Name of subject and class

Project Management (MCR007 A)

Assessment 4

Topic of Assessment
“Microsoft Windows vista “project failure

Student Name and ID number

NAME: - DANISH ALI
ID: - 1614303

Lecturer
DR FRANK ALAFACI

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Introduction: -

Microsoft Windows Vista was a comprehensive update to the Windows operating system that
was introduced in January 2007. Many were exited for its released, but their joyful enthusiasm
was not meet with a great product. Windows vista was coined as “Microsoft’biggest failure. Even
it had so much potential, Vista is cited as one of Microsoft's worst mistakes. This paper looks at
the history, goals, causes of the project's failure, and lessons discovered.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the mistakes made by the Windows Vista project and
conclusions that can guide future software development and release plans.

Background of the failed project:

Microsoft Windows Vista was designed to be a major upgrade from Windows XP, featuring a new
user interface, enhanced security measures, and new features. The project, originally code
named "Longhorn," aimed to revolutionize the user experience and address the security
vulnerabilities that plagued its predecessor. But Vista's development was beset with difficulties
and disappointments that had a big effect on the project and Microsoft in general.

The development of Windows Vista began in May 2001, not long before the release of Windows
XP. Microsoft sets goals for Vista, intending it to be a cutting-edge operating system with a brand-
new structure. The project was marked by couple of innovative targets, with the development
of a new file system called WinFS, a graphics sub system was Avalon, and an application
development framework known as Indigo.

The project's scope and reboots. By 2004, it became apparent that the initial architecture was
ambitious and not feasible within a reasonable timeframe. The project had a major reset when
Microsoft made the decision to discard a large portion. Delivering a more reliable operating
system was the driving force behind this choice, but it also required giving up on many of the
cutting-edge capabilities that were first promised.

To reset the decision the project was delayed the release of Vista, pushing it from its original
planned release in 2003 to its eventual release in January 2007. This extended development
period not only increased costs but also heightened expectations to users and industry analysts.

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Objective of The Faild project:

Design:

The design aims of Microsoft Windows Vista were to create a modern, safe, and user-friendly
operating system with several key innovations.

1. Windows Aero theme: A user-friendly layout including live thumbnails, transparent windows,
and animations to render it more visually attractive. the Windows Aero theme is used by default,
primarily incorporating various animation and transparency effects into the desktop using
hardware acceleration and the Desktop windows manager (DWM). In the "Personalize" section
added to control panel of Windows Vista, users can customize the "glass" effects to either be
opaque or transparent and change the colour it is tinted. Enabling Windows Aero also enables
other new features, including an enhanced “Alt “Tab menu and taskbar thumbnails with live
previews of windows, and "Flip 3D", a window switching mechanism which cascades windows
with a 3D effect.

2.User Account Control (UAC): A security measure designed to prevent unauthorized changes to
operating system by requiring administrative permissions for certain actions. User Account
Control (UAC) is a mandatory access control enforcement feature. It aims to improve the security
of Microsoft Windows by limiting application software to standard user privilege until an
administrator authorises an increase or elevation. In this way, only applications trusted by the
user may receive administrative privileges and malware are kept from compromising the
operating system. In other words, a user account may have administrator privileges assigned to
it, but applications that the user runs do not inherit those privileges unless they are approved
beforehand, or the user explicitly authorises it.

UAC uses Mandatory integrity control to isolate running processes with different privileges. To
reduce the possibility of lower-privilege applications communicating with higher-privilege ones,
another new technology,

3.Windows Sidebar and Gadgets: A space on the desktop for small applications, providing quick
access to information and tools. The Windows Sidebar, a standard feature of all mainstream
Windows Vista versions, is a unique environment attached to the side of the Windows Vista
desktop that hosts Web-like gadgets, or mini-applications. The Sidebar is designed to take
advantage of unused onscreen real estate on today's widescreen displays, and most of the
gadgets it provides are utility-like in nature and provide at-a-glance access to such things as the
time, the date, and the weather. However, the Sidebar as we know today it is a far cry from

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Microsoft's original plans. And it is steeped in mystery and myth, owing its origins to long-
forgotten experiments with PC user interface design.

