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Project Execution: Running the Project

The importance of tracking

Tracking is a method of following the progress of a project's activities. Measuring project performance regularly to identify deviations from the project plan can help ensure that the project stays on track.

A deviation is anything that alters your original course of action. Deviations from the project plan can be positive or negative.

Let's examine some of the ways that tracking is beneficial for your project's success:

• Tracking makes key project information transparent, and transparency is essential for accurate decision-making;
• Second, tracking helps keep all team members and stakeholders in touch with deadlines and goals;
• Tracking is also crucial for recognizing risks and issues that can derail your progress;
• Tracking helps build confidence that the project is set to be delivered on time, in-scope, and within budget.

Common items to track

Commonly tracked items:

• First, you should always track the project schedule;
• Equally important is tracking the status of action items, key tasks, and activities to ensure that that work is actually getting done;
• Tracking tasks also helps to track your team's progress toward milestones;
• Track costs to ensure that you don't overspend or underspend on project tasks;
• Finally, you'll need to track key decisions, changes, dependencies, and risks to the project, including any agreed upon scope changes.

Different tracking methods

Types of tracking methods: