Why do software projects fail?

Most projects I've seen fail because nobody actually agrees on what needs to be built. You're thinking one thing, the developer's thinking another, and by the time anyone notices the gap, you've burned through budget and time chasing the wrong solution.

Then scope creeps in, not because developers add features intentionally, but because requirements emerge during development instead of upfront. A client asks for "one small thing" in week three, then week five, and suddenly the budget and timeline have doubled.

The real issue is that client and developer aren't actually partnering. One side executes what they were told without asking whether it's solving the right problem. You ship something that works technically but solves the wrong thing.

I've watched this happen for over a decade, which is why these principles exist. They cover discovery (getting alignment before code), delivery (shipping often to catch problems early), and diligence (knowing what matters). That's how you get from unpredictable projects to predictable ones.