4.Enhanced File Management: Improved file navigation with features such as breadcrumb
navigation, instant search, and live icons. File management is organizing and keeping track of files
and folders, helping organized, so information is easily located. A folder is a container for storing
programs and files, like a folder in a file cabinet. As with a file cabinet, working with poorly
managed files is like looking for a needle in a haystack—it is frustrating and time-consuming to
search through irrelevant, misnamed, and out-of-date files to find the one you want. Windows
Vista allows you to organize folders and files in a file hierarchy, imitating the way you store paper
documents in real folders.

Using the file management tools, save files in folders with appropriate names for easy
identification, quickly and easily create new folders to reorganize information and delete files
and folders that no longer need.

Purpose:

The Microsoft Windows Vista project main aim was to achieve some of goals such as Improve the
overall security of operating system to protect users from malware and unauthorized access,
Update the interface and system interactions to provide a more visually appealing and intuitive
experience. Introduce technologies such as SuperFetch and ReadyBoost to enhance system
performance and responsiveness. Existing applications backward compatibility and hardware
while providing a platform for new software development. Simplify network management and
improve capabilities of wireless networking system

Resources:
The resources provided for the Microsoft Windows Vista development project had a promising
scope. With billions of dollars allocated for research, development, marketing, and support,
Microsoft made significant investments in the creation of Vista. Thousands of designers,
engineers, and testers collaborated across several locations to create the operating system for
the project. Many resources were employed to test Vista, with beta programs, internal testing,
and soliciting early adopter feedback. Manufacturers of hardware, software developers, and
other industry partners collaborate to improve their performance and cooperation.
Overall Funding:
Here's a table summarizing the overall funding and major expenses with the development and
launch of Microsoft Windows Vista:

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 Category Estimated Cost (in USD

Research and Development $2 billion

Engineering and Design $1.5 billion

Testing and Quality Assurance $1 billion

Security Enhancements $500 million

Advertising Campaigns $500 million

Launch Events $200 million

Public Relations and Outreach $300 million

Hardware Manufacturer Deals $200 million

Software Developer Support $200 million

Industry Partnerships $100 million

Customer Support Infrastructure $300 million

Training Programs $200 million

Overall Timeline:
Establish attainable and reasonable deadlines for projects, product launches, and other
important activities while taking the state of the market, legal requirements, and resource
availability into account. Keep a close eye on developments in relation to schedules and make
necessary adjustments to plans to guarantee that goals are fulfilled on time.

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 Year Milestone

May 2001 Development of Windows Vista (codenamed "Longhorn") begins.

October Original planned release date for "Longhorn."

2003
2004 Major project reset; Microsoft scraps original codebase

July 2005 Beta 1 released to testers, focusing on core changes and basic
functionality

September Windows Vista name officially announced.

2005
February Beta 2 released, showcasing new features like the Aero interface.
2006
June 2006 Release Candidate 1 (RC1) released, offering a near-final

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) of Microsoft Windows Vista

Figure: WBS

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The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Microsoft Windows Vista includes the detailed tasks and
an analysis of how the organization works and the implications that follow. This hierarchical
structure highlights the challenges and significant financial losses associated with the project.

Market Analysis:

The Browser Market Share and Operating System Market Share White Paper data is by month
starting in September 1997 through the August 2009. The data sampled is internationally based
(Just under 50% of the data points sampled are outside of the United States).

Operating System Market Share:

Since the March 2009 announcement that Microsoft will be releasing its replacement (aka
System 7) in the fall of 2009, the number of PC that have Vista installed has come to a standstill
at just over 18%.

Figure: 1
This graphical (Figure-1) representation "Microsoft Vista's Acceptance Has Been Slow" shows the
market penetration and acceptance rate of Microsoft Vista compared to other Windows operating
systems, including Windows XP, over the period from January 2007 to July 2009.

