Tell me about a project that failed or was cancelled. Looking back, what would you do differently?

What the interviewer is looking for

• This question tests risk & issue management. Identifies risks early, keeps a living risk log with owners and mitigations, and escalates issues at the right time.
• Strong answers: Gives an honest account, owns their part, identifies warning signs missed, and names concrete practices they changed afterwards.
• Likely follow-up: When was the first moment you sensed it was in trouble?

Another way it may be asked: Think of a project that did not succeed. What went wrong, and what have you changed since?

A structure to follow: Answer, explain, example, limits

1. Step 1

   Answer

   Give your direct answer in the first sentence so the interviewer knows where you are going.

2. Step 2

   Explain

   Say how it works or why you would do it that way, in plain words before jargon.

3. Step 3

   Example

   Anchor it in something you have actually done or seen, with the detail that shows hands-on experience.

4. Step 4

   Limits

   Say when your approach would not be the right one. It shows judgement.

This is guidance on shape, not a script. Use your own real experience and facts; never invent details to fill a gap. See the STAR guide and answer frameworks.

Common slips

• Reciting a definition without showing you have applied it.
• Using terms you cannot explain if asked a level deeper.
• Claiming experience beyond what you can discuss in detail.

How to practise it

Say the answer in 90 seconds, then answer the follow-up as if it were a new question.

Related questions

• How do you identify risks early on a project, and how do you track them once you have?
• If you were handed a new project with a deadline and only a rough goal, what would you do in your first week?
• How would you keep track of tasks and deadlines across a team of six people?
• A team member keeps missing deadlines on your project. How would you approach that conversation?
• Tell me about a project where a key dependency slipped. How did you rework the schedule?

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