The Standish Group says 29 percent of all IT projects are never completed successfully, often because CIOs don't follow standard management processes, don't have the right staff, don't properly assess the risks, or don't take quick enough action to mitigate problems that can grow out of control.

CIO.com has complied a list of the 14 most common project management mistakes, along with suggestions on how to avoid them and how get a project completed successfully on budget. The top item on the list is staffing. "The key to getting a project successfully accomplished is getting the right people with the right skills," says Joel Koppelman, CEO of project management software vendor Primavera. "All the planning in the world won't overcome an insufficiency of talent."

Another big mistake: failing to have an experienced, savvy project manager who has the skills and the ability to deal with all of the stakeholders and the financials. CIOs are also advised to insure that there is flexibility, that the project team is not hamstrung by too much process, and that they can communicate directly with sponsors and end users.
 
For more project advice:
- see this CIO.com article