Progress and Performance Monitoring With Any Project

¶ … Progress and Performance Monitoring

With any project that's intricate, involved and worth completing, the progress and performance need to be consistently monitored. Proper project monitoring allows all stakeholders in the project to determine if the project is on course or not.

One method of monitoring the success and development of a project is via performance indicators. These indicators are flags which provide proper image of a project's impact, outcomes, outputs, and inputs as a means of evaluating the overall progress of the project toward its objectives (Alexander, 1996). Such indicators are also used to evaluate the success of the project and how closely the project is reaching its desired end result or outcome. "Indicators organize information in a way that clari-es the relationships between a project's impacts, outcomes, outputs, and inputs and help to identify problems along the way that can impede the achievement of project objectives" (Alexander, 1996).

There are many uses and factors which are directly related to performance indicators, though more than anything, performance indicators help to provide an accurate snapshot of how well a project is evolving while demonstrating if there's anything that needs to be tweaked or adjusted along the way. Other factors and main ideas which are directly connected to project progress and performance monitoring are strategic planning, performance accounting, forecasting and early warning during program implementation, measuring program results, program marketing and public relations, benchmarking and quality management (Alexander, 1996). Furthermore, from an outside perspective, it can be too easy to forget that with any project, there's a tremendous amount of money and time at stake. Thus, monitoring and assessing becomes something that absolutely crucial to the success of the project, and to ensure that the project is on due course and that the money is not being badly spent, over or under-spent, or otherwise frittered away. "A project represents a set of promises that are made to stakeholders about what will be achieved with a set of resources in a given timeframe. Monitoring provides crucial information about how the project is performing, which helps decision makers and other stakeholders track how well the 'promises' are being kept" (iucn.org, 2004). This is a truly insightful and accurate assessment of what any given project is: a series of promises that absolutely need to be kept to all parties involved, particularly the ones who are bank-rolling the project. Monitoring offers all leaders and managers a powerful tool to track implementation so that they can pinpoint all obstacles which are negatively affecting the project's success, as early as possible (iucn.org, 2004). This truly acts as a form of information for green-lighting any changes in management. In fact, when it's well-used, it can help to justify all changes in management and to zero-in on necessary interventions which could help in avoiding problems or targeting necessary solutions.

One of the lesser-known powers of monitoring is that it was be a powerful motivator for all stakeholders in that it helps in generating a communal understanding of the project and the contexts of the project (iucn.org, 2004). The information can offer a greater level of accountability, credibility and overall confidence in the endeavour being undertaken (iucn.org, 2004). There are two overwhelmingly crucial aspects of monitoring: projects operation and results.

Discuss how they are applied in a project environment as suggested in the literature (30%)

While it's important to have a truly comprehensive understanding of all these aspects of project management, it's even more crucial to be able to implement them effectively when the project is mid-way. One of the most fundamental aspects of this revolves around the issue of strategic planning. "For any program or activity, from a development project to a sales plan, incorporating performance measurement into the design forces greater consideration of the critical assumptions that underlie that program's relationships and causal paths. Thus performance indicators help clarify the objectives and logic of the program" (Alexander, 1996). It's quite common with many projects that the course, plan or path will need to be adjusted mid-way. Performance indicators are thus crucial in allowing the strategic planning to adjust and to be adjusted. A similar tool which can be applied in a project environment that can offer a clear view of whether a project is on the right path is via performance accounting. Performance accounting can help one determine if resource allocations decisions are being made well and if they are being properly utilized to help guide resources to the most successful activities, thus pushing for the most efficient and effective use of the budget (Alexander, 1996). This factor should absolutely not be underestimated. Performance monitoring is one of the most influential tools that can be harnessed in order to offer an accurate snapshot of a project's progress. For example, looking at the budget can give one the most accurate look as to whether a project, at its mid-point, is on schedule, depending on whether it is over-budget or under-budget. If a project is over-budget, this could be highly indicative of the fact that it is being mis-managed, rushed or otherwise off track. If a project is under-budget, this could indicate that the project is sluggish, behind schedule and that there simply isn't enough momentum to keep pushing it forward. Performanace monitoring through accounting, if used correctly, can "direct resources to the most successful activities and thereby promote the most ef-cient use of resources" (Alexander, 1996).

As these activities are occurring, there still needs to be forecasting and early warning while the project is developing. The project still needs to be measured against common indicators which will demonstrate if a project is pointing towards a future performance, offering feedback that can be harnessed for pinpointing and identifying components that need to be aggressively bettered, and to suggest what needs to be done (Alexander, 1996). Measuring and assessing program results will help in determining if a program has achieved goals that are directly connected to its objectives, not simply what it has done thus far: this is a truly powerful and important means for fostering an environment of accountability (Alexander, 1996). Other tools, such as benchmarking will help in generating data where points in the program can be measured against other aspects: "They also provide a way to improve programs by learning from success, identifying good performers, and learning from their experience to improve the performance of others (Alexander, 1996).

