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What’s Wrong with Being Predictable?

31 January 2012 - POSTED by Ty Kiisel

Sitting down at my desk this morning, I actually laughed out loud.

Although there was nobody here to witness my outburst, I still looked around the office to make sure. There’s nothing quite as disturbing as a lone man in the semi-dark of the early morning office laughing out loud.

I have always thought of myself as a pretty spontaneous guy. In fact, I’ve always prided myself as being able to think well on my feet and deal with new situations as they arise. This morning I had to face my demons. I am really quite predictable.

With few exceptions, I drive into work, park in “my” spot, enter the office by the same door, climb the stairs and put my bag down on the same corner of my desk the same way every morning. I extract my computer from my bag, remove my notebook, hang up my jacket and pull yesterday’s calendar page of my desktop calendar. I had to laugh. What’s wrong with being predictable?

About this time last year I read a post by Richard Lawrence that has resonated with me. He’s a certified SCRUM coach who writes about software development and making software teams happier and more productive. Lawrence suggested that dev teams should focus more on being predictable than being productive. He argues that increased productivity will fall out of a predictable approach to software development. I have since thought that a more predictable environment would also benefit other teams.

Lawrence suggests that a focus on predictability helps a team:

Develop and complete smaller projects that can be completed in a day or two. I like the idea of breaking down the work into smaller chunks. Although there will always be larger projects with time-lines that stretch out to months or longer, breaking up those projects into shorter durations will complete-able deliverables allows teams to show value at more regular intervals. This is good for stakeholders, team morale and ultimately project success.
Work on a smaller number of project deliverables at once. I once worked with a fellow who was incredibly productive if he only had a couple of project deliverables on his plate at a time. Less than that and he would fuss over a project deliverable forever—more than that and he would be so overwhelmed that he would freeze up and accomplish very little. Admittedly, every team member is different, but keeping expectations reasonable (in my opinion) helps project teams be more productive.
Ensure that the definition of done that is identified before the project is started is the same definition of done when the project is completed. I’ve noticed that the longer the duration of a project, the more likely the definition of done will morph into something other than what was originally intended. Sometimes this might be the result of scope creep, but often it is the result of unforeseen impediments that over the course of a lengthy project make it difficult to completely accomplish the goals or the initiative.
Enable individual team members to cross disciplines to get things done, avoiding unpredictable wait times. Shorter duration projects often encourage team members to step outside of their “defined” roles to get things done. Which, after all, is what getting things done is all about, right?
Make achievable commitments based on past results. From a management perspective, it’s easier to predict the results of a series of shorter duration projects than it is to predict the results of a project that will drag on for months at a time. From a team member’s perspective, it allows them to feel a sense of accomplishment at regular intervals. Most people respond well to feeling a sense of accomplishment at a job well done. The more often they are able to do that, the more productive they will be.

On the other hand, Lawrence suggests (and I agree) that a dogged focus on productivity usually leads to:

Individuals optimizing for their own productivity (i.e. lots of tasks getting done—a focus on activity rather than results)
Over-committing
Starting projects without necessarily believing they’ll get done in the time-line required
Sacrificing quality for speed (i.e. “Just get it done; we’ll clean it up later”)
Communicating and collaborating less (“All that conversation slows me down. I need to focus on my work”)

Lawrence argues that a strict focus on productivity might increase a project teams ability to get more accomplished in the short term, but focusing on predictability is a better long-term solution for helping teams increase productivity.

I have to agree. What’s more, making it happen might even be easier than you think. Although projects aren’t usually considered repeatable work, there are many aspects of a project that can be templated to be made more “predictable.” Applying templates to parts of the process that make sense makes project planning easier, encourages the capture and implementation of best practice and helps ensure a successful project outcome.

Is predictability part of your methodology? How do you utilize your project management tools to increase predictability and ultimately productivity?

