Many information system development projects are delivered significantly behind schedule, drastically over budget and do not adequately meet customer specifications. These projects are generally in trouble long before completion. This paper looks at the steps needed to recover from such troubled situations. A generic four stage, 12-step framework for recovery and rehabilitation is proposed. The four stages are recognition, immediate recovery, sustained recovery and maturity. The twelve steps in the four stages are detailed in the paper. Illustrative cases are used to discuss the applicability of the framework to differing situations.
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