Blind Faith

Computerworld - Everyone has seen it: the IT project that takes on such a life of its own that it becomes virtually impossible to stop, even though all signs point to its ultimate failure. How do projects create this kind of momentum, and why is it so difficult to pull the plug on a clear loser? In this month's Harvard Business Review, Isabelle Royer, an assistant professor at the University of Paris, Dauphine, blames an irrational optimism that blinds everyone involved to the reality of the project. Royer recently spoke with Computerworld to explain the origins of this "collective belief" and suggest ways that IT project teams can avoid it.

You tell some amazing stories about doomed projects that sucked up tremendous amounts of time and resources before anyone pulled the plug. Why do companies often find it so hard to kill bad projects? One could think of managerial incompetence or bureaucratic inertia. What I found is rather that companies cannot envision that the project is going to fail. This happens because there is a collective belief among managers in the eventual success of the project.

What is collective belief, and how does it adversely affect an organization? What I call a collective belief is a strong conviction based on feeling rather than evidence that the project will eventually succeed. This conviction is shared by most of the decision-makers. This collective belief blinds them to negative feedback. Moreover, even when they are able to spot problems, this leads them to increase their commitment and pursue the project more ardently. They are too enthusiastic and emotionally attached to the project to envision a failure.

Isabelle Royer, an assistant professor at the University of Paris, Dauphine

You note that individuals often have their own agendas that strengthen this belief in success. Yes, each individual has personal expectations in a company. The CEO might see the project as a way to sustain activity in a division, the project manager as a road to promotion to a higher position. The belief is adopted more easily and is stronger when it fulfills individual expectations.

What happens to dissenters when you have collective belief? Believers just don't pay attention. When dissenters insist, believers don't address their concern but rather try to discredit them. Typically, they accuse dissenters of a lack of competence. So after a while, dissenters stop voicing their opinion. This gives the impression of unanimity.