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10 Tips to Effectively Communicate With Stakeholders

26 January 2012 - POSTED by Ty Kiisel

Keeping an open and effective line of communication with stakeholders is important. A couple of years ago I stumbled on this list of tips for presenting to stakeholders, which is worth rehashing. Sometimes it seems like a thirty-minute meeting can be over in sixty seconds. Stakeholders sometimes have short attention spans, so if you don’t capture their attention in the first minute or two, they’ll start checking their email and watching the clock or worse—bail on your meeting.

Anyone involved in project-based work has to deal with sponsors and stakeholders. With that in mind, here are ten tips that might help your presentations:

Pique their interest: An agenda is always a good idea, but a brief summary of what will be discussed is even better. Plus, it gives stakeholders a take-away and allows them to come prepared with questions.
Don’t assume they know their job as stakeholder: They might understand the high-level view, but you will probably need to fill in the details.
Keep it simple: Give them the situation in straightforward terms. Don’t overwhelm them with information. Cut to the chase. (However, be prepared for a deeper dive if they start asking questions.)
Use numbers and pictures: PowerPoint is a great tool for presenting graphics and numbers to stakeholders. It’s how they present information to each other. You should too.
Sometimes you have to use logic: Accept the fact that there might not always be data to support a particular situation. Not having numbers to back up your position could make a successful argument problematic, so you may have to turn to “if … then …” logic to shed light on a situation. However, don’t expect the same results or response from stakeholders—numbers rule with them.
Waiting is never a good option: Don’t wait until a problem is obvious—it’s often more difficult to solve the issue at that point.
Always offer a solution: If you are going to bring up a problem without offering a potential solution, you might as well tell the stakeholders, “Fire me now.” Finding solutions is part of your job as project manager.
Specify the actions required of them: If stakeholders need to take action, don’t assume it will be obvious to them. Restate—in list form—what actions need to be taken and when.
Always say “yes,” but make sure they understand how much “yes” costs: Sponsors and stakeholders don’t like to be told “no,” so don’t do it. Just make sure they understand the cost of their request, so they can judge for themselves whether or not “yes” is worth it.
Don’t stop reporting status because stakeholders stop requiring it: Perception is reality. If stakeholders perceive that you aren’t doing anything—your not. Don’t let your head be the next one on the chopping block.

Regardless of your company’s work management methodology, there are a lot of project management tools available to help manage tasks and time-lines—some will help you more effectively communicate with the stakeholders in your organization. Whether or not your chosen project management tool facilitates that kind of communication, ignoring that important part of your role as project manager is dangerous. What do you do in your organization to encourage a positive relationship with stakeholders?

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Crude Confrontation Curtails Collaboration

19 January 2012 - POSTED by Ty Kiisel

There was a boy in elementary school who had a reputation for being tough and liked to bully the kids that were smaller or appeared weaker than him. He was the best athlete in our class, he could run faster, hit the softball farther and was definitely the strongest. Everyone was afraid of him. I was afraid of him.

As we got older and left elementary school he kind of slipped into anonymity. He wasn’t so tough anymore nor could he bully us anymore. In fact, I completely lost track of him and never really noticed him in high school.

Although grown-up bullies still exist, they aren’t quite as frightening as they were when I was in elementary school. Nevertheless, that type of brutish atmosphere isn’t very conducive to creativity and collaboration. However, even more than a bully, I think there is something else that makes it difficult for teams to effectively collaborate.

We work in an age of instant messaging, email and other almost instantaneous communication. We can’t let the immediacy of the medium allow us to become callous and casual in how we approach our co-workers, even when problems arise and mistakes are made. I believe that even in today’s workplace, there is a place for common (maybe not so common now) courtesy.

