# Assess a troubled project I just inherited

A structured two-week health check plan, interview questions, and a findings template for taking over a struggling project.

- Topic: Projects & Operations
- Framework: Few-Shot
- Level: Standard
- Tags: Leadership, Finance, Analyze, Plan, Fill-in Template
- Source: https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/prompts/assess-a-troubled-project-i-just-inherited

## Prompt

```text
Help me assess a troubled project I have just taken over.

**What I know so far:** [GOAL, timeline, budget, team, sponsor]
**Symptoms:** [e.g. "missed two milestones", "sponsor has lost confidence", "team morale low", "no one agrees on scope"]
**Documents available:** [charter, plan, status reports, RAID log, budget tracker]
**Why the previous manager left:** [if known]
**Time I have before I must report back:** [e.g. 2 weeks]

Create a project health check that covers: scope and requirements clarity, schedule realism, budget and forecast, team capacity and morale, stakeholder alignment, governance and decision-making, vendor performance, technical or delivery risk, and quality.

Return:
1. **A day-by-day plan** for the assessment period: what to read, who to talk to, and in what order.
2. **Interview questions** for the sponsor, team members, key stakeholders, and vendors (5-7 each), designed to get honest answers.
3. **Documents to check and red flags** in each (e.g. a plan that has not been updated in a month, risks with no owners).
4. **A findings template**: area | rating (red/amber/green) | evidence | root cause | recommended action.
5. **Quick wins** to build trust in the first week without making big promises.
6. **The report-back structure** - including options to reset, recover, or recommend stopping the project.

Remind me to separate what I have verified from what I have been told.
```

## What to fill in

- GOAL, timeline, budget, team, sponsor
- charter, plan, status reports, RAID log, budget tracker
- if known
- e.g. 2 weeks

Free to copy and use. From ThinkWithPrompt (https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/), a library of 2,663 curated AI prompts.