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Last updated on Mar 30, 2025
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  3. Machine Learning

Your machine learning project didn't hit the business targets. How do you handle the fallout?

When your machine learning project falls short of business targets, it's crucial to address the situation thoughtfully and strategically. Here's how to move forward:

  • Analyze performance data: Identify what went wrong by examining key performance indicators \(KPIs\) and model accuracy.

  • Communicate transparently: Share findings and next steps with stakeholders to maintain trust and manage expectations.

  • Adjust and iterate: Use insights to refine your model and improve future project outcomes.

How do you handle setbacks in your machine learning projects? Share your strategies.

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Machine Learning

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Last updated on Mar 30, 2025
  1. All
  2. Engineering
  3. Machine Learning

Your machine learning project didn't hit the business targets. How do you handle the fallout?

When your machine learning project falls short of business targets, it's crucial to address the situation thoughtfully and strategically. Here's how to move forward:

  • Analyze performance data: Identify what went wrong by examining key performance indicators \(KPIs\) and model accuracy.

  • Communicate transparently: Share findings and next steps with stakeholders to maintain trust and manage expectations.

  • Adjust and iterate: Use insights to refine your model and improve future project outcomes.

How do you handle setbacks in your machine learning projects? Share your strategies.

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14 answers
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    Priya Krishnamurthy MBA, MS, PMP, CSM

    Director | AI/ML & Data Leader | Senior Program & Project Leadership | Finance, Healthcare, Consulting

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    When my machine learning project falls short of business targets (either ROI or poor user adoption, less accurate), I take ownership and act quickly to learn and adapt. First, I meet with stakeholders to clearly explain what worked, what didn’t, and why—using simple terms. I focus on transparency and maintain trust by showing how we’re addressing the gaps. Then I analyze the data, assumptions, and feedback loops to identify root causes—whether it’s model performance, data quality, or misaligned business expectations. I turn the outcome into a learning opportunity, adjust the approach, and propose next steps backed by insights. I stay solution-oriented and ensure the team stays focused on long-term value, not short-term setbacks.

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    Fabrício Ferreira

    Software Engineer | Mobile Developer | Mobile Engineer | Flutter | Swift | Kotlin | Android & iOS Mobile Application Development | 6+ Years

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    Great point! 💡 Setbacks in ML projects are tough, but they also offer valuable learning opportunities. I’ve found that being transparent with stakeholders early on helps maintain trust—and often leads to unexpected support or new perspectives. We also try to turn each “miss” into a mini post-mortem: What signals were we too optimistic about? Where did business goals and data reality misalign? It’s all part of building more resilient models next time. How do you usually balance technical iteration with business priorities after a project doesn't land as expected?

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    Deepa Ajish

    Vice President | ServiceNow Transformation & Automation Leader | Security & Compliance | IT Security Strategist | Judge | Coach | Mentor

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    Consider whether external factors, like sudden changes in customer behavior or market trends, affected the results. Turning challenges into stepping stones for growth is key here.

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    Asifuzzaman Lasker

    AI Researcher | Deep Learning Engineer | Medical Imaging & Remote Sensing AI | End-to-End DL Applications | PhD in AI

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    When an ML project falls short of business goals, I approach it with full transparency—not excuses. I see it like diagnosing a misfiring engine: carefully examining each part—data quality, model assumptions, stakeholder alignment, and user adoption—to pinpoint where things went off track. Rather than labeling it a failure, I treat it as a vital learning curve. I engage cross-functional teams to realign strategy, refine our approach, and set clearer expectations. Setbacks aren’t roadblocks—they’re signals to recalibrate and build something even stronger.

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    Dhana sri ram meesala

    Founder & CEO at ManaTrick

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    When a machine learning project misses business targets, staying proactive is key 🚀. Start by analyzing performance data 📊- review KPIs, model accuracy, and biases to pinpoint what went wrong. Next, communicate transparently 🗣️ with stakeholders, explaining challenges, insights, and next steps to maintain trust. Then, adjust and iterate 🔄 -- fine-tune data, retrain models, or explore alternative approaches to align better with business goals. Treat setbacks as learning opportunities 🎯, refining strategies for stronger future outcomes.

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    Chaitanya Baweja

    Data Scientist | Data Engineer | AI & ML Enthusiast | Expert in Python, SQL, Cloud Solutions | Building Scalable Data Pipelines & Driving Insights

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    At a past job, I took over a project where the previous consultant had claimed 94% model accuracy. Turns out, they had fudged the test data to look good. The model actually struggled to hit 70% in real conditions—and the data was so random, that kind of accuracy wasn’t even possible. The engineering team caught on quickly, but leadership was still holding on to the 94% number. I focused on being transparent. Showed them how the old model failed on a fresh dataset, and built a new one with better explainability and more control. It wasn’t just about fixing the model—it was about rebuilding trust. P.S. They loved my work and I still consult for them.

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    Shubham Singh

    AI & ML Engineer | Doctoral Researcher | Specializing in Scalable Solutions & Real-Time Systems

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    When a machine learning project doesn’t meet business targets, I first analyze the performance data to identify where things went wrong by looking at key metrics and model accuracy. I then communicate transparently with stakeholders, sharing the findings and outlining the next steps to maintain trust. I also focus on adjusting the model and iterating based on insights to improve future outcomes. It's important to view setbacks as opportunities to learn and improve the process for the next phase.

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    Amey Kulkarni

    Here to change the world through data analysis and machine learning I Professional Development Director for Rotaract Club of Dombivli 21-22 I Intern at KPMG India |

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    As a B.Tech student, I have learnt that machine learning (ML) projects often face a harsh reality—high expectations but unpredictable results. If your ML model didn’t meet business targets, here’s how to handle it: 1️⃣ Analyze the Gap – Identify whether the issue was with data quality, model accuracy, or business alignment. 2️⃣ Communicate Transparently – Set realistic expectations and share insights on what worked and what didn’t. 3️⃣ Iterate & Improve – ML is an evolving process. Use feedback to refine your approach. 4️⃣ Focus on Business Impact – Even partial success can offer valuable learnings.

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    Vishal Garg

    CTO & Founder | AI Agents | Software Architect | SaaS Specialist | Building Future-Tech Solutions | Open Source Enthusiast | EHR & e-commerce Expert | Fractional CTO

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    Not every machine learning project goes as planned, and when things don’t hit the target, I focus on how we respond. First, I take responsibility and let the team and stakeholders know what happened. Then, I dig into the details to figure out the root cause—whether it’s a data issue, a problem with the model, or something else. From there, I look at what we can learn and apply to future work. I make sure to keep the team and stakeholders in the loop, updating them on what’s being done and where we’re headed. Setbacks happen, but they’re also an opportunity to learn and improve for the next project.

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    Douglas Mullarkey

    Chief Information Officer (CIO) | IT Strategy & Digital Transformation | Cybersecurity & Risk Management | Cloud & AI Innovation | Enterprise IT Leadership

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    When a machine learning project misses its business targets, I take a structured, transparent approach. I begin with a thorough post-mortem, involving a cross-functional team to identify what worked and what didn’t. I then communicate openly with stakeholders to rebuild trust and clarify the issues. Next, I develop a corrective roadmap—whether refining the model, adjusting business assumptions, or improving data quality. Finally, I document lessons learned to update best practices for future projects. This method not only addresses immediate concerns but also strengthens our future initiatives.

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