explores what the attributes of quality in project contexts are.
The recent epidemic of information systems (IS) programme failures worldwide suggests that the ef... more The recent epidemic of information systems (IS) programme failures worldwide suggests that the effective management of programmes to cope with uncertainty and achieve mission in the medium term remains a key challenge. Research into high reliability organisations (HRO) has shown that it is possible to avoid, trap and mitigate the risks inherent in complex sociotechnical systems. Studies of HROs originally focused on the operation of high risk technologies but have begun to explore other situations that present a similar need for reliable performance. One such environment is the IS programme. By comparing and contrasting the salient features of programme environments and HROs and presenting an in-depth case study with two embedded units of analysis (two troubled IS programmes), we aim to contribute to the ongoing debate about IS programme failure and to the theoretical development of programme reliability.
A review of the outcome of many information technology (IT) projects reveals that they fail to me... more A review of the outcome of many information technology (IT) projects reveals that they fail to meet the pre-specified project objectives of scope, time and budget. Despite well-established project risk management processes, project managers perceive their application as ineffective to manage risk. This failure may well be attributed to the inadequate application of those risk management processes. The purpose of this research was to investigate how project managers responsible for the management of risk in IT projects actually managed risk and to relate this back to established project risk management processes. In undertaking this investigation, we were seeking to understand the ways in which the project managersÕ approaches and behaviours, when considering risk in IT projects, differed from what might be expected. Results show that because of environment-related and decision maker-related conditions, project managers tend to deny, avoid, ignore and delay dealing with risk, with the consequence of those actions having an adverse influence on their perceived effectiveness of risk management and the project outcomes. If project risk management, and its underlying processes are not to be discredited, the behaviour of project managers when confronted by uncertainty should be considered and actions need to be taken to discourage project managersÕ irrational actions.
The management of project risk is considered a key discipline by most organisations involved in p... more The management of project risk is considered a key discipline by most organisations involved in projects. Best practice project risk management processes are claimed to be self-evidently correct. However, project risk management involves a choice between which information is utilized and which is deemed to be irrelevant and hence excluded. Little research has been carried out to ascertain the manifestation of barriers to optimal project risk management such as 'irrelevance'; the deliberate inattention of risk actors to risk. This paper presents the results of a qualitative study of IT project managers, investigating their reasons for deeming certain known risks to be irrelevant. The results both confirm and expand on Smithson's . Ignorance and Uncertainty. Springer-Verlag, New York] taxonomy of ignorance and uncertainty and in particular offer further context related insights into the phenomenon of 'irrelevance' in project risk management. We suggest that coping with 'irrelevance' requires defence mechanisms, the effective management of relevance as well as the setting of, and sticking to priorities.
The consistently successful delivery of projects remains an ambition that many organisations do n... more The consistently successful delivery of projects remains an ambition that many organisations do not achieve. Whilst the reasons behind project failure are many, one recognised factor is the 'planning fallacy' -over-optimism in the planning phase of a project. Whilst the planning phase of a project may be a battle for acceptance and resource allocation, the execution phase is a battle for delivery. Based on both qualitative and quantitative data gathered from a project management simulation, this study set out to establish whether optimism bias persists beyond the planning phase and into the execution phase, and, if so, to explore the reasons why. The results confirm the extent and impact of optimism bias in initial project planning. More importantly, the contribution of this study is to demonstrate on-going or sustained false optimism.
The management of risk is considered a key discipline by the Project Management Institute and the... more The management of risk is considered a key discipline by the Project Management Institute and the Association for Project Management. However, knowledge of what needs to be done frequently fails to result in action consistent with that knowledge. The reasons for this ...
The consistently successful delivery of projects remains an ambition that many organisations do n... more The consistently successful delivery of projects remains an ambition that many organisations do not achieve. Whilst the reasons behind project failure are many, one recognised factor is the 'planning fallacy' -over-optimism in the planning phase of a project. Whilst the planning phase of a project may be a battle for acceptance and resource allocation, the execution phase is a battle for delivery. Based on both qualitative and quantitative data gathered from a project management simulation, this study set out to establish whether optimism bias persists beyond the planning phase and into the execution phase, and, if so, to explore the reasons why. The results confirm the extent and impact of optimism bias in initial project planning. More importantly, the contribution of this study is to demonstrate on-going or sustained false optimism.
ABSTRACT Many organizations turn to project management offices (PMOs) in order to increase projec... more ABSTRACT Many organizations turn to project management offices (PMOs) in order to increase project efficiency, cut costs, and improve success rates in project delivery. However, many PMOs face the challenge of a lack of recognition of their contribution, leading to the need to repeatedly justify their existence. This paper provides new insights into the success and failure of PMOs and also provides the rationale and structure for a holistic approach to establishing and sustaining a PMO.
Many organizations turn to project management offices (PMOs) in order to increase project efficie... more Many organizations turn to project management offices (PMOs) in order to increase project efficiency, cut costs, and improve success rates in project delivery. However, many PMOs face the challenge of a lack of recognition of their contribution, leading to the need to repeatedly justify their existence. This paper provides new insights into the success and failure of PMOs and also provides the rationale and structure for a holistic approach to establishing and sustaining a PMO.
