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Why only 0.5% of projects succeed and how to beat the odds

Research by Bent Flyvbjerg uncovers a major issue in project management: only 0.5% of major projects globally meet their original targets for time, budget, and outcomes.



This statistic reflects systemic failures that plague project delivery:

  1. Scope Creep

  2. Sunk cost fallacy

  3. Misalignment between outputs and strategic value.

  4. Lack of Collaboration and Ownership


At PMLogic, we address these issues through our DELIVER framework, a structured methodology that prioritises clarity, accountability, and measurable results.


The DELIVER Framework: A Blueprint for Excellence


PMLogic’s methodology redefines success by addressing root causes of failure:

  • Discover/Examine: Diagnose gaps and align strategy with execution.

  • Learn: Synthesise insights to design a tailored operating model.

  • Implement: Execute with precision, leveraging technology and talent.

  • Validate/Evaluate: Continuously measure outcomes against KPIs.

  • Reinforce: Institutionalise improvements for lasting impact.



Here is how we resolve the most common project failures.

1. Scope Creep


Scope creep happens when projects stray from their original goals, often due to shifting priorities or evolving stakeholder demands. It’s more than just adding extra features, it’s a slow erosion of focus that derails a project’s mission. Even with clear initial objectives, emerging requests can scatter priorities, balloon costs, and extend deadlines further.

The PMLogic Approach: Discover/Examine


  • Define Core Objectives Early: Before project commencement, we work with you and stakeholders to define purpose, deliverables, and success metrics. In doing so, we establish robust project governance measures to prevent scope creep. Every task is to be evaluated against the core objective; if it doesn’t address the original problem, it’s a distraction. Additionally, documentation of what is included, what is excluded, and the consequences of change to ensure interrelations with the project goal.

  • Stakeholder Alignment: Any scope change requires a thorough cost-benefit analysis and stakeholder approval. We facilitate workshops to codify project boundaries and establish success criteria within a ratified charter.



By anchoring projects to a shared vision, DELIVER’s Discover/Examine phase eliminates ambiguity and ensures every task advances strategic goals.

2. Sunk Cost Fallacy:

 


Sunk cost fallacy is the tendency to continue investing in failing projects simply because significant resources have already been committed. Organisations may persist with underperforming projects due to reputational concerns or financial, emotional and political pressures, often justifying their efforts with claims like "we have invested too much to quit," even when clear evidence indicates that a change in direction would be more beneficial.


The PMLogic Approach: Learn and Validate/Evaluate


  • Data-Driven Decisions: We implement decision gates using quantitative metrics such as ROI and benefit realisation rates to assess project viability. Regular quarterly reviews serve as checkpoints to determine if the project remains worthwhile. These reviews ensure that decisions are supported with objective data rather than intuition.

  • Encourage Dynamic Feedback Loops: We use real-time dashboards to monitor progress and make adjustments when outcomes differ from forecasts. Team members are encouraged to propose effective course corrections rather than persisting with flawed plans, and leaders who adapt their strategy are celebrated for their proactive approach.



DELIVER’s Validate/Evaluate phase transforms governance from reactive to proactive, replacing bias with data-driven decisions.

3. Misalignment between outputs and strategic value:


Many projects prioritise delivering outputs over achieving meaningful impact and effectively addressing the problem. Success is often measured by adherence to deadlines and budgets rather than by tangible improvements. Without clear, outcome-based metrics, there is a risk of focusing solely on delivery rather than ensuring the project generates lasting value.


The PMLogic Approach: Learn and Reinforce


  • Outcome-Centric Design: We work with you to establish KPIs during the planning phase to ensure deliverables align with organisational objectives. Rather than focusing solely on outputs, success metrics should be framed around measurable outcomes. By defining these metrics before work begins and linking each task to a tangible result, projects remain focused on delivering real value rather than just completing activities.

 


DELIVER’s Learn and Reinforce phases ensure projects deliver measurable value, not just completed tasks.

 

4. Lack of Collaboration and Ownership:


Projects falter when teams operate in isolation, as fragmented communication and conflicting priorities can compromise the project’s direction. Without unanimous stakeholder alignment, misunderstandings arise, trust deteriorates, and progress stalls. Open collaboration and shared accountability is essential to maintaining momentum and ensuring collective success.


The PMLogic Approach: Implement


  • Cross-Functional Workshops: Facilitate workshops that bring together all relevant stakeholders to align on priorities, dependencies, and potential risks. These sessions create a shared understanding of objectives and challenges, preventing siloed decision-making and mitigating bottlenecks. Through open dialogue, teams develop clarity on project goals and assume ownership of the intended benefits, thereby understanding their responsibilities and how their contributions drive overall success.

  • Centralised Visibility: Implement a centralised dashboard that provides real-time insights into progress, risks, and interdependencies. This tool ensures that all teams remain informed and engaged for transparency and collaborative problem-solving across the project.

  • Phased Delivery: Structure projects into phases, using prototypes and small-scale rollouts to validate assumptions before committing to full deployment. By breaking work into sprints, teams can test key hypotheses, gather real-time feedback, and refine their approach based on actual results. This iterative process reduces risk, allows for adaptability, and ensures that solutions are effectively tailored to meet project goals before scaling.


DELIVER’s Implement phase turns collaboration into actionable processes, ensuring decisions are grounded in data, not assumptions.


Project Management for Lasting Success


Project failures aren’t inevitable, they’re simply symptoms of flawed systems. With DELIVER, PMLogic partners with organisations to transform scope creep into defined value, sunk cost bias into evidence-based decisions, strategic misalignment into value-driven delivery, and siloed accountability into collaborative ownership.

At PMLogic, we turn the 0.5% anomaly into the new benchmark for success.



 

 
 
 

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