Every project, no matter how experienced you are, comes with its own challenges. You’ll need to stick to a solid process, maintain discipline, and be ready to handle unexpected issues as they arise. Counting on things to break and new challenges to crop up is just part of the process. In my experience, there are seven main reasons why new product introductions, whether they’re devices, software, or services, get delayed.
First, the architecture might not have integrity. If the underlying structure of a product is weak, like a poorly built toy house that crumbles under stress or when you try to change it, constant rebuilding becomes necessary, causing delays.
Second, the individual components, or building blocks, might be immature. It’s not enough to just have a strong architecture; each piece must be robust as well. If any component is weak, it might require constant fixing or replacing, slowing down progress.
Third, poor management of requirements can create chaos. If new demands keep coming in during development, it leads to endless replanning and can throw off launch schedules. That’s why it’s crucial to assess these requests and defer some to later product iterations, if necessary, to keep projects on track.
Fourth, if the product isn’t easy to manufacture or yields are poor, it could cause major delays. When too many units turn out flawed, the costs skyrocket, making the launch unviable.
Fifth, having unrealistic schedules and priorities can lead to trouble. Overambitious timelines rarely succeed and often result in inefficiencies and delays. It’s more effective to focus on a few projects and complete them with quality rather than spreading resources too thin across many.
Sixth, inadequate or inexperienced staffing can hinder project success. Full staffing with experienced professionals from the start is crucial. Adding more help later doesn’t usually solve issues and can be counterproductive.
Finally, weak processes and management lead to problems. A structured development process and strong management are vital for timely project completion. Program managers need to oversee both internal teams and third-party contributors effectively.
These are some key insights from the accumulated experiences of Sandeep Chennakeshu, a business transformation expert with extensive leadership capabilities in the tech industry. His learnings emphasize the importance of building strong, resilient processes to ensure sustainable growth and product success.
