ACUTE PMC
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Continue, Stabilize, Restructure, Stop, or Rebuild
A gates-first decision guide for leaders responsible for troubled technology projects.
TL;DR
When a technology initiative is uncertain or failing, leadership needs a recommendation rule, not another status deck. Hard gates are PASS/FAIL prerequisites evaluated before scoring. Scores add nuance among postures that remain available; they never override a failed gate or select an Acute PMC service.
Why this decision is hard
Sunk-cost bias: prior spend creates pressure to continue even when remaining economics no longer support it.
Watermelon status: green reporting can coexist with red operational reality.
Vendor conflict of interest: the implementer should not be the sole author of the continue-versus-stop recommendation.
Severity and ownership are different questions: a red project does not automatically determine who should lead recovery.
Five decision postures
Continue under control - business case remains valid and decision-grade evidence supports the plan; client executes with existing leadership.
Stabilize - control or governance is inadequate, but capable receiving leadership exists; use a bounded control reset while the client retains execution.
Restructure - scope, governance, or vendor model is wrong, but a viable path exists after redesign; use client-led redesign and specialist support as needed.
Stop - remaining value no longer supports remaining cost, or authority and evidence gaps make recovery unsafe; use controlled closure while preserving obligations and evidence.
Rebuild or refer - the technical foundation or regulated work requires capability outside the present model; use specialist referral or a separately scoped rebuild.
These are decision postures, not service SKUs. Mapping a posture to an Acute PMC engagement requires a separate human qualification.
Use the gates first. Then score only the dimensions that remain relevant. An arithmetic total cannot make a blocked posture valid.
Hard decision gates
Record each gate as PASS or FAIL before any scoring. A failed gate stays visible.
G1 - Authority: a named sponsor or deputy can bind the needed decisions. If not, pause for authority; Continue and Stabilize are generally unavailable.
G2 - Evidence: minimum decision-grade evidence is accessible, or refusal is explicit. If not, pause or Stop; no honest Continue until an access path exists.
G3 - Economics and obligations: remaining value versus remaining cost is understood, including overriding legal, safety, contractual, transition, or strategic obligations. If value is clearly below cost with no overriding obligation, controlled wind-down must be evaluated.
G4 - Showstopper: no unowned legal, regulatory, or safety showstopper exists. If one exists, Stop or refer to competent specialist authority.
G5 - Receiver: a receiving owner for the next posture can be named. If not, block Stabilize or Lead Recovery postures that require a receiver.
Display gate results above any score. Never hide a failed gate inside a green composite.
Scored evidence dimensions
Score only after the gates are recorded. These dimensions support judgment among still-available postures.
D1 - Business-case residual confidence: adds detail to value-versus-cost judgment.
D2 - Decision latency and governance responsiveness: tests the speed and quality of decisions once authority exists.
D3 - Delivery-evidence confidence: tests status-versus-reality and forecast traceability.
D4 - Scope coherence: tests objectives, workstreams, and immutable obligations.
D5 - Vendor and control risk: tests binding power and conflicts of interest.
D6 - Political and escalation failure modes: tests silence, acceptance, and escalation routes.
D7 - Receiving leadership capacity: tests funded capacity and skill of the named receiver.
D8 - Technical foundation: adds technical context without replacing the hard gates.
A simple 1-5 scale can help: 1 means unknown or decision-hostile, 3 means mixed evidence, and 5 means decision-grade confidence. Unknown is not green.
How gates and scores combine
Record G1-G5 and display PASS/FAIL.
If a critical gate fails, list allowed and disallowed postures explicitly.
Score D1-D8 only for nuance among postures that remain available.
Treat composite totals only as teaching aids; a high total cannot unlock a posture blocked by a failed gate.
Human qualification still requires authority, sponsor, evidence, access, receiving leadership, capacity, and execution-ownership fit before any Acute PMC engagement.
Scores are decision support for sponsors. They do not qualify a buyer or automatically select Diagnose, Stabilize, or Lead Recovery.
What evidence changes the call
Authority restored: re-run the gates, then dimensions; Continue or Stabilize may become available again.
Evidence unlocked: re-run the gates, then dimensions; a credible Continue decision becomes possible and stabilization may become assessable.
Value below cost with no overriding obligation: re-run the gates; Stop or controlled wind-down must be explicitly evaluated.
Showstopper assigned to competent authority: re-run the gates; Refer, Stop, or constrained Continue can be reconsidered.
Receiver named and funded: re-run the gates; Stabilize or Lead Recovery may become assessable.
Score movement only: re-run the affected dimensions; this changes nuance, not a gate result.
Independent assessment framing
The incumbent implementer should not be the sole author of a continue-versus-stop recommendation. Project Clarity can support independent diagnosis and recommendation while the client retains execution. A later ownership change is a separate Stabilize or Lead Recovery discussion.
Worked educational example
The example below is a fictional composite for teaching. It is not a client case study and is not evidence of an Acute PMC result.
Situation: a mid-market ERP post-go-live program reports green status while payroll exceptions rise. The systems integrator recommends additional change orders. Finance cannot produce a remaining-value-versus-cost view that survives scrutiny. The CIO can bind decisions, evidence access is improving, and a delivery director exists but has no funded recovery capacity.
Gate results
G1 - Authority: PASS. CIO and deputy are named.
G2 - Evidence: PASS, but fragile. Exports are available and interview access is agreed.
G3 - Economics and obligations: FAIL. Remaining value is below remaining cost and no overriding obligation is documented.
G4 - Showstopper: PASS. No unowned legal or safety showstopper is identified.
G5 - Receiver: FAIL for Stabilize. The delivery director lacks funded capacity.
Even if the scored dimensions look strong, G3 requires Stop or controlled wind-down to be explicitly evaluated, and G5 blocks an honest Stabilize posture until a funded receiver exists.
FAQ
Can a score pick a service?
No. Scores do not select Diagnose, Stabilize, or Lead Recovery.
Can a high total override a failed gate?
No.
Is Stop a failed engagement?
No. A stop recommendation can be a successful independent diagnosis.
Does Acute guarantee recovery if Continue is chosen?
No. Business outcomes are not guaranteed.
Use the guide without buying
Run G1-G5 before scoring, list unknowns explicitly, and use the worked example only as a teaching composite.