Case 14 1 MAXIMUM MEGAHERTZ PROJECT Olaf Gunderser, the CEO of Wireless Telecom Company, Is in a rolanday. Last year he accepted the Maximum Megahertz Project suggested by six up-and-coming young RED corporate stan. Although Olaf did not truly understand the technical importance of the project, the creators of the project roaded only $600 000. so it seemed like a small risk. Now the group is asking for $809000 more and a s'x month extras or on a project that is already bear months bachird. However, me earn feels confident they can from things around. The project manager and project team tel that if they hang in there a lile longer they wI be able is overcome the rosablacks they are encountering-especially those that reduce power, increase speed and use a now technology battery. Other managers familiar with the project hirt that the power pack prob em right oe solved but 'the battery problem will never be solved'. Olaf believes he is locked into this project his gut loel ne tells her the project will never materialize and he should get out. John, his HR manager, suggested bringing in a consultant to axe the project, Diaf decides to call his friend Dewe O'Conner, the CEO of an accounting software company. He asks her, 'What do you do when project costs and deadlines escalate drastically? How do you handle doubtful projectal" Down's response is: 'Let another project manager look at the project. Ask them: "If you took over this project tomorrow, could you achieve the required results, given the extended time and additional money?" If the answer s no. I call my top management team together and have them review the doubtful project in relation to other projects in our project portfol o' Olef tools this a good advice. Unfortunately, the Maximum Megahertz Project is not an isolated example. Over the last five years there have been three projects that wore never completed. We just seemed to pour more money into them, even though we had a pretty good loss the projects were dying. The cost of those projects was high; those resources could have been better used an other projects.' Olat wonders, 'Do we ever learn from our mistakes? How can we develop a process that catches errant projects early?' More importantly, how do we came a project manager and team off an errant project without embarrassment'T Oil certainly does not want to lose the six bright stars on the Maximum Megahertz Project. O af is contemplating how his growing telecommunications compery should deal with the problem of identifying projects that should be terminated early, how to s low good maragers to make mistakes without public embarrassment and how they all can team from their mistakes. Give Off a plan of action for the future that attacks the problem. Be spoiling ard provide examples that relate to Wireless Telecom Company