Project Management: Progress and Performance 

Performance reporting is the “act of collecting and distributing performance information, including status reports, progress measurements, and forecasts” (Project Management Institute, 2013 pg. 301). Before just haphazardly producing reports, the project manager must first establish a project monitoring system. For the project manager to establish a project monitoring system, they must determine what data to collect; how, when, and who will collect the data; analysis the data; and report current progress (Larson & Gray, 2014). This information is then communicated to the stakeholders. However, not all stakeholders have the same level of detail. You wouldn’t have the company/organizational senior leadership sit through hours of project details would you? Of course not. Senior leadership is usually concerned with the major portions of the project such as budget, schedule, and any impacting issues. Likewise, department/project leads would not want a full project overview when they are concerned specifically about their own deliverables. Reports need to be tailored to the audience, or stakeholders in this case.

Here is a common topic format for progress reports (Larson & Gray, 2014):

-          Progress Since Last Report

-          Current Status of Project

§  Schedule

§  Cost

§  Scope

-          Cumulative Trends

-          Problems and Issues Since Last Report

§  Actions and Resolution of Earlier Problems

§  New Variances and Problems Identified

-          Corrective Action Planned

 By gathering the necessary data and inputting into this format, project managers can tailor the delivery to different stakeholders. “A major goal of progress reporting is to catch any negative variances from plan as early as possible to determine if corrective action is necessary” (Larson & Gray, 2014 pg. 459). When compiling information and developing reports, the stakeholders’ engagement is the driving factor in your reporting system. In first developing a project, usually a stakeholder analysis is completed. Stakeholder analysis “is a technique of systemically gathering and analyzing quantitative and qualitative information to determine whose interests should be taken into account throughout the project” (Project Management Institute, 2013 pg. 395). This identifies the “interests, expectations, and influence of the stakeholders and relates them to the purpose of the project” (Project Management Institute, 2013 pg. 395). When this analysis is complete, the level of detail in reports should be tailored to the stakeholders’ analysis results.

So what are some ways to distribute project information?

Here are three ways (Dow & Taylor, 2015 pg. 64-67):

1-      Verbal Communications - This is simply having a conversation with your customers, team members, and leadership team. There is many forms of verbal communication such as in person, telephone, or online meetings (chats). This form can be informal or formal and can convey the level of information needed or requested by different stakeholders.

2-      Written Communications- This is usually the most popular in disturbing project information. Written communications can be by email, formal/informal paper, or by electronic (instant messaging systems).

3-      Visual Communications- This is the form of communications were you present data in graphs, charts, and tables. Sometimes a visual of the project status is all that is needed to convey meaning.

So after establishing HOW you’re going to communicate, the next phase is identifying the project control steps for measuring performance. The project control steps for measuring and evaluating project performance are:

1-      Setting a baseline plan.

2-      Measuring progress and performance.

3-      Comparing plan against actual.

4-      Taking action.

In closing, the project manager has responsibility to control and monitor project progress. This information needs to be distributed to stakeholders utilizing project updates and/or reports as discussed.

Good luck and happy reporting!

Damien

References

Dow, W., & Taylor, B. (2015). Project management communication tools. Renton, WA: Dow Publishing LLC.

Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2014). Project management: The managerial process (6th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

Project Management Institute. (2013). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK guide) (5th ed.). Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute, Inc.

ProjectManagement.com. (2016). Project communications planning. Retrieved from http://www.projectmanagement.com/presentations/205420/Project-Communications-Planning

Wynne, J. (2016). Communication plan research guide. Retrieved from http://www.projectmanagement.com/deliverables/18900/Communication-Plan-Research-Guide