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 Figure: 2

The graph (Figure-2) titled "Microsoft Vista's Acceptance Trend 32 Months" illustrates the market
acceptance and penetration rate of Microsoft Vista over a period of 32 months, from January 2007 to
August 2009. The graph uses a series of red bars to show the percentage of market share Vista achieved
each month.

Figure: 3

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This graph (Figure-3) titled "Vista vs XP Acceptance Comparison" compares the market
acceptance of Microsoft Vista and Windows XP over a period of 23 months after their respective
releases. The graph uses shaded areas to represent the market share of each operating system,
with XP in red and Vista in blue.

How the project failed:

The Microsoft Windows Vista was a failure a variety of salient operators and outcomes following
its release. The project's inability to meet and its negative impact on users and the market. The
key manifestations of Vista's failure.

1.Poor Sales rate: Many customers choose to use Windows XP or wait for an improved version
to become released. Large enterprises who were early adopters of new technologies were
unwilling to switch to Vista. Many businesses continued to use Windows XP in Favor of Vista.

2. User Satisfaction: Negative Reviews, High Rate of Downgrades Both professional and
consumer feedback were poor. Participants noted the system's high resource demands, security
issues, and User Account Control (UAC). Many people that initially upgraded to Vista elected to
downgrade to Windows XP because they were dissatisfied with Vista's performance and usability.

3. Performance Issues: Vista was criticized for being slow and using a lot of system resources.
Computers that met the minimum system requirements often struggled with performance,
unsatisfactory user experience. The requirement for updates and patches to solve performance
and stability concerns suggested that Vista was not ready for release at the start. Users were
further frustrated by the ongoing need for fixes.

4.Increased Development Costs: The extended development time and additional resources
required to address Vista’s shortcomings significantly increased costs. Lower-than-expected sales
and the need for heavy discounting and promotional efforts to drive adoption negatively
impacted Microsoft's profit margins.

5.Loss of user Trust: The negative experience with Vista damaged Microsoft's reputation, leading
to a loss of consumer trust. This had long-term implications for the brand, as users became more
sceptical of subsequent releases. The failure of Vista cast a shadow over the launch of Windows
7. Microsoft had to work hard to assure users that the new OS addressed Vista's issues,
emphasizing stability, compatibility, and performance improvements.

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6. Competitive Disadvantages: Discontent with Vista led some users to explore alternative
operating systems such as mac OS and Linux. This shift resulted in a loss of market share for
Microsoft.

These manifestations collectively demonstrated that Vista did not meet the expectations set by
its predecessor, Windows XP, or the promises made during its development, ultimately leading
to its classification as a failed project.

Why The Project Faild:

Microsoft Windows Vista's failure is a complex problem which includes a few defects and
unanticipated difficulties. Its decline was caused by several important factors:

1). High System Requirements: One of the most major reasons for Windows Vista's failure was
its high system requirements. Many older PCs were unable to meet Vista's hardware
requirements, causing to poor performance and an inadequate user experience. Users with less
powerful computers reported slowdowns and compatibility concerns, causing annoyance and
discontent. Due to the high demand for resources, many users found it impossible to move from
prior versions of Windows, such as Windows XP, without investing in new hardware.

2. Compatibility Issues: Compatibility difficulties compounded Vista's challenges. Many current

applications and hardware devices were unsuitable with the new operating system when it was
first launched. The absence of driver support from hardware vendors exacerbated consumers'
irritation as they battled to get their gadgets to work properly with Vista. This lack of compatibility
made the move to Vista difficult for both individual users and enterprises, limiting its adoption.
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3. Performance Problems: Vista had significant performance issues, The operating system was
criticized for being slow and resource intensive. Users reported longer startup times and slower
performance when compared to Windows XP, which had established a high benchmark for
efficiency. These performance issues impacted user confidence and contentment, adding to
Vista's overall bad reputation.

4. Delayed Launch: Vista's development was repeatedly delayed, resulting in a hasty delivery. As
a result, numerous functionalities promised in the first announcements were either omitted or
missing. This incomplete and delayed delivery gave people the impression that Vista was an
unfinished product, which added to their aggravation and disappointment.