Take time to make communication thoughtful and cordial: When timelines are truncated and project teams are asked to do more and more, take an extra few seconds when writing an email or other communique to consider that your communication is going to a person. I like to begin every email with a salutation, which reminds me that I am writing to someone. The extra two or three seconds it takes me to address the person I’m writing to doesn’t negatively impact my productivity, but it does help me foster a productive and cordial working relationship.
Take time to be polite: Within the imperfect world of project-based work, sometimes difficult decisions take place. That doesn’t mean we can throw civility out the window. Over the thirty-plus years of my career I’ve watched what used to be considered common courtesy among superiors, subordinates and co-workers become “quaint” and considered “unnecessary.” There is nothing wrong with considering the feelings of someone needing correcting, regardless of how stupid you think they are or how big a mistake you think they’ve made. Being polite and considerate of each other is the very least we should be able to expect from our “professional” colleagues. Anything less is unproductive and immature.
Remove the criticism from “constructive” criticism: I was taught early in my career, by friends and colleagues much wiser than myself, that “criticism” is never “constructive.” I don’t think I have ever worked with a project team that agreed all the time. Project management involves a lot of problem solving, which means that it’s seldom done right the first time. Fostering a creative environment where team members are creatively solving problems and pushing for excellence requires collaboration, not criticism. Where disagreements arise or a course correction is required, “I don’t like this,” should be followed by, “Here’s why, and here’s a suggestion as to how you might proceed.”
Remember that critique is always easier than execution: It’s always easier to see the flaws from the outside looking in. Theodore Roosevelt said, “It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause who, at the best knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”

Effective communication and collaboration doesn’t rely on tricks or gimmicks. In my opinion, it’s important to remember that effective communication is personal. It doesn’t matter if it’s face to face, via email, or even in a blog—its one person interacting with another. Project management tools can help facilitate this, but it’s really up to you.

American author and playwright Jean Kerr said, “Man is the only animal that learns by being hypocritical. He pretends to be polite and then, eventually, he becomes polite.”

What are you doing in your organization to encourage considerate and courteous interaction among your colleagues?

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Climbing an “Everest” Project with a Careless Budget

7 October 2011 - POSTED by Tyson Steele

As an outdoor enthusiast and gear head, I am often asked for recommendations on places to go and what equipment to bring. I once talked to a man who was planning an excursion to Mount Everest, and he wanted my advice. However, when I showed him what he would need, he didn’t believe me. For example, when I told him about crampons (the spikes that clip to boots for traction), he said he would just “make do without.” On mountains like Everest, crampons make the difference between moving forward to summit and slipping backwards a thousand feet into a deep, icy crevice never to be found. The man explained that he was tight on money because he had already purchased three plane tickets (for him and his two sons) at $4,000 each and three guide fees of $2,000 each.

So, he was spending a total of $18,000 just to travel to Everest, but he couldn’t spend an extra $300-$500 to actually survive.

This man reminds me of the project manager (or team member) who tries to do everything alone and in the process neglects the basics of project management, budgeting, and teamwork. This person is ready to spend the entire budget and climb the tallest projects without equipping the necessary project management tools and methodologies. Then, with little financial backing left, this person simply waves off the small, yet fundamental, tasks and spending matters.

The obvious way to prevent such a problem is to implement a budgeting plan before the project even begins. At both the project level and the portfolio level, the main spending areas should be strategically defined, selected, and prioritized. And, in any case, project resources and management software can’t wait until the end. If it is apparent from the beginning that the project cannot be supported, I would give the project manager the same advice I’d give to the man going to Everest: don’t do it. Wait for another day.

However, when considering Everest’s overall price of $18,000, an extra few hundred dollars is nothing – especially when life depends on it. For the project that is financially unbalanced but absolutely must be completed, I would say this: face the facts and pay the price. That might mean admitting mistakes were made in order to request additional funding, or it might mean spending a little extra time working over the weekend. Whatever it is, a little extra stress / cost is better than an abandoned (or dead) project.

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Project Leaders and Making Decisions

22 September 2011 - POSTED by Ty Kiisel

decsions Over the years I have participated in a number of discussions (debates really) about whether or not project managers are decision makers. The opinions seem to be pretty polarized. The camp that says "NO" argues that the executives in the organization make the strategic decisions and project managers execute those decisions. In most organizations this is probably true.

