Quick Analytics Survey: Reasons Why Analytics Projects Fail

I am in the process of sending out a quick analytics survey to my LinkedIn connections asking what is the most common reason analytics projects fail.

The survey will be extremely helpful as I am preparing a new book that focuses on why analytics projects fail. I want to list out the most common reasons and then add what can be done by analysts to prevent these causes of failure.

Here are the reasons I have come across in my career as an analyst and consultant.

Reasons Why Analytics Projects Fail:
#1 – Lack of Focus, no one makes the project a priority.
#2 – Lack of Vision, no clear idea of what the end product looks like.
#3 – Lack of Management Support, no support from above.
#4 – Lack of a Champion, no one to cheer team on to completion.
#5– Organizational Politics, gets killed by someone else.
#6 – Lack of Funding, not enough money to complete the project.
#7 – Lack of Talent, don’t have the experts need to be successful.
#8– Lack of Resources, not given all the tools you need to finish.
#9– Bad Data, you complete the project, but end up with bad data.
#10 – Key People Leave, someone leaves that can’t be replaced.
#11 – No End User Participation, not useful to those its built for.
#12 – New Technology, it becomes obsolete before it can be used.
#13– Over Reliance on External Help, slowed by waiting for others.

If you have a reason, not covered by this list, please feel free to reply with that’s as well.

This future book will be a companion book to my recently completed Analytics Guidebook and my current book in process entitled Data-Driven Cultures.

If you are having problems in your organization with analytics projects faltering or failing to be the success you had hoped for, let me know. I can help you identify the cause, come up with a solution and help you ensure your analytics projects becomes a huge success to the organization.