70% of Projects "Fail"
According to a survey by the Japan Users Association of Information Systems (JUAS), approximately 70% of system implementation projects face issues with quality, cost, or delivery schedule.
Think it won't happen to your company? In reality, failing projects share common patterns. This article introduces three representative failure patterns.
Failure Pattern 1: The "I Said / You Didn't Say" Problem
A mid-sized manufacturer outsourced a core system renewal. During testing, complaints arose that "this feature is missing." The developer claimed "we were never told about it," resulting in an additional 5 million yen in costs and a 3-month delay.
Why It Happens
- Meeting contents not documented in minutes
- Ambiguous approval process for requirements
- Unspoken expectations of "that should be included"
Prevention Tips
- Create minutes for all meetings and confirm with both parties
- Get formal written approval for requirements documents
- Explicitly document what is NOT included
Failure Pattern 2: Feature Creep (Adding "Just One More Thing")
A startup began development with just the minimum features needed. However, features kept being added, and the original 3-month timeline extended to one year. The company ran out of funds and went bankrupt before launch.
Why It Happens
- Vague definition of initial scope
- No evaluation of how additions impact the whole project
- Inability to say "no"
Prevention Tips
- Clearly define and document the initial scope
- Always evaluate cost and timeline impact of additions
- Establish change management rules requiring approval for additions
Failure Pattern 3: Rushing Past Testing
A company shortened the testing period due to deadline pressure and forced a production release. Bugs flooded in immediately after launch, resulting in emergency weekend work and additional repair costs.
Why It Happens
- Development delays absorbed by cutting test time
- Insufficient acceptance testing
- No release quality criteria established
Prevention Tips
- Never cut testing time (address delays separately)
- Allocate sufficient time and staff for acceptance testing
- Be willing to delay release if quality issues exist
This Is Just the Tip of the Iceberg
The three patterns introduced here are just a fraction of common failures.
Real projects face many more pitfalls: poor vendor selection, contract disputes, security incidents, and inadequate maintenance planning.
The complete PDF includes all of the following:
| Content | Details |
|---|---|
| Case Studies | 25 patterns across 7 chapters (with specific cost/timeline impacts) |
| Checklist | 25-item project health checklist (with scoring criteria) |
| Quick Reference | Failure pattern, cause, and prevention summary table |
| Response Flow | 5-step trouble response flowchart |