Project Management

Maintaining Control During Project Execution 171

task performers would have provided, to arrive at the control
schedule shown in Figure 9-3.
Recording and displaying the information you receive from
task performers is little more than “plugging in” status infor-
mation. This simple and straightforward method will prob-
ably be adequate for
many projects.
Interpreting control
schedules is also straight-
forward—if they’re proper-
ly constructed. An analysis
of Figure 9-4 allows us to
make several observations
about the past perform-
ance and current status of
every activity shown on
this control schedule. For
example:

• Activity A started and finished on time.


• Activity B started on time and has taken longer than
  expected.


• Activity C started two weeks late and the duration hasn’t
  changed.

Activ.

No.

Activ.

Name

1

2 B

3

4

5

A

C

D

E

6/29 7/6 7/13 7/20 7/27 8/3 8/10 8/17 8/24 8/31 9/7 9/14 9/21

Today’s Date

(Date of team meeting)

July August September

“I have a couple of days left.”

“I’ll be done in one week.”

“I have two weeks

work left to do.”

“I can do this in two

weeks, not three.”

Figure 9-4. Information to develop control schedule

“Decorating” Your

Schedule

When it comes to choosing

schedule graphics, there really aren’t

any standards for coloring, shading, or

patterns; you can choose any scheme

that suits you. Most scheduling soft-

ware applications allow you to select

from a large menu of choices for color

or shading. Just be sure your choice of

colors and patterns is not distracting!