Mike FrenetteManager, IT PMO| Halifax Water (retired)Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
We are all used to textrual methods of status reporting - what I did this period, what will I do next period, issues, risks, items for management attention, etc.
How many of you have used data analytics for status reporting, resulting graphical depictions of the schedule, time, cost and quality, often on demand and up to the minute? Have Agile methods of reporting helped change your thinking and pushed you in this direction? Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Mike, we’ve always used graphical representations in our reporting from the S-Curve, Gantt Charts, and many others which are much better than just “Textual Reporting”. Of course with the graphical representations, you need to provide some narrative because not all stakeholders are experts and can interpret graphs!
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1 reply by Mike Frenette
May 12, 2024 12:00 PM
Mike Frenette
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What is the usual frequency, Rami? Or are they real time, so to speak, or as real time as they can be?
Saving Changes...
Mike FrenetteManager, IT PMO| Halifax Water (retired)Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
May 12, 2024 11:54 AM
Replying to Rami Kaibni
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Mike, we’ve always used graphical representations in our reporting from the S-Curve, Gantt Charts, and many others which are much better than just “Textual Reporting”. Of course with the graphical representations, you need to provide some narrative because not all stakeholders are experts and can interpret graphs!
What is the usual frequency, Rami? Or are they real time, so to speak, or as real time as they can be? Saving Changes...
Mike,
I'm using data analytics for a quality focused project right now and find that graphics are the only way to get the point across unless the audience is full of statistics experts. In fact i had a lot of resistance to my project early on because people just weren't "seeing the trends". Once I start showing people graphs of things like how critical variables had a very measurable shift after a process change, the attitude likewise shifted dramatically.
How close you can do that in real time depends on the type of data. If people charge their time at the end of shift, cost data will be at least a day old. If some critical process only happens every few days, that determines the frequency when there is anything new to evaluate.In statistics, the magic number is 30 for how many data points are required to test a hypothesis at the 95% confidence level.so there is a lag between when the data is available, and when it is actually meaningful.
I recently explained to my bosses that I'm in a "Hurry up and wait" situation. I may need a month's worth of data before I I can draw any sort of conclusions and there's not much I can do in that time other than theorize what to do if certain patterns emerge. Once we can see the real trends despite all the "noise", then things start moving quickly.
Keith Saving Changes...
Rarely is data on projects "real time". Usually the integration of information from different sources ends up with some up to a day old and others up till the last month (e.g. official financials). Even with the use of adaptive approach tools, while their dashboards and analytics can update as data is provided, the team might not provide that data in real time.
The question of data accuracy is also important - while it can be tempting to publish just in time information, without some vetting of that information, the costs rapidly outweigh the benefits.
Project Manager| AWR Development (BD) Ltd. Cox's Bazer , Bangladesh
Dear Mike Frenette,
You raised two insightful questions:
1. How many of you have leveraged data analytics for status reporting, resulting in graphical depictions of schedule, time, cost, and quality, often available on demand and up to the minute?
2. Have Agile reporting methods influenced your approach and prompted you in this direction?
In response to your first question, I can attest to utilizing data analytics for status reporting. Project dashboards, driven by a performance measurement baseline (PMB), have proven invaluable in this regard.
Regarding your second question, I've been exploring hybrid methodologies that blend Agile principles with traditional reporting techniques, recognizing the potential for enhanced efficiency and adaptability.
Golam Saving Changes...
Michael BrowningDirector, Cybersecurity| Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, United States
Great discussion, I learned a lot! Saving Changes...
Great Discussion.
Many of us We are using graphic charts and utilizing it in our reports by different way, you need to present your report in dashboard or any visual form, because at sometimes using only the narrative can't communicate the project status. Saving Changes...
John AucoinSr. Project Controls Specialist| Critical Path Planning, llcGeismar, Louisiana, United States
Huge topic! Schedule status can be displayed in a multitude of different ways. Some generated by a particular software, some "home-made" & some straight from a scheduling tool such as Primavera P6. My advice is to get early buy-in from your company or team about how they would like to view their project metrics. This will eliminate issues with team members not being able to quickly interpret your schedule data or status. Saving Changes...
Yes, I’ve moved beyond traditional reports by integrating visual dashboards, predictive analytics, and narrative insights. These tools highlight trends, risks, and achievements in real time—transforming status reporting from static updates into actionable decision-making instruments that engage stakeholders and improve project transparency and responsiveness.
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