From the History of Project Management, a very interesting comparision that might be applicable to our IT project failures.
We all have experiences like those two ships but in the software domain.
Here's one starting point for avoiding that sinking feeling that we're going to get wet. It's call Governance. Not just project management, not just development and testing, not just creative discovery of the requirements. But oversight of every process in the process of spending other peoples money.
So when we hear about some new and clever way of spending other peoples money in the absence of knowing how much money, when we'll be done, what's the probability that what we are producing is actually going to show up when the business needs those mission critical capabilities and there is no tangible answer - then ask if there is a governance process in place.
I'm reminded of a old joke when I hear about untested ideas in the absence of working examples. Or the best I'm not going to tell you how to do this, I'm just going to tell you my personal experiences.
What's the difference between our organization and the Boy Scouts?
The Boy Scouts have adult supervision
