Software Project Failure

Updated 06 Sep 2026

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What it is
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  a software project that fails to deliver a usable, on-time, on-budget system meeting stakeholder needs
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Common symptoms
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  the final software doesn't fulfil customer needs
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  hard to extend or improve after the fact
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  bad documentation
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  bad quality — frequent errors, hard to use
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  more time and cost than expected
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Top contributing causes
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  unclear objectives — including starting without a clear goal, or changing the goal mid-project
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  unrealistic schedule — mitigated by reactive planning that accounts for change
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  shifting requirements — technical complexity calling for better research and slack for emergencies
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  unaligned team — missing skills not identified until too late
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  unexplained causes — poor communication, inadequate sponsor support, poor cost estimates, resource dependency, poor change management
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Real-world example
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  Ariane 5 Flight 501 (1996) — a software fault caused the rocket's destruction shortly after launch, at a loss of roughly $370 million USD
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Related
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  Requirements Elicitation

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