Clint McMahon Clint McMahon

How I Take Over Abandoned Projects Without Burning It All Down

Taking over an abandoned project is tricky—there’s history, politics, and usually a lot of technical debt. Here’s how I step in, calm the chaos, and get things moving again (without burning bridges).

My Approach

  • Listen first—understand what happened and why
  • Stabilize the project before making big changes
  • Communicate clearly with all stakeholders
  • Document everything (for the next person, too)

Common Pitfalls

  • Blaming previous teams (don’t do it)
  • Trying to rewrite everything at once
  • Ignoring business context

If you’ve inherited a mess and need a steady hand, let’s talk about getting your project back on track.