Scope

One of the biggest ways to get a software development project to go sideways — or off the rails south bad to Hell to shit or however you describe it when something falls apart and absolutely does not go as planned — is by not solidifying the scope of the work and sticking to that scope.

The two other key areas that will send your shit into oblivion is to assume someone is an expert in their field by way of association with others without getting first-hand evidence. If the so-called expert resource is not able to deliver on their part of the work, you’ve wasted the last area that’ll make you want to fire yourself and that is time.

Time. Resources. Scope.

Manage all three or mediocrity is the best result you can hope for.