Those that argue "YES" (and I find myself in this camp), argue that depending on the size and dynamic of the organization many project managers are a part of the strategic discussion. They might not make "the" decision, but they are part of the process. What’s more, project leaders make all kinds of decisions every day. With that in mind, I think it’s important for project leaders to build some sound decision-making practices. Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert once said, "Informed decision-making comes from a long tradition of guessing and then blaming others for inadequate results."

Adams might be describing many organizations, but it doesn’t have to describe yours or how you interact with the decision-making process. Most companies don’t foster good decision-making practices—handicapping project leaders, project teams and their organizations. The answers to the following three questions will help your organization foster a workable decision-making process:

Who? Prior to the beginning of any project, determining who has decision-making power is the first step. Of course on most projects, there will likely be several decision makers.
What? Different members of the team will probably have different decision-making responsibilities based upon their role. Identifying the scope of everyone’s responsibility regarding the type of decisions they can and can’t make avoids confusion and makes it possible to streamline the process. Nobody wants to "Mother, may I?" every move they make, nor should the project leader or stakeholders be expected to make every decision.
How? Identifying how decisions are made and how they are shared with project team members is almost as important as the decision itself.

Regardless of you work management practices or project management tools, making project decisions is part of a project leader’s job. What’s more, it’s been said that in-decision becomes decision with time.

The Chinese philosopher Confucius suggested, "By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is the noblest, Second: by imitation, which is the easiest; and Third, by experience which is the bitterest."

I don’t think there’s anyone who has to make decisions on a regular basis who wouldn’t agree with Mr. Confucius. What do you do within your organization or project team to foster good decision-making practices?

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“It’s Alive!”

9 August 2011 - POSTED by Ty Kiisel

It's Alive! Earlier this month, CMO.com published an article I’d written about Breathing New Life Into Project Management. Although the article was written with marketing teams in mind, I think it applies to everyone working on projects. I hope you’ll follow the link and see if work is "alive" within your project teams.

Although it’s not rocket science, there are some things you need to do to make sure that your team is fully engaged in the work. Here are a few suggestions that will help you choose the best project management tools for your team, they should:

Work the way people want to work: enabling stakeholders to request work, suggest due dates, collaborate and negotiate. For some teams, this might mean incorporating a more social feel to how work is requested, or enabling a dialog and negotiation that usually transpires when work is assigned. Forcing people to work within a box or "process" that doesn’t feel natural "because that’s the way the software does it" is contrary to working the way people really work.
Be tailored to all types of workers: team members, project managers and executives. Everyone on the team should be able to obtain value from the solution. If the only value a team members sees in new software, for example, is a better way for management to "watch what’s going on", odds are the implementation will fail. However, if individual team members can see some value too, management will be able to seamlessly collect all the project information they want—at the source.
Portray work in context: connect people to teams, tasks to initiatives and goals, and recognize that people wear different hats. Projects aren’t the only work creative teams deal with every day. If you don’t have visibility into all the work going on and how it all relates to each other, you have an incomplete picture of what teams are doing. What’s more, the conversations about tasks, projects and goals should be captured and addressed in a way that gives context to the conversations. Though I don’t advocate implementing Twitter or Facebook into the project management process, a Twitter-like approach that focuses and attaches those conversations to tasks and initiatives is incredibly valuable to project leaders and organizations trying to make sense out of the quantitative data collected with most project-based work.

Although there are lots of tools to help organize all types of work, navigating the morass of available solutions can become problematic. All work is not the same. Structured work, unstructured work, ad hoc tasks, and repeatable work all need to be considered when looking for the best way to manage projects and other initiatives. Unfortunately, a one-size-fits all approach doesn’t fit. What’s more, most of the methodologies we use today are 50 to 100 years old, reflecting approaches that hearken back to the assembly lines of the industrial revolution or the project management approaches that were part of construction and the space race.

Bringing work to life for team members is possible. It’s all about creating the right environment. What are you doing to bring work to life for your project teams?

