Controlling phase

[Print-friendly version]

Definition: ensuring that project objectives are met by monitoring and measuring progress regularly to identify variances from the plan so that corrective action can be taken.

Controls show that the project is producing the required results (that meet predefined quality criteria), is on schedule in meeting its targets using previously agreed resources and funding and remains viable against its business case. Controls balance benefits against costs and risks.

In conjunction with the execution phase, the project manager will be watching the progress of the project and ensuring that variances from the plan are identified and reported on and using a Project Change Request if required.

The project manager, the project team and the reference group will handle operational issues and minor variances. The steering committee will take action on major issues and deviations, which are strategic. The project manager should prepare the presentation of information for the steering committee to make informed assessments and decisions.

This phase includes:

•  Project Status Report for regular monitoring and reporting

•  Project Change Request for requesting significant project changes

Project Monitoring

The Project Plan should have included a schedule for steering committee meetings and other key points to ensure regular tracking of project progress and release of status reports. Additionally, the plan should have identified milestones and project kill points, that is, go/no go decision points for the action of senior management, the steering committee or other authority.

Steering committee meetings may be scheduled around milestone and kill point dates. The project manager should prepare a Project Status Report for the committee using the Project Status Report template provided. Additional material may include specific highlights and achievements, as well as a visual representation of stages of completion of the WBS and other issues such as cost status. The mechanism for requesting changes is the Project Change Request.

Project Status Report

Projects are dynamic. The Project Status Report indicates the areas of a project that may vary as the project proceeds: integration, scope, time, cost, quality and risk. Decisions may then have to be made to adjust the other areas to compensate. If the schedule slips, then resources may be increased to bring the project back on schedule to meet a critical deadline. An increasing focus of attention in the report is risk management with review of project risks in each report. Changes in or new risks may explain the need for variation in the project.

The Project Status Report is a tool for reporting on progress of the project suitable for inclusion as a standing agenda item at steering committee meetings. The report has a visual aspect that is valuable for a quick examination of the status of the main project areas.

All Project Status Reports should be copied to the Project Portfolio Office through email: project_portfolio@qut.edu.au

Project Change Requests

The project manager should use the Project Change Request to request a significant change in the key project areas. The steering committee has authority must approve all changes. Requests for significant changes, for example, any requests for additional funding, must be submitted to the governing authority for final consideration for approval.

For AMP (IT) projects, Project Change Requests approved by steering committees should be sent to the Project Portfolio Office through email: project_portfolio@qut.edu.au for consideration by the DVC (TILS).

Integrated Change Control

The Project Manager must have a holistic view of key areas of the project with a view to recognising changes in those areas, how the changes impact on other key areas and mitigation strategies. The project manager must also be aware of how the project fits in with other QUT business activities, systems and projects and be prepared to take action or raise awareness if problems arise on this front. The steering committee must be alerted if change is significant, whether internal or external.

Scope Change Control

The Project Manager should have worked closely with stakeholders so that the Project Plan clearly defined the scope of the project, but a need for a scope change may arise. The project manager should consider the request for change in scope and make a formal submission to the steering committee with the Project Change Request, which delineates the changes requested, impact on the project completion date, resource requirements, risk versus returns, etc, and a recommendation for approval.

Significant scope change and scope creep (numerous small changes) are a major cause of project failure. The project manager is responsible for managing the change, ensuring that the steering committee is aware of the change in scope, the impacts of the change so that they make informed decisions.

Time Control

Finishing a project on time is a customary measure of whether a project has been successful, but many factors may cause a project timeline to change. The Project Plan should have built in contingencies (not necessarily financial). Regular meetings with stakeholders and project team members are an important means of checking the schedule. The project manager should be highly aware of project progress with respect to time and inform the steering committee accordingly.

Steering committee members need a visual overview of project schedule progress, for example, a table of milestones for smaller projects and an MS Project Gantt chart with larger projects. If serious problems occur, the project manager must work with the steering committee to resolve the issues. An alternative is to kill the project.

Cost Control

Comparing the actual project cost against the original planned cost is a customary method of determining whether a project has been successful. As with other elements of a project, costs are subject to change. MS Project is the recommended support tool to track control costs for projects of sufficient complexity.

All project costs should be recorded against the project and reported to the steering committee. The project manager's responsibility is to ensure accurate reporting and suggested remediation so that the steering committee has all the information needed to act correctly. The steering committee must approve and authorise significant changes to the budget or kill the project.

Quality Control

The Project Plan should have both quality assurance and quality control measures in place. Quality assurance evaluates the overall project performance to ensure that the end products meet the project standards. Quality control means monitoring and testing the project products using the chosen quality assurance tactics.

Small quality faults can be dealt with operationally, but the steering committee must be promptly informed if quality problems are major. Significant changes to other areas of a project may need to take place to remedy the quality. One choice may be to kill the project.

Risk

Risk management control is critical to the success of a project. Risks will definitely change as the project progresses. Risks unidentified at the time of the creation of the original Project Plan may appear, as well as new risks. As these risks change and other risks present themselves, the project manager should manage the situation, modify the Risk Management Plan and draw attention through the Review of Risks in the Project Status Report to the steering committee.

Communication

As with other key project areas, communications requirements are likely to change. These changes may occur as a result of modifications in the other areas of the Project Plan. For example, regular stakeholder meetings to discuss project issues may determine that the project product uptake may be higher than originally foreseen because the product is seen to be worthwhile, so that communication updates must be at a broader level than originally noted in the Project Plan or separate Communication Plan. A need for training may be identified in the meetings and must be written into the Plan. A sometimes overlooked is the inclusion of a factor to account for communication if setbacks occur during implementation.