According to a press release I received from ESI International and Independent Project Analysis, troubled projects are costing companies, organizations and governments (meaning taxpayers) billions of dollars. This isn't just a US issue; it's a worldwide problem.

A study conducted by the two organizations reveals 34 percent of all projects succeed while an average of 15 percent of all projects fail. Projects that are considered “challenged” – usually due to cost or schedule overruns – account for 51 percent of all projects.

"Projects with poorly defined scope, undeveloped teams, and whose cost and schedule lack detail at the time of execution are more likely to not meet business objectives,” said Mary Ellen Yarossi, director of the IPA Institute.

And all of these things relate back to communication issues. Poorly defined project scope and schedules lacking detail mean someone didn't relay their needs or vision very well. Maybe we all need to follow the public speaking mantra of "tell them what you're going to tell them; tell them; then tell them what you told them." Perhaps by the time we've gone through that process, we'll better understand how to carry out our own projects.