Bad Project? Or Bad Forecast?

Uh oh.

The new visitor experience project is running later than forecasted. Costs are higher than forecasted. There are more slip-ups than forecasted.

People are saying it’s one of “those” projects.

But wait. What if it’s not?

What if unexpected delays, cost increases and mistakes are all normal? What if all of this was going to happen all along? What if the problem isn’t how the project is being done?

What if the problem is the way it was forecasted?

Complex projects never go the way you expect. They take longer than ideal, cost more than ideal, and have more issues than ideal.

So why do forecast an ideal? Projects that don’t go the way you expect are exactly what you should expect. Base forecasts on what’s really going to happen.

Here’s the thing:
Is it a bad project? Or a bad forecast?

Warmly,
Jonathan

P.S. Welcome to the new Making the Museum schedule, reader’s choice: three days a week, Tu-We-Th. Let’s see how it goes!