A fish DOES rot from the head down

After confirming with a reliable source (Myth Busters), I can confidently say that a fish does rot from the head down (with from disclaimers about the fitness of the dead fish):

Sunfisher
Senior Member
Registered: 09-27-08
Posted 12-10-08 12:01 AM
Living on a lake in MN, I think I am qualified to explain this one. The skin, scales and the rest of the outside a fish provide a barrier that inhibits decomposition. If this barrier is damaged anywhere it will appear that decomposition has started at that point. If the fish is undamaged, the eyes are usually the first thing to go.
Link: http://community.discovery.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9701967776/m/5641933599?r=5641933599#5641933599
(you might have to log on to view)

So, how does this apply to an IT Project? There are probably a few ways you can apply this metaphor, the one I think most applicable is that a project will rot from the Initiation phase down. If you don’t get the initiation right, which includes: goals, scope, constraints, involved people – than the rest of the project has a higher risk of rotting.