3 Warning Signs Your Project is Off Course — and What to Do Next

After investing significant time, money and resources into a complex project, the last thing any manager wants to do is inform the executive team that final goals have not been met. For some projects, there may not be a second chance. Managers must keep an eye out for warning signs that a project is headed in the wrong direction and course correct in real time. Many warning signs boil down to the human element, and correcting them may call for a more qualitative approach. Major flags that your project is off course include:

Missed deliverables and milestones

While a missed deliverable or adjusted timeline may not doom a project to failure, multiple instances should raise an alarm. This can include things like improper tracking that causes missed timelines; team members missing meetings; and project components not delivered on time. When tracking and accountability are slipping, a project team will struggle to stay on time and on budget.

An Earned Value Management software solution can help keep your project and team on task. One example is our Hammer Solution, which offers a cost analysis view and an in-depth Drill Down tool to help your team track key details. An EVM solution ensures proper tracking, documenting both positive and negative outcomes. Other project management tools and internal communication systems can help keep everyone accountable.

A Disengaged Team

Data sets, and their interpretation, are vital to complex projects. Numbers, however, don’t tell the entire story, and forgetting the very real human needs of a team can be disastrous. When morale is low, team members will be unclear on deadlines and goals and communicate inconsistently, and they  may find themselves clashing. Managers may struggle to properly allocate tasks and either micromanage or provide little to no insight — both of which are scenarios that can divide a team further.

Ideally, a project will be “people-first” from the very beginning, meaning goals and strategy are developed in the frame of team members’ skills and needs instead of the bottom line. However, managers who notice signs of conflict and low morale while the project is in progress should address the issues head on. They will need to consider the differing personalities on their team and what they need, including how they best communicate. The Cost Accounting Manager (CAM) can play a key role in helping keep the team positive. Though numbers-focused, CAMs should work from a human-centric foundation. CAMs have a difficult role, and often have to be the voice of “no” on a project team. While adhering to budget is important, CAMs should communicate updates and changes in a way that respects the people receiving the information and addresses how it will affect their roles. When the CAM considers both the qualitative and the quantitative, the rest of the team will more easily follow suit.

Lack of Executive Buy-in

It’s easy for the C-suite to show excitement and support when a project launches. As time goes on, however, priorities may shift, and project managers may find that their executive team has gone dark. Without an advocate, a project may stall or even be cancelled. When a project manager notices key stakeholders missing meetings, not responding to emails or showing little interest in updates, it’s time for realignment.

Executives have full schedules, and they likely can’t play a daily or weekly role on a project. When updating them on project progress, it’s important for managers to “speak the executive language.” Where the team may be most excited about the employee benefits around a new project, executives are likely concerned with budget and the bottom line. Focus project updates on the things that are most important to executives first — put their worries to rest, show that you know where their priorities are and then jump into further updates. Keep them in the loop and ask only what you truly need of them to ensure a timely and open channel of communication.

All projects will have course corrections, and challenges aren’t a sign that the team is headed for failure. By keeping an eye out for warning signs that conflict is brewing, and goals may be straying off target, project managers can make needed adjustments. While bumps in the road can’t be prevented, they can be addressed and potentially turned into positives for the team and project.