Failed software projects are usually easy enough to analyze after the fact. You can almost always spot some fundamental sound practice taht wasn't followed; if it had been followed, the project would have succeeded, or at least failed less completely. Often the good practices that weren't followed are basic ones that practically everyone knows are essential. When that happens, project management can always cite a reason why the practice wasn't followed--an excuse or rationalization.

To save everyone a lot of time, we have collected some of the most common bad excuses for not using good practices.... The next time you're considering managing a project without a careful risk management plan, for example you needn't wrack your brain for an excuse. Just consult this page.

• We have formal reviews to find problems.
   
• We do formal inspections, starting with code walk-throughs followed by unit test.
   
• How can you inspect an architecture?
   
• We are using advanced software technology that is iterative and evolutionary, so inspections are not applicable.
   
• Inspections add too much to the cost of development.
   
• Our formal inspections are audits of compliance with process by our corporate Quality Assurance (QA) organization.
   
• Our inspections are done by an Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) contractor who won the contract by bidding the lowest staff costs.
   
• We don't have a formal inspection program because we have a number of IPTs.
   
• This project is not big enough to need formal inspections.
   
• Formal inspections aren't done during the Demonstration and Validation Phase.
   
• We don't need formal inspections because we are developing our software with Computer-Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tools that automatically generate source code.
   
• If users are allowed to get involved in verifying system/operational requirements, we will never get closure on those requirements.
   
• Inspections threaten my people.
   
• Inspections are a waste of time because requirements will change.
    
• Execution test is the most effective way to find errors.
   
• Inspections are only warranted for safety-critical systems like nuclear weapons and medical systems.
   
• Formal inspections are 20-year-old technology. We only use leading-edge technology.
   
• Formal inspections are too rigid.

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