Valuable lessons had been learned and were being applied to current projects. We learned to develop better processes, to organize teams more effectively, and to deal with problems faster. We developed smaller, less complex projects. Troubled projects were euthanized quickly. With the advent of professional project managers, we learned to mitigate project risk through scope minimization, standard infrastructures, and improved communications.
History is replete with examples of ambitious projects that failed.
The Standish Group believes that failure is critical to success. Only by examining our mistakes and applying lessons learned can we stem the tide of project failures and enhance our organization's probability of success. Using project management practices, we have begun to do just that. Project success rates are climbing. This chart depicts the resolution of the 23,000 applications projects in large, medium, and small cross-industry U.S. companies since 1994.