How to Recover Failing IT Programmes and Get Projects Back on Track

TL;DR:

Recovering failing IT programmes requires rapid assessment, strong governance, stakeholder realignment, and decisive leadership. Intology offers independent, expert consultancy to get your project back on track.

When an IT programme starts to derail, the consequences can be severe—missed deadlines, spiralling costs, and lost stakeholder confidence. Yet, many failing IT programmes are not doomed. With the right intervention, it is entirely possible to recover, stabilise, and deliver valuable outcomes.

Roadmap for Recovery

At Intology, we specialise in the recovery of failing IT programmes, drawing on proven frameworks and years of experience across multiple industries.

Why IT Programmes Fail

Before recovery can begin, it’s vital to understand why programmes fail. Common reasons include:

• Lack of clear objectives and shifting business goals

• Poor governance and decision-making structures

• Underestimated complexity or scope creep

• Inadequate stakeholder engagement

• Technology misalignment or integration issues

Identifying the root cause is the first step in programme recovery. At Intology, we conduct swift diagnostics to assess a project’s health and deliver immediate clarity to leadership teams.

The Intology Approach to Programme Recovery

We follow a structured and agile recovery methodology:

1. Rapid Health Check

Our consultants perform a comprehensive programme health check, evaluating delivery milestones, team capabilities, governance, financials, and stakeholder alignment. This phase helps to identify gaps and immediate risks.

2. Re-baselining the Programme

We help clients re-baseline their programme roadmap based on realistic expectations and achievable milestones. This includes revisiting the scope, redefining KPIs, and ensuring business value alignment.

3. Stakeholder Engagement

A failing programme often suffers from disengaged or misaligned stakeholders. Intology facilitates workshops to realign stakeholder interests, resolve conflicts, and rebuild trust in delivery teams.

4. Governance Re-structure

We redesign governance models to enable faster, better-informed decisions. This may involve creating new steering groups, clarifying roles, or integrating agile delivery teams into traditional frameworks.

5. Execution Support & Assurance

Finally, we offer hands-on execution support, providing interim leadership if necessary, and independent programme assurance to give sponsors the confidence they need to continue investment.

How Intology Adds Value

Unlike large consultancies that bring bloated methodologies and generic toolkits, Intology offers lean, bespoke support tailored to your organisation’s needs. We:

• Provide independent, unbiased assessments

• Act swiftly with experienced turnaround consultants

• Use industry-leading practices in programme governance and IT transformation

• Support internal teams while avoiding unnecessary disruption

Whether you're a CIO, PMO Director or Transformation Lead, our recovery specialists work as trusted advisors to restore control and redefine success.

Case Study Snapshot

A leading UK financial services firm engaged Intology when their £30M CRM programme failed to meet delivery timelines and faced major stakeholder dissatisfaction. Within 12 weeks, Intology stabilised the programme, realigned the roadmap, re-engaged stakeholders, and helped deliver the first major release—unlocking value and restoring executive confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: When should I consider IT programme recovery? A: If you're missing key milestones, facing stakeholder resistance, or seeing a decline in team morale, it's time to act.

Q: Can Intology take over an existing programme? A: Yes. We can embed interim leaders or support existing teams with coaching and delivery assurance.

Q: How quickly can Intology mobilise support? A: We typically begin our health check within one week of engagement.

Q: Is programme recovery cost-effective? A: Absolutely. Recovery is a proactive investment that prevents wasted spend and secures long-term benefits.

Conclusion: Don’t Let Failure Define Your Programme

Recovering a failing IT programme is complex but achievable. With the right leadership, structure, and external guidance, organisations can pivot from failure to success. At Intology, we don’t just patch up issues—we empower your teams to lead successful transformations.

Intology is a specialist / independent business consultancy that specialises in Business & IT transformation.Email info@intology.co or call +44(0)1642 040 103 to find out more.

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