During the journey that the project undergoes, there needs to be constant and consistent quality management, completed by a quality manager and a corresponding team. This team can consistently assess not simply the progress or stage of the project, but whether the project is living up to all expectations and what can be done about that if not. The quality management team needs to be the individuals who are constantly making clear diagnostics about the project and constantly assessing and re-assessing if anything needs to be done or done differently.

At some point, the leaders of the entire program need to determine how and where program marketing and public relations will fit in. "Performance indicators can be used to demonstrate program results to satisfy an external audience. Performance data can be used to communicate the value of a program or project to elected officials and the public" (Alexander, 1996). Even if a program is absolutely top secret and there is the argument that the public will either have no interest in it, or should have no knowledge of it, certain amounts of marketing will need to be done, even if it's just with the programs stakeholders or internal to the company. Such marketing will help to give everyone not only a feeling of achievement and value, but the marketing will also help in giving everyone a clear picture on what has been accomplished and why it's important.

Using earned value is a truly vital means of monitoring the project performance. "Earned Value Management (EVM) is a technique that measures project performance against the project baseline. The Earned Value calculations are studied and memorized by all project managers seeking PMP certification. However, their use in practice is inconsistent. EVM is considered by Cardinal to be one of the 'critical few' best practice areas for monitoring project performance from both a cost and schedule perspective" (Jang, 2013). Earned value can thus be such an important tool for any project really, because it's so common to consider projects with the most binary form of thinking: ahead of schedule vs. behind schedule or over budget vs. under-budget (Jang, 2013). While all these factors have a considerable aspect on the overall project cost, real project monitoring is still far more nuanced than these binary modes of thinking.

For example, earned values and their related calculations can force a project manager to think about things like Planned Value (PV),Actual Cost (AC), Schedule Variance (SV) = EV -- PV, Schedule Performance Index (SPI) = EV / PV, Cost Variance (CV) = EV -- AC, Cost Performance Index (CPI) = EV / AC Estimated at Completion (EAC) = (Total Project Budget) / CPI. This can truly give any performance manager a more detailed and specific look at how a project is progressing and developing. However, there is definitely a danger in depending just on earned value and related calculations, as these are just data points (Jang, 2013). "Earned Value can change quickly and actual costs and project progress rarely occur as budgeted. However, Earned Value does serve as an excellent early-warning system, and looking at Earned Value trends can provide very useful data. It is most common to report Earned Value monthly, but this could be more frequent for a shorter project" (Jang, 2013). Other aspects, like customer satisfaction and quality or even employee satisfaction and confidence simply are not captured by earned value calculations. This might be helpful for measuring the overall project performance, none of these factors can be viewed as an accurate benchmark or prediction of project success (Jang, 2013). One truly must makes sure that all actual costs are included in calculations (both labor and non-labor) as that is a common mistake to make. On the other hand, if one is reporting earned value calculations, one must be willing to ensure that all recipient know exactly what the numbers mean: "I recommend presenting them in non-project management terms to project sponsors and other key stakeholders. This is much easier than training stakeholders on 'project management speak' (whether they want it or not)" (Jang, 2013).

But even so, good project monitoring and measurement is actually more than about indicators. Good measurement, evaluation and design is about more than just having a set of measurable objectives for the project and all of its components (adpc.net, 2001). "A structured set of indicators, covering outputs of goods and services generated by the project and their impact on beneficiaries. Provisions for collecting data and managing project records so that the data required for indicators are compatible with existing statistics, and are available at reasonable cost. Institutional arrangements for gathering, analyzing, and reporting project data, and for investing in capacity building, to sustain the M&E service. Proposals for the ways in which M&E [monitoring and evaluation] findings will be fed back into decision making" (adpc.net, 2001). This demonstrates that one of the most key things to remember is the importance of strong decision making and assessment techniques is the viability of details and specifics. The same goes for project objectives. At the very least, project objectives need to be designed to ensure that they absolutely further long-term sectoral goals, but all immediate objectives, should be easily and accessibly measurable, by nearly any project manager who touches the project (adpc.net, 2001). For instance, an IT project might be created to enhance the sectoral goals of minimizing viruses with the PC community, or within a specific company, but it might have a more immediate, measurable objective of offering greater security and protection to PC users through improvements to software programs.

The main point is that when it comes to objectives, they absolutely need to be "...specific to the project interventions, realistic in the timeframe for their implementation, and measurable for evaluation" (adpc.net, 2001).

A somewhat famous example of this tendency occurred with India's district primary education project, which set out its objectives at the district level in concise statements which were directly connected to clear indicators (adpc.net, 2001). For instance, some of these indicators revolved around things like minimizing the drop-out rate and pushing up test scores and overall learning outcomes and improvement, increasing scores by 25% and minimizing enrolment disparities based on gender (adpc.net, 2001). This is just one example of how increased specificity can be completely influential and powerful in ensuring that a given project is able to realize its goals.

