Mitigating process improvement project failures: leveraging organizational responses and lessons learned

Purpose Despite technological advancements within process improvement (PI) projects, two out of three PI projects failed. This paper aims to identify the critical failure factors (CFFs) linked to PI projects and propose suitable mitigation strategies. It also examines how PI practitioners can leverage unsuccessful projects to stimulate learning from failure, turning them into opportunities for development and growth. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach involving semi-structured interviews with 21 PI professionals was utilized to capture the CFFs and their corresponding mitigation best practices. Findings The study reveals 14 CFFs spanning from issues at the top-level management, down to challenges at the project level and shortcomings at the individual level. We uncover new evolving factors related to “big data analysis and technology implementations”, “project scope complexity”, “unrealistic goal setting”, “frequent shifts in management priorities”, “unclear problem definition” and “prolonged execution duration”. Moreover, results emphasize the significance of fostering a “culture of learning from failure” and “transparency in failure acknowledgment” to avert failures. Originality/value This study is the first to provide real-world solutions and guidelines to proactively mitigate PI failures. It offers insights for PI practitioners and broadens their view on emerging factors to implement preventive strategies, building on learning from failures and those of others.