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Projects are everywhere in our lives: personal projects, development projects, educational projects, business projects, capacity-building projects, infrastructure projects, innovation projects, technology projects, research and development projects. There have been zillions of projects in the past; there will be zillions of projects in the future. Basically, we got where we are now through projects.
What is fascinating about all these projects is that they all share a set of common characteristics, which -- if well understood, soundly addressed and actively managed -- can increase the chances of success and minimize the risk of failure. This is what we do in project management. Yet, every year, millions of projects fail.
Using a simplified framework -- composed of ten areas of focus -- that I developed over years of teaching executives how to do better projects and that I apply consistently in my day-to-day job, I will look at relevant projects that are currently on the spotlight. Some of them are well managed; others are poorly managed. My hope is that this section will help you become more successful at executing the projects you face in every area of your life.
The Berlin Brandenburg Airport
One of the most surprising project failures I came across recently involved the new Berlin...