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10 Famous Failures and 9 Ways to Spot a Failing Project

4 August 2011 - POSTED by Ty Kiisel

Failure Failure is not uncommon. According to growthink.com, here are 10 Famous Failures that you might remember (if you visit the above link, you can actually see the commercials for these products):

10. Sony Betamax: It may have been higher quality, but the lower price of VHS-C camcorders and the 40+ companies that decided to run with VHS was just too much.

9. New Coke: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. There was nothing wrong with old Coke.

8. Polaroid Instant Home Movies: A reputation for standing around shaking a photo that may or may not have come our right was probably too big a hurdle to overcome for the instant film manufacturer.

7. Crystal Pepsi: See #9 (New Coke)

6. McDonalds Arch Deluxe Burger: Most adults don’t consider McDonalds fine cuisine, and weren’t interested in paying significantly more for only slightly different burgers.

5. Apple Lisa: Apple was targeting business consumers, and the lower price tag of IBM PCs just didn’t allow Apple to capture much market-share.

4. Levi Type 1 Jeans: Fashion is fickle.

3. IBM PCjr: When it was introduced, it was twice as expensive as an Atari or Commodore.

2. The DeLorean DMC-12: Despite the fact that it was a very cool car, DeLorean himself took the company under after he was arrested for drug-trafficking which resulted in bankruptcy.

1. The Ford Edsel: There were many reasons why the Edsel failed. The name for one. The Edsel story is now a real-world example of how not to market a product.

Although the above examples are all products that failed, it got me thinking about the number of project failures that happen every year. Fortunately, when projects are in trouble, there are early warning signs (if you’re watching). The earliest signs might be hard to measure, but easy to recognize if you’re paying attention:

Lack of Interest: Whether it’s a lack of interest within the project team or among the project stakeholders, it’s often demonstrated by people not showing up for meetings, a lack of active participation and feedback, or a poorly organized user base. This is an early warning sign of a project in trouble.
Poor Communication: If nobody is communicating, including stakeholders, team members and end users, there could be a problem.
Lack of Velocity: Projects should always be moving forward. The best way to keep a good velocity is to divide your project into small deliverables at frequent intervals. If the project isn’t moving forward, it’s likely in trouble.
A "No-Bad-News" Environment: Nobody likes to be the bearer of bad news, but sometimes organizations need to face the reality of negative news. This includes project team members who don’t want to be the messenger and business leaders who tend to shoot the messenger. If there isn’t an environment where the communication is honest about "reality", projects tend to fail.

You don’t need to depend on some of the intangible signs that a project is in trouble, there are also a number of easily measurable signs as well:

Lots of Overtime: A project running on schedule should have little or no overtime. Overtime is often a quick fix, but leads to poor employee health resulting from too much caffeine, too many late nights and too much junk food. (It also leads to mistakes.)
Diversion of Resources: When people are pulled from one project to work on something else, it could be a sign of trouble. If you’ve budgeted your people properly, a few hours here and there on a troubled project can quickly add up and cascade down, endangering healthy projects.
Ratios Trouble: Cost ratios and schedule ratios are financial metrics that allow business leaders to measure budgeted time and money verses money and time actually spent. Without metrics, all you have to rely on is the accuracy of communication you receive from project teams.
Milestones Aren’t Met: This is pretty obvious, but it is surprising how many times this warning sign is ignored. Small, discrete and often, are the guidelines for the milestones of a successful project.
Scope Changes: A common approach to shoring up a lagging project is to change the scope. Eliminating features or relaxing requirements is not uncommon, but if project teams are doing it because the project is struggling, it’s a huge warning sign of danger ahead.

Of course, warning signs are not the work management harbinger of doom, they are just warning signs that a project might be in trouble. Depending on how your organization handles project-based work, the right project management tools can help identify potential problems early, when there’s still time to do something about them.

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The Influence of Social Media on Project Management

7 June 2011 - POSTED by Ty Kiisel

Facebook generation Last week, Dave Garrett wrote an interesting post on social media and project management, Can Project Management Software be as Engaging as Facebook?. There were many great points brought up in the article and interview with Vantage Software’s founder Alex Leblanc.

