Project Success: The Importance of Foundational Discipline Alongside Expertise - Luciana Torgoman
A common misconception in transformational engagements — technology-supported or not — is that achieving the expected outcomes is mostly dependent on the depth of the expertise being delivered. While the knowledge, latest tools and methods, and experience that centers or supports the engagement are critical to its success, the lack of that expertise is not only improbable — given that customers will frequently contract with consulting firms that have proven success in the area, it is rarely what causes engagements to fail. Engagements fail to achieve their outcomes due to sub-optimal planning, a rush to “hit the ground running,” and skipping foundational project management rigor that sets projects up for success.
A recent study showed that project failures are often due to a lack of project management rigor and inadequate collaboration between consulting firms and their clients. In 2024, nearly half of IT projects are reported to run over budget or miss deadlines, with communication breakdowns (46%) and misaligned objectives (37%) playing significant roles in these failures.
If project management is known to be a must-have skill for every consultant from junior levels, how could so many projects fail or deliver mediocre results because of underperforming “table stakes”? In a world where AI is increasingly leveraged to replace codified tasks, why aren’t AI-enabled tools sufficient to mitigate the risks associated with inadequate project planning and management?
Recognizing project leadership as a crucial function in every Business Transformation that is broader and more strategic than the typical (yet essential) tasks of status reporting, RAID logs, and managing deliverables/resources will highlight the reasons why some projects have greater risks than others. Consultants that practice the project management function as the intentional and proactive strategy to guide the customer from point A to point B, along with the typical tactical tasks, will unlock immense value to their projects and will be significantly less prone to failure.
Strategic project planning and management is embodied by investing sufficient time upfront to plan not only for milestones and dependencies but primarily for a common understanding of the big picture, the North Star, and what the consulting–customer partnership aims to achieve together. Strategic project planning and management require trust and collaboration that support boldness to shift the plan if and when needed. Strategic project planning and management establish “common sense” accountability by anchoring the project to the expected outcomes and value drivers and not (only) by a documented RACI matrix. There will never be an “off-the-shelf” solution for that. AI cannot replace the approach tailoring and personal aspect of true strategic project planning (at least not yet).
The supposed reasons for not investing the right amount of time upfront in every project to establish strategic project planning and management rigor may range from unrealistic timelines to a false belief that project planning and management can be an added function to another team member. These tactics to either reduce cost or expedite results have often proven to produce the opposite: lengthier, riskier, and costlier projects.
Excellence in delivery is rooted in discipline and rigor all around. Expertise must be top-notch, relevant, updated, and strategic. Project planning and management absolutely must carry the same adjectives. While delivery teams continue to try to cut corners in a foundational function such as project planning and management, we will continue to see projects equipped with robust expertise fail due to issues that have nothing to do with the capability skillset.
Luciana Torgoman is a leader with over 15 years of experience in program management, system implementation, strategic planning, and process improvement. Currently, as the Director of Delivery Excellence at Point B, she drives impactful engagements for healthcare clients. Her expertise spans complex project delivery, shared services, and regulatory compliance. Passionate about helping organizations achieve their strategic goals, Luciana is known for her ability to lead large-scale transformation efforts and provide strategic advisory services to improve operational efficiencies.
Connect with Luciana on LinkedIn.
