Introduction

Your digital project isn’t going as planned? Poor communication, delays, subpar quality, or worse — has your IT provider vanished mid-project? You’re definitely not alone. At Iterates, we help dozens of companies every year who reach out after a failed collaboration with a previous supplier. Mismanagement, misunderstandings, or project abandonment… there are many reasons for failure. But recovery is absolutely possible.

In this article, we explain how to switch IT providers smartly to regain control of your project without starting from scratch. We also reveal the most common mistakes to avoid, along with our best tips for a smooth transition.

Why do web projects often fail?

Before looking for a new IT provider, it’s essential to understand why your project failed or is struggling. Here are the most common causes we encounter during our recovery audits:

Poorly defined specifications

A vague, incomplete, or poorly written requirements document is one of the main causes of failure. Without clearly stated objectives, expected features, or technical constraints from the start, it’s impossible to deliver a product that meets expectations.

Bad planning or lack of clear vision

A digital project without a global vision or structured phases is doomed to fail. Many companies start without a solid roadmap, make decisions on the fly, and end up compromising project consistency and increasing costs.

Inappropriate technologies

Due to lack of technical advice or convenience, some providers use outdated or non-scalable technologies. This makes the project difficult to maintain, unstable, or hard to scale.

Communication issues

Lack of regular dialogue, clear milestones, or two-way feedback causes tension and misunderstandings. If the client and provider aren’t aligned, the project can quickly go off track.

Absence of testing and validation

When projects move forward without regular quality checks, bugs accumulate, performance drops, and the end user suffers. This lack of discipline can be very costly at launch.

Steps to successfully recover your project

1. Lay the groundwork: analyze and clarify your project

Conduct a technical audit

Before moving forward, deeply analyze the current state of your project: source code, databases, architecture, tools used. This audit helps you:

• Identify strengths and weaknesses of the project
• Assess code quality and maintainability
• Determine whether to continue or start fresh

Pro tip: Entrust this audit to one or several independent providers, pay for the service to ensure impartiality, and request a detailed report with cost estimates and recommendations.

Clarify your goals and priorities

Ask yourself the right questions:

• What are the main goals of this project?
• Which features are essential? Which are optional?
• What is your realistic budget?
• What is the desired completion timeline?

List existing issues and bugs

Categorize them as follows:

• Blocking bugs (prevent usage)
• Annoying bugs (impact user experience)
• Desired improvements

Be precise: describe each issue, include reproduction steps, and detail the impact.

2. Build a roadmap and ensure project momentum

Review the technologies used

The audit may reveal that some tools (CMS, frameworks, etc.) are outdated, poorly maintained, or unsuitable. Updating the stack may be necessary to:

• Improve security
• Ensure scalability
• Access a broader developer pool

Develop a clear roadmap

Co-create a structured action plan with your new provider, including:

• Project priorities
• Phased delivery (e.g., sprints)
• Key milestones and deliverables
• Realistic deadlines

Ensure transparent communication

Our advice:

• Hold regular progress meetings
• Use project tracking tools (e.g., Trello, Jira, Asana)
• Foster direct communication
• Don’t hesitate to ask questions or request clarification

Integrate testing at every stage

Testing ensures a high-quality final product:

• Functional testing
• Performance and load testing
• Security testing
• User testing phase

What not to do: common mistakes to avoid

Not redefining project goals

Resuming a project without reviewing its goals can lead you down the wrong path. Use the opportunity to reassess priorities and functionality.

Skipping a code audit

Without a code review, you don’t know whether the project can continue or needs to restart. Poorly structured or outdated code is often more expensive to fix than to rebuild.

Excluding stakeholders

Involving decision-makers, business teams, and end users early is critical. They help validate goals, priorities, and feature expectations.

Choosing a provider based on price alone

A low price may hide a lack of skills, availability, or commitment. Look for a long-term, reliable partner.

Not formalizing the contract

Relaunching without a clear contract (scope, deadlines, deliverables, budget) invites confusion and conflict. Define everything from the start.

Why hire an expert provider to take over your project?

Recovering a digital project is often more complex than starting from scratch. It requires:

• Strong technical expertise
• A strict methodology
• Consistent, clear communication

A good provider will:

• Audit the existing work
• Identify reusable and problematic parts
• Clarify your goals
• Secure your data
• Deliver a high-performing, compliant solution

Our method to ensure your project’s success

Here’s a summary of the key steps:

1. Conduct an independent technical audit
2. Review goals with all stakeholders
3. List bugs, gaps, and unmet needs
4. Update technologies as needed
5. Build a detailed roadmap with your provider
6. Ensure regular follow-up
7. Test and validate throughout the process

Conclusion

Switching IT providers is a challenge, but also an opportunity. It’s your chance to take control, clean up the foundations, and build a scalable, high-performing digital solution.

Don’t let a poorly managed project hinder your growth. With a clear methodology, the right tools, and a competent provider, you can turn failure into success.

Take Action

Is your digital project struggling? Are you looking for a reliable partner to take over your web or mobile application?

At Iterates, we step in to help rescue complex or abandoned projects. From audit to deployment, our team guides you at every step to ensure your project’s success.

Schedule a meeting to discuss your project.

Discover our custom web and app development services

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Rodolphe Balay

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