As Lawrence reminded us a few days ago, software development, and more generally, IT-related projects continue to record failure rates much higher than those of “standardized” construction projects, leading many of those in top management positions viewing IT as a cash sieve, as unregulated, as immature.

One reason for the continued failure of these types of projects is a general lack of understanding by the project’s management team. Consider the following list of commonly-committed mistakes, as researched at some of the top technical companies throughout the country.

• Poor estimation and/or scheduling
• Insufficient Risk Management
• Ineffective stakeholder management
• Insufficient Planning
• Shortchanged Quality Assurance
• Poor Requirements
• Weak Personnel
• Inattention to Politics
• Lack of User Involvement
• Contractor Failure
• Scope Creep

Before starting any sort of project, a project manager needs to understand the reasons why others before him committed these classic mistakes. He should also have a risk mitigation plan prepared in the case that one of these mistakes does become an issue during the project.

Ultimately, a manager who understands and actively works to avoid the above mistakes will be the one who can consistently lead his projects to success. Until PMs start learning from the past, the future will never look as bright.