Why Projects Fail - E-book - ePub

The outcome of an action cannot be predicted in linearity; likewise, projects can either succeed or fail, sometimes miserably. This holds true for any country in the world and any field of life. However, the hallmark of successful countries and institutions is that whatever the fate of a project, they analyze it critically and formulate better systems and strategies for the future. One of the major governance issues in Pakistan is the lack of such reviews.
In this context, Irtiqa Zaidi has tried to fulfill the duty of all of us by writing this book in the light of his extensive experience as a bureaucrat and some important case studies. It is hoped that this book will not only be read in general but will also be fruitful for policymakers in terms of policy analysis and the country's betterment. (Khalid Rahman)* * *This is a serious effort by an insider of the Planning Commission of Pakistan who spent nearly 25 years in the system, dealing with the process at the managerial, supervisory and senior levels.
Though he sounds a bit bitter at times, yet it is for the good of the system and the institution that he is worried about. His narration of personal experiences has made the book more lively to read as he doesn't beat about the bush. He is straight in expressing what he feels is right. His insight leads us to think about the simplistic ways of overcoming complicated issues in our planning and development scenarios.
And yes, local consultants have far better solutions to offer. On the whole, it is a nicely written book, covering the entire planning process and related sets of knowledge associated with its implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting. I would certainly like to congratulate Syed Irtiqa Ahmed Zaidi for having penned down his real-life experiences for the new generation of policy planners and implementation functionaries to benefit from.
(Dr. Zafar Iqbal Qadir)* * *Why Projects Fail is an enjoyable read, especially for me as it brings back so many memories of my brief experience in Pakistan. While I wasn't a participant in the various events you cite, the similarities with my own experiences underscore the accuracy and honesty of your descriptions. There are many books that tell you what to do in managing project. Far fewer explain how to manage a project successfully, especially taking into account the numerous bumps, pitfalls and other surprises that continuously arise.
Other experienced project managers will no doubt see the parallels with their own work. Newcomers to project management will derive the greatest benefit from this book if they are able to learn from the practical, real-world problem solving that you applied to the challenges you confronted and overcame during your career. (Will Keenan)