16.5 Monitoring and controlling projects: Measuring a project’s progress

Question 1

What are some ordinary techniques for monitoring projects?

Answer 1

There are a number of techniques and tools available to monitor projects, but these often involve team members:

• filling out time sheets
• punching clocks
• other accounting tools

Question 2

What is a project monitoring tool that is widely used in the design industry?

Answer 2

Percent Complete Matrix (PCM) is a widely used project monitoring tool in the design industry.

Question 3

What is the purpose of the percent complete matrix (PCM)?

Answer 3

The purpose of the percent complete matrix (PCM) is to relate the extent of work done on the parts of a project to the status of the project overall.

Question 4

What is the goal of the percent complete matrix (PCM)?

Answer 4

The goal of the percent complete matrix (PCM) is to use the information in the work breakdown structure (WBS) and, if available, the labor budget, to determine the overall status of the project.

Question 5

How might a work breakdown structure with allocations for tracking team progress look? Notice that the hours for the lower subtasks sum up to the hours for the level above.

Answer 5

Question 6

How can progress be monitored via the work breakdown structure?

Answer 6

Cross-outs can be used to indicate the percent of work completed. Percent completion can be represented by percent of task hours completed.

Question 7

What is the process for cross-outs in a work breakdown structure?

Answer 7

1. Bolding.
   
   • Boxes in bold represent tasks which have begun
     
     • credited with 25% of the task hours
2. Slashing.
   
   • Bolded boxes with slashes are half-finished
     
     • credited with 50% of task hours
3. Crossing out with “X”s.
   
   • Bolded boxes with Xs have been turned in as complete by the responsible individual.
     
     • credited with 90% of task hours
4. Shading in.
   
   • Bolded boxes with Xs that have been shaded in have been accepted by the project manager or client.
     
     • credited with 100% of task hours