I believe there is a lot we can learn from social media tools like Facebook and Twitter. The millennial generation has been collaborating on teams since elementary school and they have spent the lion’s share of their young adult lives collaborating with friends and family within social media. In my opinion, it just makes sense to leverage this knowledge into a project management solution that utilizies the familiar metaphor. What’s more, it’s not just the millennials that are jumping into social media with both feet. Many in my generation are turning to social media to reconnect with old friends, keep track of family or business colleagues spread around the world or follow their hobbies and other interests. Addressing the collaboration and business needs of the "Facebook Generation" with something that works and feels like Facebook just makes sense.

With that being said, in any discussion about the merits of social media within the project management context I think we need to identify and address the elephant in the room. No CEO is going to spend any money on a tool that simply incorporates a Twitter or Facebook feed into its project management solution. Business leaders don’t want to fund an employee’s ability to waste time talking about what they are going to eat for lunch or where they might be spending their weekend holiday. The conversations need to be about the work and projects that team members have in common, it’s the Facebook metaphor that’s important, not Facebook. Twitter-like but not Twitter.

Additionally, it’s not the tool or the methodology or whether or not it utilizes the strengths of social media that will ultimately make a difference. It will be our approach to how we manage "process" and lead "people" that will make the difference. Without a doubt, process is important. If I didn’t believe that, I wouldn’t be writing about it. However, if we continue to rely on tired and arcane notions of command-and-control to jam tasks and assignments down the throats of our project teams, we will fail regardless of the project management tools we use.

Top-down management methods fail. They produce information we can’t trust for making decisions, they create a work environment people dislike and ultimately cause projects and project teams to struggle and fail.

Steve Denning, in a recent article for Forbes wrote, "The mode of coordinating work must shift from bureaucratic control to dynamic linking." In other words, our job is to facilitate and help project teams collaborate with each other to develop and execute on solutions rather than build unwieldy project plans and make task assignments. "Communication must shift from top-down command to adult-to-adult conversation, thus avoiding the dispiriting effect of top-down commands."

When we achieve that attitude within our organizations, applying the social media metaphor to the work management process works. Until then, it will fail—much like our current approach to managing projects.

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Four Simple Questions

2 June 2011 - POSTED by Ty Kiisel

I came across an article yesterday with some interesting insight that is worth thinking about. SmartBusiness (sbnonline.com) published an article titled, How Employee Engagement Can Add Dollars to Your Company’s Bottom Line.

The article asserts, "A landmark study of Performance Management Effectiveness by Hewitt Associates demonstrated a 35 percent employee productivity benefit from utilizing employee performance management systems as a result of staff working on projects and tasks that they should be working on. With clearer visibility of goals and how they will be monitored, employees work harder and focus their efforts on appropriate tasks. A conservative 5 percent increase in overall productivity results in a weekly gain of two hours per employee."

I have long been a believer that small and incremental gains in productivity will have the greatest impact on project success, however this is not the only benefit of engaging the team. "According to Gallup (2008 and 2010), engaged employees average 37 percent less absenteeism. Employees with preset, time-sensitive objectives are less likely to take unscheduled time off, unless truly necessary. If each staff member understands they are part of a larger team and their performance is crucial to overall success, unnecessary/unscheduled time off will be reduced." I’ve observed this to be true. When everyone understands the importance of what they’re doing and how their roles are interconnected, nobody wants to drop the ball and let down the rest of the team.

Details of Engagement What’s more, I don’t think there’s anyone who would disagree that employee turnover is an expensive problem. "In the same study, engaged work groups show 25 percent less turnover in high turnover organizations, and 49 percent less turnover in low turnover organizations. Replacing those departed employees has a negative impact on a company’s financial resources. Engaged employees are loyal employees and loyal employees are less likely to leave. Continuous feedback through performance tools helps employees improve, succeed and feel valued."

