McKinsey and the University of Oxford studied more than 5,400 IT projects. Large ones ran on average 45% over budget and 7% over time, and delivered 56% less value than predicted. Most programmes do not fail in one moment. They drift, and reports often hide the drift.
Show what has been evidenced
Replace general confidence with specific evidence: which tests have passed, which teams are trained, which decisions are overdue. A number with a source is harder to wish away.
Separate value from activity
On-time delivery of the wrong thing is still a loss. Keep the original benefits on the report, and ask each month whether they still hold.
Reward early warning
People report honestly if doing so helps them. Leaders set that tone by how they respond to the first piece of unwelcome news.