As business problems become more complex, so do their associated risk and uncertainty. Frequently... more As business problems become more complex, so do their associated risk and uncertainty. Frequently, organizations try to deal with risk through the application of standard processes -- often supported by rigid structures of compliance. Despite this, risk still creates huge problems for all sorts of activities, from banking to major investment projects. Yet, some organizations seem to thrive on uncertainty, and although they have encountered inevitable adversity, they remain considerably resilient. In this Executive Report, we explore the key aspects of what we call a "culture of resilience." We have found that traditional risk management is too limited for the complex problems many organizations face, and conclude that -- with the right approach to cultural change -- many more organizations can become more resilient.
ABSTRACT OVERVIEW: New product development projects are highly risky technical undertakings. Orga... more ABSTRACT OVERVIEW: New product development projects are highly risky technical undertakings. Organizations frequently seek to manage the risk involved using standard risk management procedures, knowing that a company that better manages risks is less vulnerable. Nevertheless, NPD projects continue to fail to meet expectations for delivery time, budget, and outcomes. In this paper, we explore reasons why, despite employing self-evidently correct risk management procedures, adversities occurred in 19 major information systems projects. Project managers focused on the familiar, the measurable, the favorable, the noncommittal, and the controllable while excluding other risks that significantly affected their project performance. We have characterized this tendency as a series of five lures that leave projects vulnerable to risks.
... JONATHAN LUPSON LECTURER IN PROJECT AND PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT CRANFIELD U... more ... JONATHAN LUPSON LECTURER IN PROJECT AND PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY CRANFIELD BEDFORDSHIRE MK43 0AL UNITED KINGDOM ... in the area of project management according to Pender (2001). ...
The management of risk is considered a key discipline by the Project Management Institute and the... more The management of risk is considered a key discipline by the Project Management Institute and the Association for Project Management. However, knowledge of what needs to be done frequently fails to result in action consistent with that knowledge. The reasons for this ...
ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore the zone of tolerance concept in relation to pe... more ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore the zone of tolerance concept in relation to perceptions of service encounters, specifically when service failures are likely to occur. A simulated restaurant experience consisting of a series of dining service ...
Purpose: Quality has been extensively studied in repetitive operations, but it remains un-der--re... more Purpose: Quality has been extensively studied in repetitive operations, but it remains un-der--researched in projects. The uncertainty and dynamics of projects challenge the princi-ples of quality models, and call for project--tailored solutions. This article explores what the attributes of quality in project contexts are.
The recent epidemic of information systems (IS) programme failures worldwide suggests that the ef... more The recent epidemic of information systems (IS) programme failures worldwide suggests that the effective management of programmes to cope with uncertainty and achieve mission in the medium term remains a key challenge. Research into high reliability organisations (HRO) has shown that it is possible to avoid, trap and mitigate the risks inherent in complex sociotechnical systems. Studies of HROs originally focused on the operation of high risk technologies but have begun to explore other situations that present a similar need for reliable performance. One such environment is the IS programme. By comparing and contrasting the salient features of programme environments and HROs and presenting an in-depth case study with two embedded units of analysis (two troubled IS programmes), we aim to contribute to the ongoing debate about IS programme failure and to the theoretical development of programme reliability.
A review of the outcome of many information technology (IT) projects reveals that they fail to me... more A review of the outcome of many information technology (IT) projects reveals that they fail to meet the pre-specified project objectives of scope, time and budget. Despite well-established project risk management processes, project managers perceive their application as ineffective to manage risk. This failure may well be attributed to the inadequate application of those risk management processes. The purpose of this research was to investigate how project managers responsible for the management of risk in IT projects actually managed risk and to relate this back to established project risk management processes. In undertaking this investigation, we were seeking to understand the ways in which the project managersÕ approaches and behaviours, when considering risk in IT projects, differed from what might be expected. Results show that because of environment-related and decision maker-related conditions, project managers tend to deny, avoid, ignore and delay dealing with risk, with the consequence of those actions having an adverse influence on their perceived effectiveness of risk management and the project outcomes. If project risk management, and its underlying processes are not to be discredited, the behaviour of project managers when confronted by uncertainty should be considered and actions need to be taken to discourage project managersÕ irrational actions.
The management of project risk is considered a key discipline by most organisations involved in p... more The management of project risk is considered a key discipline by most organisations involved in projects. Best practice project risk management processes are claimed to be self-evidently correct. However, project risk management involves a choice between which information is utilized and which is deemed to be irrelevant and hence excluded. Little research has been carried out to ascertain the manifestation of barriers to optimal project risk management such as 'irrelevance'; the deliberate inattention of risk actors to risk. This paper presents the results of a qualitative study of IT project managers, investigating their reasons for deeming certain known risks to be irrelevant. The results both confirm and expand on Smithson's . Ignorance and Uncertainty. Springer-Verlag, New York] taxonomy of ignorance and uncertainty and in particular offer further context related insights into the phenomenon of 'irrelevance' in project risk management. We suggest that coping with 'irrelevance' requires defence mechanisms, the effective management of relevance as well as the setting of, and sticking to priorities.
The consistently successful delivery of projects remains an ambition that many organisations do n... more The consistently successful delivery of projects remains an ambition that many organisations do not achieve. Whilst the reasons behind project failure are many, one recognised factor is the 'planning fallacy' -over-optimism in the planning phase of a project. Whilst the planning phase of a project may be a battle for acceptance and resource allocation, the execution phase is a battle for delivery. Based on both qualitative and quantitative data gathered from a project management simulation, this study set out to establish whether optimism bias persists beyond the planning phase and into the execution phase, and, if so, to explore the reasons why. The results confirm the extent and impact of optimism bias in initial project planning. More importantly, the contribution of this study is to demonstrate on-going or sustained false optimism.
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Papers by Elmar Kutsch