Demonstrate by example how this topic is applied, used or dealt with in a particular project

When it comes to project management and evaluation, specificity is truly everything and is absolutely vital to the success of project. "The ability to effectively communicate progress information and represent as-built and as-planned progress discrepancies are identi-ed as key components for successful project management that allow corrective decisions to be made in a timely manner.However, current formats of reporting e.g., textual progress reports, progress curves, and photographs may not properly and quickly communicate project progress" (Golparvar-Fard et al., 2009). This report, put together by Golparavar-Fard and colleagues demonstrates the current short-comings with many current methods of progress anaylsis. This demonstrates how the standard methods of marking progress are so often limited and flawed essentially. It can be hard for all parties involved with a project to really get a sense of where a project is at based solely on text and graphs, particularly with projects that are more hands on and which involve creation in the third dimension. For example, for projects which involve the construction of a structure such as in architecture or even in electronic equipment design, such endeavours would be greatly facilitated by more visual-based performance monitoring. "Therefore, to facilitate progress monitoring, this paper proposes visualization of performance metrics that aims to represent progress deviations through superimposition of four-dimensional 4D

as-planned model over time-lapsed photographs in single and comprehensive visual imagery" (Golparvar-Fard et al.,2009). Essentially Golparvar-Fard and colleagues are harnessesing the power of technology and the power of the internet and graphics design to create a more meaningful type of progress evaluation and design. Golparvar-Fard and associates created built-in photographs and enhanced them using a 4D planned model where the performance metrics were put into a more visual form (2009). This is truly a more intriguing and compelling method for how progress can be displayed. Furthermore, if massive changes and upheavals need to be made, a visual presentation can make this clear in a far more compelling manner; this can help to motivate all stakeholders and team members in the process, spurring everyone to a more effective form of action.

Even 3D modelling offers the potential to provide a more nuanced and complex form of progress and performance evaluation. In fact, the point isn't even about using 3D versus 4D: the point revolves around using a more visual form of technology in order to convey facts in real time about the progress of a project that a great deal of time money and effort has been involved in.

One of the major attractions of 3D and 4D technology is the fact that it's highly attractive to industries which are incredibly complex, and as so many people acknowledge, construction is an incredibly complex industry (Memom, 2005). "Present trends in the construction industry have heightened the need for effective and efficient evaluation, monitoring and developing the actual physical progress reports. The use of 3D CAD in the detailed design phase of a project is rapidly growing which improve the design, drafting and constructibility of entire project"(Memom, 2005). Photographs are so heavily used and leaned upon in construction sites and are truly crucial documents used by all stakeholders (Memom, 2005). For instance, when filed operations start, the furthering of all work is observed by measuring and capturing images and pushing the field progress further at more regular intervals. Thus, 3D CAD drawings and 3D models evolve from digital photographs and can serve as solid forms of communication by offering a visual representation of the most precise status of the project (Memom, 2005). Memom discusses the DCM model and truly demonstrates how this type of interactive system can integrate 3D CAD drawings as a design tool for construction projects and digital images (Memom, 2005). Even if a given project can't afford or doesn't have the time to appreciate or learn 4D technology, there's always the possibility of using 3D models as an altnertive to standard progress reports. So many programs now have made a practical effort to "automate the process of producing as-built construction schedule by applying modern photogrammetry techniques to photographs and integrating with CAD drawings. The applications of DCM model in monitoring the progress enables project management team to better track and control the productivity and quality of construction projects" (Memom 2005). This demonstrates that the possibility of using visual images and other forms of representation on the platform of advanced technology is truly possible for a range of projects and fields, not just those of construction.

Highlight the main challenges as discussed in the literature and found in your example (15%)

Four-dimensional models in the project discussed by Golparvar-Fard and associates deal with projects in industries (like construction) where the benefits of 4d models are obvious. However, further examining the benefits and challenges of using 4D models for construction projects helps to better assess the ways they can be used for other fields and industries. "4D models have been used and have been shown to have benefits over processes that span the entire lifecycle of a project such as collaboration with stakeholders, making design decisions, assessing project constructability, identifying spatial conflicts in construction and so on" (Mahalingam et al., 2010). However, in spite of all these benefits, there are a range of organizational and project-focused obstacles that thwart the popular use of 4D CAD models. 4D models have a theoretical and concrete benefit; even so, there's still a need to better understand how the implementation of 4D models on construction sites along with the views of those involved in regards to this particular implementation (Mahalingam et al., 2010). Thus, there's a clear and overwhelming need to bolster the collective understanding of how 4D models work and what the best way to introduce them to others really is -- on construction sites and elsewhere -- in industries that are more set in their ways. Construction projects really offer a fitting example of how new ways of engaging in project progress assessments can offer a world of benefit -- or none at all. The benefit is only gained if new progress assessment tools are introduced in the right manner, and in a way in which allows all team members to accept them. Furthermore, team members and all other people with vested interests in the project also are going to derive more benefits from the visualization of such processes using 4D as a result of their absence of site-specific construction skills; on the other hand, construction professionals who are savvier are more likely going to appreciate "and benefit from the analytical and planning aids that 4D simulations provide during the construction phase. However, it is likely that despite these benefits 4D CAD models might not diffuse through the construction industry unless 4D modelling and analysis is integrated into existing project planning approaches" (Mahalingam et al., 2010).