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very manager, business owner, or executive has had to deal with projects that fail to deliver. Our days are filled with activities that are the consequences of poorly conceived, poorly executed, and poorly tested projects—most noticeably during a new product launch.

The days leading up to a product launch are often frenetic. Late changes come from a variety of sources: Field trials reveal a modification is required through an engineering change, new equipment has “teething troubles,” or suppliers struggling with shipping cause overtime and the airfreight budget is blown. Crisis management becomes the normal operating mode.

Then the launch occurs. Happy days, living the dream! The crisis management may continue for some time, but gradually business settles down—that is, until the next model update or a new flavor is developed, or worse, a recall.

Businesses in this operating mode are missing out on some of the easiest money available.

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