Firefighting
All hands on deck helps put out the immediate blazes threatening projects, but falling into a routine of constant firefighting is not the way to guide a project across the finish line.

The Bow Wave Effect
When deferred requirements pile up and underestimated complexity surround a project, managers end up riding a bow wave of schedule and delivery complications.

Feeding the Sacred Cow
Some programs take on a life of their own—privileged, and woven into an organization's existence. But when "sacred cow" projects begin to go wrong, that privilege and protection makes fixing them even more difficult.

PMO vs. Contractor Hostility
Everyone intends the best in project-driven marriages of PMOs and contractors, but good intentions can't overcome the hostility generated by loss of trust and squabbles in poorly developed relationships.

Staff Burnout and Turnover
Applying more pressure on staff can temporarily increase productivity, but burnout soon sets in.

When projects attempt to please too many customers, complexity mounts, schedules slip, costs expand ... and no one is happy.

Underbidding the Contract
The concept of bidding on a government contract is deceptively simple. Underbidding is a tactic that complicates all aspects of the process.

Longer Begets Bigger
The concept of bidding on a government contract is deceptively simple. Underbidding is a tactic that complicates all aspects of the process.

Robbing Peter to Pay Paul
In today's acquisition environment, where progress is sometimes measured by dollars spent, underspending is not a virtue. In fact, it can lead to having funds shifted to another program.

Brooks' Law
What happens when a program chooses to ignore Brooks' Law? This archetype explains the dynamics behind Brooks' Law and why it applies to most programs.

"Happy Path" Testing
When time and budget are tight, it's tempting to follow the "happy path" in testing. But be careful: it may be a path that brings your program great unhappiness.

Shooting the Messenger
When problems are detected in programs, it's time for everyone to listen and work toward a solution. Shooting the messenger only delays the process, and hurts program morale.