5. Marketing and Public Perception: Marketing and public perception played a crucial role in the
failure of Vista. Negative reviews and word-of-mouth spread quickly, damaging Vista’s
reputation. Many businesses and consumers were reluctant to upgrade from Windows XP, which
they viewed as a stable and reliable operating system. The negative perception of Vista made it
difficult for Microsoft to convince users to adopt the new system.

6. Security Issues: Security Issues: Vista continued to have security flaws that eroded user trust
despite updates. Despite being designed to increase security, the UAC function was thought to
be more of a burden than a benefit. This idea of inadequate security harmed Vista's standing
even more and deterred users from using it.

7. Bugs: Vista's early releases suffered by stability problems and bugs. The system was unreliable
due to frequent failures and software issues. Because consumers struggled with a system that
fell short of their expectations in terms of stability and dependability, these software defects
added to the general discontent with Vista.

8. Improper Time: Improper time: Another factor contributing to Vista's demise was the time of
its release. Many users had grown familiar to Windows XP and were happy with its performance
by the time Vista was released. The adoption of a new system including substantial modifications
was not well-received or seamless, as users were hesitant to leave a reliable and comfortable
setting for an unfamiliar one.

9. Competition: Users now have more options thanks to the rise of alternative operating systems
like Linux distributions and macOS. For those who were unhappy with Vista, these substitutes
frequently provided greater performance and dependability, making them attractive choices.
Vista's adoption and commercial success were further hampered by the heightened competition.

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Recommendations:
Microsoft released Windows Vista in January 2007, and for several reasons, it is frequently seen
as a failed project. Gaining an understanding of these problems can help with future software
development. The lessons gleaned from Vista's flaws; the following recommendations are
proposed:

a). Comprehensive User Feedback and Beta Testing: To find compatibility problems early, user
feedback collection and conduct comprehensive beta testing. Speak with partners in hardware
and software to guarantee a seamless integration.

b). Performance Optimization: Vista was criticized for its high system requirements and slow
performance, especially older hardware. Must optimize the software to run efficiently a wide
range of hardware. Ensure to user that the system requirements are reasonable and well-
communicated.

C). Clear and Consistent Usure Interface: Vista introduced a new user interface that many users
found confusing and inconsistent. Should have Design a user interface that is intuitive and
consistent. Conduct usability testing to ensure that users can navigate the system easily.

d). Background Compatibility: Many users experienced issues with backward compatibility, as
Vista broke compatibility with older applications and peripherals. Prioritize backward
compatibility to ensure that existing applications and peripherals work seamlessly with the new
system. Provide robust support and documentation for developers.

e). Security Enhancements Without Compromising Usability: Windows Vista's User Account
Control (UAC) was seen as intrusive and annoying by many users. Should have to Implement
security features that enhance protection without compromising usability. Allow users to
customize security settings according to their preferences.

f). Comprehensive Training and Support: Users and IT professionals were not adequately
prepared for the changes in Vista. Must Provide comprehensive training and support materials
for IT professionals and user. Offer online resources, tutorials, and dedicated support channels.

g). Listening to User Feedback Post-Release: Actively listen to user feedback post-release and be
prepared to make timely updates and improvements based on that feedback. Demonstrating
responsiveness can improve user satisfaction and trust. By incorporating these
recommendations, future software projects can avoid the pitfalls that led to the challenges faced
by Windows Vista.
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Conclusion: In overall, plenty of factors caused Windows Vista's failure, including its unfavorable
release into the market, poor user reviews, problems with compatibility and performance,
financial loss to the brand, and disadvantages over competitors. Vista was finally called a failed
project for its inability to keep the promises made all over development and the standards set by
Windows XP. Vista's faults affected the production of future operating systems, like Windows 7,
which has fixed many of Vista's issues and assisted Microsoft in recovering its market share in
the OS arena. Vista's legacy serves as a constant reminder of how vital it is to balance
technological innovation with human needs and requirements, ensuring that large-scale projects
are grounded in real and user-centered design.

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