ABSTRACT
The principal characteristic of a project is its novelty. It is often a step into the unknown, fraught with risk and uncertainty. No two projects are ever exactly alike: even a repeated project will differ from its predecessor in one or more commercial, administrative or physical aspects. Examples abound of projects that have exceeded their costs by enormous amounts, finishing late or even being abandoned before completion. Such failures are too common, in industry, commerce and (especially, it seems) the public sector.
