Planning and Monitoring Services

Progress reporting

Controlling the momentum of the project is managed by progress reporting. This informs about the state of the project with regard to deviations from the approved schedules and budgets.

Through root cause analysis, they help identify and define any corrective and remedial actions for bringing the project back on track.

Controlling cost and forecasting

Well prepared budgets and continuous preparation of forecasts based on past experience combined with future estimates are essential in controlling cost. A prerequisite for this is cash flow information based on and updated through project schedules. By combining committed costs within the budget limit, and adding expected extra costs, forecasts can be made that conclusively inform about the costs estimated to complete the project.

Time scheduling and milestone analysis

Well prepared time schedules are essential for executing the project and for monitoring the performance with regard to start and completion dates of activities. The schedules are typically prepared with reference to the set milestones using a top-down approach. The follow-up on time schedules is made using a bottom-up approach. The outcome of the time schedule follow-up is forecasted dates of activities (start and completion dates) and ultimately, an analysis of possible deviations from the agreed milestones.

Performance measurement and Earned Value Management (EVM)

When monitoring a project's performance, a lot of energy is put into ensuring that the project stays within the agreed budget and time frame. By introducing a third parameter, Earned Value, the measurement can be carried out in a more balanced way. EVM is a project management technique for measuring actual project performance and progress. EVM has the ability to combine the actual and planned scope, schedule and costs into a single set of key performance indicators to inform about the status of the project. EVM is known to provide accurate forecasts of project performance problems and sophisticated analyses of recorded deviations.