● Critical parts/ components were improperly ordered/ inspected and are unusable
● Product’s performance results are inconsistent and too variable and unreliable
● Many action items on the to-do list are far from complete
● Components are being separated from their paperwork (possible quality issue)
● Operating employees/ inspectors have expressed safety concerns/ potentially risky conditions in reports and emails
● On-site work is slowing down/ workforce is not showing up for work/ not much being done
● Contractors are requesting more frequent payments
● Client is frustrated with contractor’s poor contractor performance (e.g.. production/ installation/ delivery/ lack of progress/ charging extra (submitting amended work orders) to do the job). Allegations of contractor incompetence.
● Unions are threatening ‘consequences’ such as work slowdowns, sick-outs if seniority/ work rule changes are implemented
● Investigation results/ findings/ issues/ root causes are being reported as “isolated” “difficult to discern” “unable to validate”
● Project/ activities are being extended beyond their original deadlines
● Recommended corrective actions have not been implemented
● Independent experts are skeptical about the firm’s official numbers/ project’s performance. Qualified experts:
o Do not have full access to ongoing testing and test data
o Cannot confirm that the advertised technology even exists
o Cannot verify that the proposed technology can perform the intended mission/ the product/ service is working
o Are sidelined/ marginalized by the decision makers
● Equipment is being installed before testing/ approval
● There is no cutoff point for test results to be submitted for review
● Current situation is worse than previously identified worst-case scenarios
● Management has stopped reporting the project’s performance results.
● Leaders at any level appear unprepared – deferring obvious questions to subordinates in the room
● May have been accused of having “dropped the ball” by being incompetent
● Performance numbers are changing too fast to track/ number changes by the moment
● As project is progressing:
o Is enough progress being made to justify continuing? (No = blue)
o production line is not operating/ does not exist
o prototypes are still being built by hand.
o Identical numbers have been submitted over a period of weeks
o An abrupt change in how metrics are reported (will the change generate more/ new/ different errors?
o Gaps are found in the data being reported
● Project is relying on a large number of highly paid outside consultants – perhaps at the expense of more experienced/ available company staff
● Too many contractors, too little oversight, too many contracts, too many cost overruns, too many interfaces. Propose having a smaller number of large contracts
● Resources are operating at their breaking point