Addressing the root causes of project delays with smart/tasking

Project delays can be a significant headache for project managers and organisations alike. They can lead to budget overruns, missed opportunities, and frustrated stakeholders. To shed light on this issue, we recently conducted a poll on LinkedIn where respondents identified the most common factors contributing to project delays.  

According to our survey, changes in project scope, resource shortages, and communication breakdowns emerged as the leading culprits. In this blog, we’ll delve deeper into these challenges and explore how we can help you mitigate them and keep your projects on track. 

What are the culprits behind project delays? 

42% of our respondents said changes in project scope: scope creep, or the continuous expansion of project requirements beyond the initial plan, is a frequent culprit. As stakeholders request additional features or adjustments, project timelines and budgets can quickly spiral out of control.

29% said resource shortages: inadequate resources, whether it’s a lack of skilled personnel, budget constraints, or unavailable equipment, can severely hamper project progress. Insufficient resources eventually lead to bottlenecks and delays.

25% of our respondents said communication breakdowns: effective communication is the lifeblood of successful project management. When teams, stakeholders, or departments fail to communicate effectively, it can lead to misunderstandings, missed deadlines, and costly rework.
4% said our “other” category which might include unforeseen circumstances, external disruptions, or industry-specific challenges that can cause project delays. 

How can smart/tasking help? 

We set up smart/tasking to help our clients overcome some of these common project delay factors and deliver projects on time and within budget. Let’s explore how we address each of these challenges: 

Scope management and control: 

• Scope visibility: fresh perspective helps a lot! We’re experts at getting a clear picture of what needs to be done, and we make sure everyone involved knows about these changes. Sometimes we need to pivot in the middle of a project, we help navigate last minute changes too. 

Resource allocation and optimisation:

• Resource planning: smart/tasking helps you allocate resources efficiently. It allows you to identify resource shortages early and make adjustments to prevent bottlenecks. We’re constantly curious about the way we can improve processes to make life easier and business better.

Communication and collaboration:

• Communication: we’re an extension of your team, and we bring everyone together to ensure that project teams, stakeholders, and departments can collaborate effectively. We pride ourselves on keeping everyone informed and on the same page.

Adaptability to unique challenges:

• Customisation: smart/tasking’s agile and flexible approach allows us to quickly adapt to your unique needs. Often we are brought last minute to address unforeseen disruptions. Whilst we’d always suggest supporting from the beginning, we can pick up wherever we’re dropped in!  

Project delays are a common challenge, but they don’t have to be an inevitable part of project management. By addressing the root causes such as changes in project scope, resource shortages, and communication breakdowns, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of delays. smart/tasking is your ally in this endeavour, offering expertise to manage scope, allocate resources, and enhance communication. 

By Gary Gamp | CXO at Smart/tasking