Process: Monitor and Control Project Work
Process Group: Monitoring and Controlling
Knowledge Area: Project Integration Management
Purpose
The Monitor and Control Project Work process involves tracking, reviewing, and reporting project progress against the performance objectives defined in the project management plan. It ensures that the project remains aligned with approved baselines and enables timely decision-making through performance data analysis.
Inputs
- Project Management Plan – Provides baselines and performance measurement criteria.
- Project Documents – Includes issue log, risk register, schedule forecasts, and quality reports.
- Work Performance Information – Analyzed data on how the project is performing (e.g., status reports, metrics).
- Agreements – Contractual terms that may influence how monitoring is conducted.
- Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEFs) – Standards, tools, infrastructure, and market conditions that affect control.
- Organizational Process Assets (OPAs) – Reporting procedures, historical information, and escalation paths.
Tools and Techniques
- Expert Judgment – Applied to assess performance data, interpret trends, and identify deviations.
- Data Analysis –
- Trend Analysis
- Earned Value Analysis (EVA)
- Root Cause Analysis
- Variance Analysis
- Decision Making – Techniques like voting or multi-criteria decision analysis for corrective actions.
- Meetings – Status reviews and decision-making sessions with stakeholders and the project team.
Outputs
- Work Performance Reports – Summarized, formatted data used to communicate project status and progress to stakeholders.
- Change Requests – Recommendations for corrective or preventive actions, updates, or defect repairs.
- Project Management Plan Updates – Revisions to reflect approved changes and current project reality.
- Project Document Updates – Modifications to documents such as forecasts, risk responses, and issue logs.
Role in the Process Group and Knowledge Area
- As part of the Monitoring and Controlling Process Group, this process enables real-time project oversight.
- Within Project Integration Management, it acts as the central mechanism for ensuring planned work aligns with actual results and that deviations are managed appropriately.
Why It Matters
- Maintains Project Alignment – Ensures that outcomes stay consistent with plans and objectives.
- Enables Timely Corrections – Identifies problems early so that corrective action can be taken.
- Supports Stakeholder Communication – Provides transparency and clarity on project performance.
- Feeds Change Control – Triggers updates through the integrated change control process when performance issues are found.