Introduction
Is your digital project going off-track? Poor communication, delays, subpar work, or worse, your IT provider has disappeared midway? You are far from being an isolated case. At Iterates, we assist dozens of businesses each year who contact us after an unsuccessful collaboration with a previous provider. Poor management, misunderstandings, or abandonment of the project… the causes of failure are numerous, but it is possible to bounce back.
In this article, we explain how to smartly change your IT provider to take back control of your project without starting from scratch. We also reveal the most common mistakes to avoid, as well as our best advice for making this transition a success.
Why do web projects often fail?
Before beginning the search for a new IT provider, it’s essential to understand why your project failed or is in trouble. Here are the most common causes that we observe in our agency during project recovery audits:
- Poorly defined specifications
A vague, incomplete, or poorly defined specifications document is one of the main causes of failure. If the goals, expected features, and technical constraints are not clearly defined from the outset, it becomes impossible for the provider to deliver a product that meets expectations.
A lack of clarity in the initial definition opens the door to different interpretations, omissions, and budget overruns.
- Poor planning or lack of a clear vision
A digital project without a global vision or structured stages is doomed to fail. Many companies launch without a proper roadmap, accumulating decisions along the way, which ultimately harms the project’s coherence and increases costs.
- Choosing inappropriate technologies
Due to a lack of technical advice or out of convenience, some providers use outdated or non-scalable technologies. This complicates project maintenance, makes it unstable, or difficult to evolve.
- Communication issues
Lack of regular dialogue, clear milestones, or feedback from both sides is a major source of tension and misunderstandings. If the client and provider are not on the same page, the project can quickly derail.
- Lack of testing and revisions
The project progresses without regular quality checks, bugs accumulate, performance deteriorates, and the end-user suffers. This lack of rigor can be costly at launch time.
Steps to follow for successfully recovering your project
Preparing for Success : Analyzing and clarifying your project
1. Perform a technical audit of the existing project
Before proceeding, you must thoroughly analyze the current state of your project. This involves conducting a technical audit of the source code, databases, architecture, and tools in use.
This audit will help you:
- Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the current project.
- Assess the quality of the code and its maintainability.
- Determine if it’s feasible to recover the project or if starting from scratch is a better option.
We strongly recommend that you have this audit performed by one or more providers, paid for this work to ensure impartial advice.
Tip: Request a detailed report with costed recommendations.
2. Clarify your goals and priorities
Your project probably began with a specific need, but over time, it may have become unclear or changed direction. Now is the time to ensure that you’re starting with solid foundations.
Ask yourself these key questions:
- What are the main objectives of this project?
- Which features are absolutely necessary? Which ones are optional?
- What realistic budget do you have?
- What is the desired timeline for completion?
By clarifying your goals, you’ll allow your new IT provider to create a clear, actionable roadmap with well-defined and shared priorities.
3. List the existing issues and bugs
If your project is live or in beta, it’s crucial to document any issues or bugs that need to be resolved.
Organize them into categories:
- Blocking bugs (prevent usage)
- Annoying bugs (affect user experience)
- Desired improvements
Be as detailed as possible: describe each bug, include steps to reproduce it, and outline its impact. This will help the new provider better estimate the workload and prioritize issues.
Building a Roadmap and Ensuring Progress : Developing, communicating, and validating
4. Check the technologies used and consider an update
The technical audit may reveal that some technologies in use are outdated, poorly maintained, or not suited to your current needs.
Common examples include:
- Outdated CMS or frameworks
- Rigid proprietary solutions
- Lack of APIs or integration options
In this case, it may be wise to modernize the tech stack, even if it requires partial redevelopment. A modern technology stack offers:
- Better scalability
- Enhanced security
- Easier access to a wider pool of developers
5. Define a clear roadmap
Once the audit is complete, and your goals and issues are clarified, it’s time to create a detailed action plan with your new IT provider.
Your roadmap should include:
- Project priorities
- Breakdown by phases or sprints
- Key milestones with specific deliverables
- Realistic deadlines for each stage
The goal is to ensure everyone has a clear, shared vision of the project’s progress, with regular check-ins.
6. Establish transparent communication
At Iterates, one key lesson we’ve learned is that communication is essential for success.
