Summary

Monitor actual values of project planning parameters against the project plan.

Description

Project planning parameters constitute typical indicators of project progress and performance and include attributes of work products and tasks, costs, effort, and schedule. Attributes of the work products and tasks include size, complexity, service level, availability, weight, form, fit, and function. The frequency of monitoring parameters should be considered.

Monitoring typically involves measuring actual values of project planning parameters, comparing actual values to estimates in the plan, and identifying significant deviations. Recording actual values of project planning parameters includes recording associated contextual information to help understand measures. An analysis of the impact that significant deviations have on determining the corrective actions to take is handled in specific goal 2 and its specific practices in this process area.

Example Work Products



  1. Records of project performance
  2. Records of significant deviations
  3. Cost performance reports


Example Supplier Deliverables



  1. Supplier project progress and performance reports
  2. Records of significant deviations
  3. Cost performance reports


Subpractices



1. Monitor progress against the schedule.

 

Progress monitoring typically includes the following:
  • Periodically measuring the actual completion of activities and milestones
  • Comparing actual completion of activities and milestones against the project plan schedule
  • Identifying significant deviations from the project plan schedule estimates



2. Monitor the project’s costs and expended effort.

 

An example of a system for monitoring and updating the project’s costs and expended effort is an Earned Value Management System (EVMS) [EIA 2002b].


 

Effort and cost monitoring typically includes the following:
  • Periodically measuring the actual effort and costs expended and staff assigned
  • Comparing actual effort, costs, staffing, and training to the project plan budget and estimates
  • Identifying significant deviations from the project plan budget and estimates



3. Monitor the attributes of work products and tasks.

Refer to the Measurement and Analysis (MA) (CMMI-ACQ) process area for more information about developing and sustaining a measurement capability used to support management information needs.


Refer to the Project Planning (PP) (CMMI-ACQ) process area for more information about establishing estimates of work product and task attributes.


 

Monitoring the attributes of work products and tasks typically includes the following:
  • Periodically measuring the actual attributes of work products and tasks, such as size, complexity, or service levels (and changes to these attributes)
  • Comparing the actual attributes of work products and tasks (and changes to these attributes) to the project plan estimates
  • Identifying significant deviations from the project plan estimates


Monitoring attributes applies to both acquirer and supplier work products and tasks.



4. Monitor resources provided and used.

Refer to the Project Planning (PP) (CMMI-ACQ) process area for more information about planning the project’s resources


This resource monitoring includes monitoring the availability of resources provided by the supplier for the project.

 

Examples of resources include the following:
  • Physical facilities
  • Computers, peripherals, and software
  • Networks
  • Security environment
  • Project staff
  • Processes



5. Monitor the knowledge and skills of project staff.

Refer to the Project Planning (PP) (CMMI-ACQ) process area for more information about planning needed knowledge and skills.


 

Monitoring the knowledge and skills of project staff typically includes the following:
  • Periodically measuring the acquisition of knowledge and skills by project staff
  • Comparing the actual training obtained to that documented in the project plan
  • Identifying significant deviations from the project plan estimates


Staff monitoring includes monitoring the skills and knowledge of supplier staff provided for the project.



6. Document significant deviations in project planning parameters.

Document significant deviations that apply either to acquirer project execution or to supplier deviations from the project plan.

Refer to the Solicitation and Supplier Agreement Development (SSAD) (CMMI-ACQ) Development process area for more information about establishing supplier agreements.