How to handle and overcome project setbacks

Setbacks are inevitable in the world of project management, and there are many reasons these delays can occur. But the important thing is how you handle them to ensure project progress can continue. The key to success lies not in avoiding setbacks but learning how to effectively overcome them.

Common project setbacks

While every project is different, and as such will likely experience different setbacks, there are a few that occur more commonly. This includes:

• Scope creep: Uncontrolled changes or continuous growth in a project’s scope
• Resource constraints: Insufficient time, budget or personnel
• Communication breakdown: Misunderstandings between stakeholders, team members or clients
• Unclear project objectives: Lack of clarity in goals, leading to confusion and misalignment
• External factors: Changes in market conditions, government regulations, or supply chain disruptions

How to handle setbacks effectively

The following steps will help you handle and overcome setbacks more effectively.

Identify the root case

Before reacting, conduct a root cause analysis. This will help you identify if the setback was the result of resourcing issues, gaps in communication, changes in stakeholder priorities or something else. You can then dictate the next steps accordingly.

Revisit the project plan

If drafted correctly, a well-structured project plan should offer a pre-agreed contingency plan for many commonly occurring setbacks. As such, the document should provide guidance for how to proceed.

Stakeholder communication

Open and clear communication is key. Address the setback immediately with stakeholders, providing a clear analysis of its impact and the corrective steps being taken by the project team. Give them confidence that this issue is being dealt with, and will have a limited impact on the wider project.

Prioritise and re-align resources

Before taking any corrective action, you should re-evaluate priorities and assess available resources. This will help ensure that the team’s efforts are focused on the most vital areas for project completion.

Implement corrective actions

Once previous steps are complete, causes are identified, and plans are adjusted, swiftly implement corrective actions. This should help to prevent any further delays in project progress.

Monitor and adapt

After corrective measures have been taken, continuous monitoring is essential. Adapt the project plan as new information arises and ensure the team and relevant stakeholders remain aligned with any changes.

The importance of learning from setbacks

Setbacks provide invaluable learning opportunities for project professionals. Each challenge faced offers insights into how the team should approach future activities. By reflecting on these lessons learned, project managers can improve their practices leading to greater success rates in the future.

Leveraging PRINCE2® to handle project setbacks

As a highly structured project management methodology PRINCE2® can be a valuable tool for teams facing setbacks. Making use of its outlined processes, principles and practices, teams can ensure their project remains on track in the face of unexpected challenges and delays.

Learn more about our PRINCE2 training options, and how the methodology could benefit you and your team.