Poll: Why do digitalization projects fail?

I have seen digitalization projects fail in startups, public sector and large corporations. The mechanism is always the same: it was never the technology that was the problem.

What do you think is the most common reason?

A: Technology choice B: Change management C: Wrong question from the start D: Budget

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Jakob’s comment (posted in the comments)

All four are correct. But they are connected.

The wrong question (C) leads to buying the wrong system (A). The wrong system requires more change management (B). More change management requires more budget (D). And more budget means everyone involved wants to be right, which makes it even harder to admit the question was wrong.

C creates B. And A and D are consequences of nobody asking the right question early enough.

In my experience, most projects start by evaluating tools. But the question “what are we actually trying to solve?” is rarely asked before the requirements specification goes out. The result: you solve the right problem with the wrong tool, or the wrong problem with the right tool. Both end the same way.