Project Monitoring, Analytics, and Control

This chapter provides a detailed overview of the processes involved in monitoring and reporting project performance.

Glossary

  • active control - A focused form of project control that involves the following: 1) controlling what you can by making sure you understand what's important, taking meaningful measurements, and building an effective team focused on project success; and 2) adapting to what you can't control through early detection and proactive intervention.
  • compliance program - A formalized program designed to ensure that an organization and its employees adhere to government regulations, follow all other laws, and behave ethically.
  • controlling – In the monitoring and controlling phase of project management, the process of making changes in response to data generated by monitoring tools and methods to avoid missing major milestones.
  • earned value management (EVM) - An effective method of measuring past project performance and predicting future performance by calculating variances between the planned value of a project at a particular point and the actual value.
  • informed intuition - A combination of information and instinctive understanding. You develop informed intuition through experience and by constantly learning about your individual projects, your teammates, your organization, and your industry.
  • key performance indicator (KPI) - A metric associated with a specific target.
  • linearity bias - A cognitive bias that causes people to perceive direct, linear relationships between things that actually have more complex connections.
  • managing by walking around - A management style that emphasizes unplanned encounters with team members, and spontaneous, informal reviews of equipment and ongoing work.
  • monitoring - In the monitoring and controlling phase of project management, the process of collecting progress data and sharing it with the people who need to see it in a way that allows them to understand and respond to it.
  • monitoring and controlling - The process of reconciling "projected performance stated in your planning documentation with your team's actual performance" and making changes where necessary to get your project back on track. Monitoring and controlling occurs simultaneously with execution.