Assessing and Recovering Troubled Projects

Every project will, at some point, get into trouble. But knowing when a project is failing and what corrective action to take can get it back on track and successfully completed. Understanding both the human and process dimensions of successfully assessing and recovering challenged projects is key. You will learn to determine the symptoms of a challenged project, create an assessment and recovery process, and prevent future project failure. In addition, you will practice the concepts and knowledge you have gained through team exercises. Save your projects before they fail!

Learning Objectives

• Analyze scenarios to identify symptoms of challenged projects
• Establish a process for assessing and recovering challenged projects
• Demonstrate the assessment and recovery process’ initiating phase
• Explain the assessment and recovery process’ planning phase
• Explain the assessment and recovery process’ assessment phase
• Explain the assessment and recovery process’ recovery phase
• Explain the assessment and recovery process’ managing and transition phase
• Discuss the prevention of challenged projects
• Create an on-the-job action plan

Course Topics

Overview of the Project Assessment and Recovery Process

• Project Success Statistics
• Project Outcome Categories
• Challenged Projects
• Project Assessment Survey
• Project Recovery Efforts
• Lesson Summary

Developing an Assessment and Recovery Project Charter

• Assessment and Recovery Process
• Steps to Terminate a Challenged Project
• Lesson Summary

Planning the Challenged Project’s Assessment

• Assessment and Recovery Process
• Planning the Assessment
• Tiger Team
• Creating the Assessment Plan
• Lesson Summary

Assessing the Challenged Project

• Assessing the Project
• Data Analysis and Problem Solving
• Rational Tools
• Creative Tools
• Guidelines for Effective Project Troubleshooting
• Exercise: Problem Identification and Solution
• Develop and Prioritize Recovery Options
• Tools to Prioritize Recovery Options
• Lesson Summary

Developing the Challenged Project’s Recovery Plan

• Assessment and Recovery Process
• Stakeholder Management
• Communication Requirements
• Establishing the ARP’s Control
• Lesson Summary

Managing Project Recovery and Transition

• Assessment and Recovery Plan
• Implementing the Recovery Plan
• Obstacles to Successful Recovery
• Closing the ARP Project
• Lesson Summary

Preventing Challenged Projects

• Preventing Challenged Projects
• Identifying Project Complexity
• React Early to Challenged Projects
• Guidelines for Preventing Challenged Projects
• Lesson Summary

Developing an Action Plan

• Review of the Project Assessment and Recovery Process
• Review of Developing the Assessment and Recovery Process Steps
• Review of Planning the Challenged Project’s Assessment
• Review of Assessing the Challenged Project
• Review of Assessment and Recovery Process
• Review of the Assessment and Recovery Plan
• Review of Preventing Challenged Projects
• Lesson Summary