>> New series 2025: Challenges in project work
Time is often crucial in projects. But if important decisions are not made on time, this can have fatal consequences: project delays, confusion within the team, work processes coming to a standstill, and unnecessary additional costs. There are many reasons for this—a lack of responsibility, uncertainty about decisions, or overly complex hierarchies.
Decisions are often not made because responsibilities are not clearly defined or decision-makers are involved too late. Typical symptoms:
Actively involve steering committees
Involve project committees at an early stage, especially when critical or strategic issues arise. Use their experience to make early decisions on the direction to take and to create commitment.
Define thresholds for decisions
Define the topics or budget limits that require a decision to be made by the project team, management, or steering committee. This will help you avoid bottlenecks caused by unnecessary escalation.
Use decision templates
Prepare decisions in a structured manner—with a clear presentation of options, impacts on time, budget, and project goals, as well as a recommendation for action. This facilitates approval and creates transparency.
AI can support project decisions by quickly and objectively preparing the basis for decision-making:
Getting specific: How to prepare decisions in your project in a structured way
Compare options for action:
You are faced with a decision between
[Solution 1] and [Solution 2]?
Evaluate both options in terms of time required, budget requirements, and contribution to the project goal. Which option offers the greatest benefit at an acceptable level of risk?
Create a structured decision template:
Use a clear outline: Problem definition, decision options, implications, recommendation. What information do you need to make a sound recommendation to the steering committee?
Use AI-supported analyses:
Use an AI tool to analyze comparable decision-making situations from past projects. Which options were chosen at the time—and what impact did they have on the schedule, costs, and quality of the results?
Decisions don't have to be complicated – they just need to be well prepared and clearly assigned. With defined decision-making processes, structured preparation, and the right support from steering committees and AI, projects remain actionable. Use decision templates, set thresholds, and build a decision-making culture that promotes responsibility instead of avoiding it.
If you would like to learn more about challenges in project work—especially on the topics of unclear project goals, lack of follow-up, <a href=”https://house-of-pm.eu/unrealistic-schedules/“, scope creep, Conflicts within the team, Communication problems and barriers, please take a look at the Expert Knowledge section of our website.
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