There's also an asymmetry in the way we think about public and private projects. When a piece of private software flops, it still exists as a product and howev

There's also an asymmetry in the way we think about public and private projects. When a piece of private software flops, it still exists as a product and however bad, often offsets some of its cost in sales. Since most public software is offered for free, no cost is visibly recouped. Healthcare.gov is actually a great example. It was a colossal failure at first. A quantity easily measured in dollars spent. However, it has largely functioned in the years since but measuring its positive economic impact is hard because the service is delivered free. None if that money has been reclaimed but it certainly has had some positive economic value.