Despite significant advancements in project governance, and well publicised failures and lesson learned over the years, we still see large-scale programmes that fail to meet cost, time, or quality expectations.
Why? Not because people aren’t working hard or using the right frameworks — but because some of the most important issues are hiding in plain sight. Here, we explore ten recurring pitfalls, across three areas of overarching challenge: setting up for success, managing risk intelligently, and extracting real value.
1. Governance is a Front-End Job
Too many projects begin delivery before commercial governance and planning are in place. Stakeholder misalignment, fuzzy accountability, and rushed contracting decisions leave programmes playing catch-up. Early involvement of commercial specialists and structured gateway reviews are critical.
2. You Can’t Execute Your Way Out of Poor Definition
Vague scope, unclear value drivers and imprecise requirements are all too common. Excellent delivery cannot compensate for a poor brief. Invest time and expertise in shaping the opportunity, defining outcomes, and aligning stakeholders before launch.
3. Ambition is Not a Strategy
Innovative solutions are exciting — but can quickly become oversized, bespoke and costly. Over-customisation driven by individual preferences often dilutes value. Value engineering and standardisation keep ambitions grounded in practical needs.
4. Risk Must Sit with Capability, Not Vulnerability
Transferring risk to the lowest bidder or weakest supplier may seem commercially savvy but often leads to failure. Risk allocation must follow capability, supported by a procurement model that matches the project’s complexity and risk profile.
5. Don’t Let the Prime Contractor Become the Black Box
Outsourcing delivery doesn’t mean outsourcing responsibility. Problems hidden in supply chains often surface late — and when they’re most expensive. Strong governance requires challenge, independent assurance and direct insight into all critical delivery components.
6. Contingency is Not a Cushion — It’s a Management Tool
Many project teams struggle to explain how contingency was calculated or how it is used. Without clear modelling and active tracking, it becomes a blind spot. Probabilistic costing and real-time monitoring help avoid unwelcome surprises.
7. Where Are the Opportunities?
Projects are meticulous about managing downside risk — but rarely track upside potential. Opportunity registers, aligned with market conditions and project strategy, unlock hidden value and support agile, value-focused decision-making.
8. Watch for the Illusion of Progress
Projects that always report “on time and on budget” may simply be over-padded. Soft schedules and loose budgets mask inefficiencies. Real success comes from disciplined planning that builds momentum and drives focus.
9. Relationships Determine Results
Internal silos and adversarial supplier dynamics often undermine delivery. Strong, collaborative relationships — built on trust, mutual interest and aligned incentives — are the engine room of complex projects. Being a ‘client of choice’ pays off.
10. Procurement Shapes Value — Not Just Schedule
Many cost overruns stem not from poor scheduling, but from fragmented buying and unclear contracting strategies. Aggregated demand, market intelligence, and early procurement planning are key to securing value across the supply chain.
Final Thoughts
Complex projects will always involve risk, ambiguity, and competing pressures. But much of what goes wrong is avoidable — if we challenge assumptions, invest in early definition, and manage relationships and risk with commercial clarity we can set our projects up for success.