Tracking and Control

How do you track and control a project? What should you do first to ensure your project is controllable? Is it normal to have to re-plan my project? What tools are available and how are people using them? What can you do NOW when your project is out of control?

• Click here for Burning Questions and know-how on Tracking and Control
  
  
• Among our Templates and Checklists:
  • Executive Summary of Project Status/Risks
  • Issue Resolution Status Report
  • Master Test List - Schedule and Results Log
  • Milestone Table with Driver Tasks
  • Planning and Managing Multiple Small Projects
  • Project Deliverables Release Form
  • Release Decision Guidelines
  • Software Release Life Cycle Phase 5: Development Tracking
  • Software Quality Release Criteria
  • Tracking with Visible Deliverables
• We have two papers offering insight and advice on Tracking and Control in difficult project situations:
  • Handling the Endgame of a Project
  • Rescuing and Revitalizing the Problem Project
• Among our archived columns on Tracking and Control topics:
• Dispelling Fear: Something to Get Exorcised About
• Is There A Madness to Your Method? (July 10, 2000)
• Keep Those Cowpies Coming! (June 19, 2000)
• The Perfect Project Review (There Ain't No Such Thing)
• Project Manager vs. Tombstone (October 2, 2000)
• Check our book list for some useful references on Tracking and Control.
• The team needs to know, you need to know, management needs to know: Where is this project, really? On time? On budget? About to tank? In need of certain kinds of help? The project status report can either obfuscate or illuminate the situation. Our Project Status Report template provides several formats and levels of detail for summarizing and communicating project status. It includes one-page document formats for getting the true picture for a project at-a-glance; a presentation format for talking to management; and a one-page format that summarizes the state of multiple projects.