Unique projects get lower performance.
Starting from a standard scope of work written by an independent expert is ten times more likely to be successful than one that starts from scratch, or written by AI. The insistence on a standardised scope of work is not just a bureaucratic ask, but now proven to be a safeguard against project failure. The belief that every project is inherently unique—often fostered by project managers who see their efforts as one-of-a-kind—can lead to significant inefficiencies.
At the heart of this approach is the mitigation of what is known as “uniqueness bias”—the tendency for managers to assume that their project’s distinctiveness exempts it from following established procedures. Such thinking breeds risk, as it often overlooks valuable insights drawn from past projects. By starting from a standardised template, managers are compelled to recognise commonalities with previous work, leading to more accurate forecasting and better decision-making.
The Deployed Service Description frameworks set clear definitions for deliverables, timelines, and responsibilities, ensuring that everyone involved understands what is expected. Without this structure, projects can spiral into confusion, resulting in delays and inflated costs.
In the paper ("Uniqueness Bias: Why It Matters, How to Curb It") from University of Oxford and SAID Business School, the figure shows the relationship between perceived uniqueness and cost overrun for > 200 corporate projects. The relationship is positive and statistically highly significant (p = 0.003). 1. A one-point increase in perceived uniqueness (first-axis) correlates with a five percentage point increase in cost overrun (second-axis). 2. Truly one-of-a-kind projects (10 on the first-axis) should expect a 45 percentage point higher cost overrun in real terms than not-unique-at-all projects (1 on the first-axis).
This is a large and significant difference. The data clearly support the thesis that viewing a project as unique is likely to lead to underperformance. This relationship has never been documented before.
