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  • 1.  Project management reports

    Posted 04-03-2017 03:00 PM

    In my career in program management, I have struggled with the types of reports I need to be able to proactively manage projects and programs.  I have cost reports galore that give me a history of expenses, but not much on project performance or how to proactively manage issues and expenditure trends.  Other than earned value (EV) and forecast-at-completion (FAC), what other metrics and reports have helped you to proactively manage large programs?



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    Douglas Sereno P.E., D.PE, ENV SP, F.ASCE
    Anaheim CA
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  • 2.  RE: Project management reports

    Posted 04-04-2017 04:14 PM
    Cost info and estimate at completion are the cost side but what wasn't mentioned, other than indirectly though earned value, was schedule. Where are you versus where are you supposed to be and why?  Some type of exception report is used by many orgs covering engr., constr. and procurement deviations from plan. Many items on the report should get early PM involvement to solve problems before they become major issues. Other reports might include: safety - a major incident can shut a job down and really hurt cost, schedule, etc.; Change(scope) control mgmt. and resolution; quality/rework; et.al.  Depending upon the size and scope of the project the type, number, frequency and depth of reporting will vary. Hope this helps.   

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    Paul Divjak P.E.(Ret.), F.ASCE
    Reston VA
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Project management reports

    Posted 04-04-2017 05:13 PM
    From my experience, the best tool to manage large complex projects is to prepare a cost and schedule risk analysis, quantifying the risk and ranking them from highest to lowest for both cost and schedule, developing risk mitigation measures and creating a risk register with these elements, then tracking the progress of managing and mitigating the risk, recognizing or retiring items as the project progresses. This is also an excellent way to create a realistic budget and schedule for your project with risk based contingencies for both. 

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    Michael Boraks P.E., M.ASCE
    Associate Vice President
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Project management reports

    Posted 07-26-2017 01:05 PM
    Building from Paul's and Michael's notes, without change, I would add the following:

    Address the "Program/Project Management Status Report" to the Executive-in-Charge,
    with a one-page cover note that states:

    "If we keep doing what we have been doing for the next 3 weeks, we will be
    over budget by $________ and behind schedule by ________ weeks."

    (signed) __________ project manager.

    Trust me, you will NOT have to ask for a meeting to discuss what the backup project reports 
    state, you will have your face-2-face in about a nano-second....just be prepared.
    Cheers.

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    William Hayden Ph.D., P.E., CP, F.ASCE
    Management Quality By Design, Inc.
    Amherst NY
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Project management reports

    Posted 07-11-2017 03:10 PM
    Re: "I need to be able to proactively manage projects and programs."

    Basic Assumption:     Following Notes *NOT* Intended To Support Solving An Unknown Program/Project "Challenge."

    1. Collaboratively start the program/project     deliberately transforming a group of professionals assigned to work together
        from being a "Project Group" into a "Project Team." It does not happen by simply starting to call them "My Team!"

    2. At your first  Project Group work session, using an Excel spread sheet, on the lefthand side, write vertically down, words like
    communications, budgets, Tech Resources, work orders, time sheets, suppliers, outside consultants, agencies, Feds, State Regs,
    i.e., those common issues that we all eventually get to address during the life of doing real project work.

    3. Now, horizontally across the top of that Excel sheet, write the numbers, one per column, from 1 to 5.

    4. Now, ask your Project Group folks, by themselves, based on their own individual past project experiences, to rate their level of
    satisfaction with each of those issues listed vertically under the lefthand side, with "1" being "Poor," and "5" being "Great!"

    5. Give them 3 to 4 minutes.

    6. Now, working horizontally, item/issue by item/issue, tally up the scores.

    7. Have the Project Group select the worst (lowest) scores for the "Top 3" issues.

    8. Ask them if, for this new project, "Can we work together to get those scores on our project up to a "4"?

    The rest will begin to fall into place.

    Of course, there's more.

    But until you can begin building trust with your folks, "ya ain't go'n no where."

    Cheers.

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    William Hayden Ph.D., P.E., CP, F.ASCE
    Management Quality By Design, Inc.
    Amherst NY
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    Original Message


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