Measuring progress against the plan is essential to any project management process. It involves comparing the results achieved with the planned objectives, timelines, and budgets. This helps project managers identify deviations from the plan and take corrective actions to ensure the project stays on track.
Establishing a baseline is the first step in measuring progress against the plan. This involves defining the scope of work, setting objectives, identifying deliverables, and estimating timelines and budgets. The baseline is a reference point for measuring progress throughout the project lifecycle.
Once the baseline is established, project managers can track progress against it. This involves collecting data on actual performance in terms of time, cost, quality, and scope. The data can be ordered through various means, such as timesheets, expense reports, status reports, and feedback from team members.
The next step is to analyze and compare the data collected with the baseline. This helps identify any variances or deviations from the plan. For example, if a task were scheduled to be completed in two weeks but took three weeks instead, this would be considered a variance.
Project managers need to determine whether these variances are acceptable or not. No action may be required if they are within acceptable limits (e.g., 10% deviation). However, if they exceed acceptable limits (e.g., 20% deviation), corrective actions must be taken.
Corrective actions may involve revising schedules or budgets, reassigning resources or tasks, changing processes or procedures, or canceling certain activities. The goal is to bring performance back in line with expectations so that the project can achieve its objectives within constraints.
Measuring progress against the plan also involves communicating results to stakeholders such as sponsors, customers, or team members. This helps keep everyone informed about how healthy things are going and what needs to be done next.
Effective communication requires clear and concise reporting that highlights critical issues without overwhelming the audience with too much detail. Reports should include a summary of progress to date, an analysis of variances, a description of corrective actions taken or planned, and any risks or issues that must be addressed.
Measuring progress against the plan is critical to project success. It helps project managers identify deviations from the plan and take corrective actions to keep the project on track. By establishing a baseline, tracking progress, analyzing data, and communicating results effectively, project managers can ensure that their projects achieve their objectives within constraints.