If I told you that team members who know the answers to four simple questions create these results, would you ask your team the questions? And, more importantly, would you take action once you know the answers?

Here are the questions:

What is your job?
What components of your job are most relevant?
How well are you doing?
What part to you play in the company’s overall success?

Pretty simple questions aren’t they? If you ask these questions of your project team, you might be surprised at the responses you get. Some studies suggest that only 20 percent of managers and employees can answer these questions with any confidence.

The difference So what does that mean to you? As important as project management tools or project and portfolio management software may be, the tools and methodologies we use to manage the process aren’t as important to the bottom line as ensuring that everyone on the team knows with certainty the answers to these four simple questions. What’s more, I’m convinced that ensuring that the team understands their role and how it relates to the overall success of any endeavor needs to be a continual focus as we lead the people on our project teams.

Do you know the answers to those four questions in regards to your role?

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How to Spot a Failing Project Before it Becomes a Famous Failure

2 May 2011 - POSTED by Ty Kiisel

I heard on the news last week that a credit union in our area had recently failed and their assets were purchased by some financial institution in Virginia. Over the weekend I stumbled upon a few warning signs that your financial institution might be in trouble. Of course there are a number of "financial" indicators, but I thought some of these might be a little more reliable:

They have an incessant need to lower expenses by chaining pens to the desk
There are no withdrawal slips available anywhere, but there are plenty of deposit slips
The branch manager is wearing a tie that has another bank’s logo on it
All the teller lanes are closed but one
You’re charged a $12 fee to make a deposit, a $9 fee to open their door, and a $27 fee to breath their oxygen for three minutes
When you cash your check, they give you Euros
There’s an auction going on in the back parking lot—lots of desks and filing cabinets
The FDIC answers the customer service phone line
The Commercial Loan department wants to know how much you can loan THEM
The bank’s vault door is open, but the front door is still locked at 9:13 am

Although not as entertaining, there are early warning signs for projects that are in trouble, if you’re watching. The earliest signs are hard to measure, but easy to recognize if you are paying attention:

Lack of interest: Whether it’s a lack of interest within the project team or among the project stakeholders, it’s often demonstrated by people not showing up for meetings, a lack of active participation and feedback, or a poorly energized user base. This is an early warning sign of a project in trouble.
Poor communication: If nobody is communicating, including stakeholders, team members and end users, there could be a problem.
Lack of velocity: Projects should always be moving forward. The best way to keep a good velocity is to divide your project into small deliverables at frequent intervals. If the project isn’t moving forward, it’s likely in trouble.
A "no-bad-news" environment: Nobody likes to be the bearer of bad news, but sometimes organizations need to face the reality of negative news. This includes project team members who don’t want to be the messenger and business leaders who tend to shoot said messenger. If there is not an environment where the communication is honest about "reality," projects tend to fail.

You don’t need to depend on some of the intangible signs that a project is in trouble, there are a number of measurable signs as well:

Lots of overtime: A project running on schedule should have little or no overtime. Overtime is often a quick fix, but leads to poor employee health resulting from too much caffeine, too many late nights and too much junk food. (It also leads to mistakes.)
Diversion of resources: When people are pulled from one project to work on something else it could be a sign of trouble. If you’ve budgeted your human resources properly, a few hours here and there on a troubled project can quickly add up and cascade down, endangering healthy projects.
Ratios trouble: Cost ratios and schedule ratios are financial metrics that allow business leaders to measure budgeted time and money verses money and time actually spent. Without metrics, all you have to rely on is the accuracy of communication you receive from project teams.
Milestones aren’t met: This is pretty obvious, but it is surprising how many times this warning sign is ignored. Small, discrete and often, are the guidelines for the milestones of a successful project.
Scope changes: A common approach to shoring up a lagging project is to change the scope. Eliminating features or relaxing requirements is not uncommon, but if project teams are doing it because the project is in trouble, it’s a huge warning sign of danger ahead.

How do you spot failing projects early—when there’s still time to take action?

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