"Through my years of experience, the biggest tell-tale a project is off track is when very simple deadlines or timelines are missed, or tasks are completed with poor quality. When a team begins to cut corners, it's a sign for me that they are having struggles on a more critical part of the project. It could mean that methodology steps are being skipped over in an effort to recover time elsewhere. Morale issues are another significant give-away. As a project manager, I put a lot of effort into gaining buy-in from my teams. If I begin to hear complaints regarding overtime, project scope, or the overall vision, I see these as symptoms of a larger issue. If I fail to assess these situations quickly, they can send a project off track in no time."
