Many project management methods exist, each apt for different project types and/or businesses. For a single project, one can choose from several good project management methods and tools. Obviously, picking a good method and tool does not guarantee a good end result. And, picking a bad project management method, or none at all, can nevertheless yield good results. The project manager, the team, the organization, its management, and the surroundings are all important.

However, some general remarks can be made that predict a less than desired outcome of a project:

• Have unclear targets
• Have unclear project boundaries
• Have insufficient budget
• Have team members that don't feel to be part of the team
• Have unclear end dates

Specifically for project managers or team leads, I see these mistakes often, leading to sometimes disastrous outcomes:

• The project manager (PM) has no or insufficient knowledge of the problem area. This often applies to technical projects.
• The PM confides completely in what the team reports on delivery products, its progress and expected delivery dates.
• No matter the outcome or progress, the PM claims success with and hides bad information from project sponsors and steering committee.
• Quite a few organizations, and particularly its management, are not equiped to divide work in such a way that it can be organized as projects and routine tasks.