What exactly is performance reporting? It’s a crucial task in project communication management. It entails gathering and disseminating project information, communicating project progress, resource utilization, and forecasting future progress and status to various stakeholders in accordance with the communication management plan.
The work results of other processes are also analyzed and combined into performance reports during the performance reporting process. They are usually done in tabular or graphical formats, which can be text-based, visual-based (such as charts, graphs, or tables), or a combination of the two.
In general, the detailed reports may include:
Performance analysis in the past.
Changes approved during the reporting period are summarized.
Risks and issues are currently in a state of flux.
Variance analysis results.
During the reporting period, work was completed.
Work to be completed during the following reporting period.
Project completion date forecasted.
Other pertinent information will be reviewed and requested by stakeholders.
Types of Performance Reports
Performance reports are fundamentally comparisons of project performance to the project performance baseline, and can include:
Reports on Progress
This displays the current status of a project at any given time. This type of report describes where the project stands in relation to the performance measurement baseline at the time. Managers can also use this to get a current snapshot of the project in terms of scope, time, cost, and quality parameters.
Report on Progress
This type of report summarizes what has been accomplished since the previous time/report.
Report on Forecasting
This report describes what is expected to happen on a project, predicting future performance and the project’s expected status in various parameters. This aids in resource tracking and allocation for better utilization.
Report on Trends
This report compares the current performance of the project to the previous performance of the project over the same time period. Performance, for example, could be compared monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. This report looks at project performance over time to see if it is improving or deteriorating.
Report on Variance
This report compares the planned progress to the actual progress made.
Report on Earned Value
Using earned value management techniques, this report integrates project performance on scope, schedule, and cost measures. This report’s components are frequently merged into status reports.
What Factors Influence Performance Reporting?
Project Management Strategy
The Project Management Plan contains information about the project’s baselines. Project deviations, as reported in performance reports, are compared to the project performance baseline. The performance measurement baseline usually incorporates the project’s scope, schedule, and cost parameters, but it may also include technical and quality parameters.
Workplace Performance Data (WPI)
This is the data gathered from project activities and then analyzed to produce performance results such as –
Status of deliverables Schedule progress Cost incurred
Workplace Performance Evaluation
Work Performance Information is used in Project Management to generate project activity metrics that compare actual progress to planned progress. These metrics are as follows:
Actual schedule performance vs. planned schedule performance
Performance of planned versus actual costs
Technical performance as planned versus actual
Reports on Budget Performance
Budget forecasts provide information on the funds needed to complete the remaining project work, as well as total fund estimates for project completion.
Assets of the Organizational Process
Organizational Process Assets used in project performance reporting include, but are not limited
Report Layouts
Policies and procedures defining the measurement indicators that will be used
Variance limits established by the organization
Conclusion
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