Recognising the patterns.
WHAT THE LEADING CAUSES ARE
Requirements not understood Scope exceeding capacity Data migrated dirty Testing compressed Training inadequate Leadership absent Process not changed Dates driving decisions
WHY LEADERSHIP ABSENCE IS DECISIVE
Decisions requiring authority go unmade, and resistance goes unaddressed.
WHAT VISIBLE COMMITMENT LOOKS LIKE
The sponsor present, deciding, and using the system themselves.
WHAT RESISTANCE ACTUALLY INDICATES
Frequently, a legitimate concern nobody addressed.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
Listen, and distinguish real problems from discomfort.
WHAT DIRTY DATA CAUSES
Distrust, immediately and permanently.
WHY PERMANENTLY
First impressions of a system's accuracy are difficult to reverse.
WHAT COMPRESSED TESTING GUARANTEES
Problems found by users.
WHAT DATE-DRIVEN DECISIONS PRODUCE
Everything else being sacrificed.
WHAT TO DO WHEN A DATE CANNOT BE MET
Say so early, and decide deliberately what to reduce.
WHAT NOT TO DO
Proceed and hope.
WHAT WARNING SIGNS TO WATCH FOR
Testing not started Training not scheduled Data not cleaned Issues accumulating without resolution
WHAT TO DO ON SEEING THEM
Escalate, before the date forces a bad decision.