The Iron Law of Overruns: Why 66% of Projects Fail ROI
PMI 2026 benchmarks show only 34% of projects complete on time and budget. 70% of digital programs fail objectives.
John Hotham here.
Your PMO is likely a cost center rather than a value driver.
Project Management Institute (PMI) benchmarks for 2026 show that only 34% of organizations complete projects on time and within budget. The remaining 66% are leaking value through scope creep and decision latency.
AcquaintSoft data indicates that 70% of software projects exceed their initial budget. McKinsey further confirms that 70% of digital transformation programs fail to meet their stated objectives.
This level of failure is unsustainable. Scope creep affects 52% of projects according to ScopeCreeper data.
A high-performing PMO exists to enforce commercial discipline, not to produce colourful charts. If your projects are not delivering measurable ROI, stop them.
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