Here are some practical tips:
- Plan regular progress meetings.
- Use project tracking tools (like Trello, Jira, or Asana).
- Favor direct exchanges over intermediaries.
- Don’t hesitate to ask questions or request technical explanations.
A good IT provider is a trustworthy partner with whom you can have open and honest communication.
7. Implement tests and a validation process
Testing at each stage of development is crucial for ensuring the final product is of high quality.
We recommend the following:
- Regular functional testing
- Performance testing
- Security testing
- A user acceptance phase with final users
What not to do: common mistakes to avoid
Changing your IT provider is a delicate exercise. Therefore, it’s essential to be aware of the traps to avoid to prevent repeating past mistakes.
- Not redefining the goals
One common pitfall is trying to pick up a project where it was left off, without reexamining the goals. This can send you in the wrong direction. Take advantage of this change to question the usefulness of certain features, review your priorities, and ensure the final product still meets your business needs.
- Neglecting the audit of the existing code
Too many companies make the mistake of not having the previous work audited. Without this step, it’s impossible to know whether the project can be properly resumed or if it’s better to start fresh. Poor quality code, poorly structured or outdated, will cost more to fix than to rebuild.
- Not involving stakeholders
A successful digital project always involves several stakeholders: management, business teams, end users, etc. Not involving them at the beginning of the recovery process is a strategic mistake. They need to be consulted to validate goals, priorities, and expected features.
- Choosing a provider solely based on price
While budget is an important factor, choosing a provider only because they are the cheapest is often a bad idea. A low price usually hides a lack of skill, availability, or commitment. Choose a partner who can be involved with you in the long term.
- Neglecting to formalize the contract
Once you’ve identified the new provider, formalize each party’s commitments: scope, deadlines, deliverables, budget, communication rules. Many businesses restart a project without a clear contract, leading to misunderstandings or conflicts.
Why hire an expert provider to take over your project?
Recovering a digital project in progress is more complex than starting a new one. It requires both technical expertise to understand the existing work and a rigorous methodology to restructure the project without losing information or time.
A good provider will:
- Effectively audit the completed work.
- Identify reusable elements and those that need to be revised.
- Clarify goals and develop a realistic recovery plan.
- Secure existing data.
- Maintain fluid communication throughout the process.
- Deliver a performant, secure project that aligns with your expectations.
Choosing the right partner gives you the opportunity to turn a troubled project into a successful digital venture.
Our method to ensure your project’s success
Here’s a structured summary of the steps to take to successfully change providers, summarizing everything we’ve covered in this article:
- Perform a thorough technical audit
First, assess the quality of the work already completed. Have this audit carried out by impartial experts who can identify weaknesses and improvement opportunities.
- Reevaluate goals
Take the time to reconsider the goals of the project, involving all stakeholders. Reformulate priorities and update the specifications if necessary.
- List the bugs, gaps, and unmet needs
Clearly identify what needs to be fixed or completed. Prioritize the most urgent corrections.
- Update technologies
Ensure the technologies used are suitable for your needs and sustainable. If necessary, plan to modernize the tech stack.
- Create a detailed roadmap
Work with your new provider to build a precise timeline, with milestones, deliverables, and regular check-ins.
- Implement regular follow-ups
Plan frequent meetings and use tracking tools to maintain a clear view of the project’s progress.
- Test and validate at every stage
Integrate testing and validation throughout the project to avoid surprises.
In summary
Changing your IT provider is a challenge, but also an opportunity. It’s the chance to regain control over your project, clean up the foundations, and set the stage for a high-performing and scalable digital solution.
Don’t let a poorly handled project hinder the growth of your business. With a clear methodology, the right tools, and a competent provider, you can turn a failure into success.
Take action
Are you facing a troubled digital project? Are you looking for a reliable provider to take over your web or IT project, fix past mistakes, and achieve your goals?
At Iterates, we frequently step in to assist with complex or abandoned projects. Our expert team will guide you from the technical audit to production, with one goal in mind: ensuring the success of your project.
Take a meeting now to discuss your project: Schedule a meeting
Explore our custom web and app development services: Our services
Feel free to share this article with your network by leaving a comment or liking it if you found it helpful. Follow Iterates to be notified of future articles.
