What if project failure is not the opposite of success—but part of the journey towards it?

Projects rarely fail because of one single mistake. More often, they fail because we keep pursuing the original plan when reality is telling us that something needs to change.

That is exactly the perspective Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez will bring to our upcoming joint event with the IIBA Chapter on 15 September at Harmony in Hasselt.

Antonio uses a powerful example from football:

“When Spain became World Champion, the project was finally successful.”

But behind that success was a journey filled with setbacks, failures, lessons learned and, most importantly, the willingness to adjust the scope.

The same is true in projects.

Sometimes the original ambition is no longer realistic. Sometimes assumptions prove to be wrong. Sometimes stakeholder expectations change, new information emerges, or the environment moves faster than the project itself.

The question is not simply: “How do we prevent failure?”

The better question is:

“How do we recognize failure early enough—and have the courage to adapt before it becomes irreversible?”

During this session, Antonio will challenge us to look differently at project failure and explore how better decision-making, early signals, stakeholder alignment and scope adjustment can turn a struggling project around.

From failure prevention to project resilience

As project professionals and business analysts, we are often expected to deliver according to the original plan.

But successful projects are not necessarily those that follow the plan perfectly.

They are the projects that continue to deliver value—even when the plan needs to change.

Join us for an evening of insights, discussion and practical lessons on how to identify the warning signs, challenge assumptions and make the adjustments needed to keep projects on the path to success.

Key Lessons Learned

• Failure is part of the journey to success — setbacks can provide valuable insights and opportunities to improve.
• Following the original plan is not always the definition of success — projects must adapt to changing realities.
• Recognise early warning signals before problems become irreversible.
• Challenge assumptions continuously and be open to new information.
• Adjusting scope can be a strength — provided it helps protect or increase the value delivered.
• Keep stakeholders aligned as priorities, expectations and circumstances evolve.
• Create a culture where challenges can be discussed openly and lessons can be learned without blame.
• Focus on value, not just delivery against plan — the ultimate measure of success is whether the project still delivers what matters.
• Adaptability and resilience are essential leadership skills in an environment of continuous change.

Key takeaway:

Successful projects are not those that never encounter failure, but those that recognise when change is needed and have the courage to adapt.

Agenda:
18:00 - 19:00 Welcome and Registration
19:00 - 19:20 Intro Speaker Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez : remote session Prevent Project Failure

19:30 - 21:00 Interactive workshop based on Antonio's session

21:00 - 21:30 Wrap up and closure of the Event

Speakers