The fourth phase of project management includes monitoring and control. This phase helps you ensure you have what you need to deliver on the project more successfully. An important aspect of this phase is that it helps to limit mistakes and reduce risk -- factors that can easily hinder the success of your project. In other words, your plan is only successful if you take the time to review it to make sure it is doing what it is supposed to. This is the overall goal of project management's monitor and control phase.
Here are monitoring and control practices to know for successful project management:
Use a Work Breakdown Structure
Creating a work breakdown structure is a great way to help monitor and control your project's flow, quality, and production—this visual representation of what is required to complete the project's main objective. A WBS starts with the primary objective at the top and then is broken down into three or more milestones or key objectives. These objectives are further broken down into specific tasks with deadlines, resource needs, and information on completing the project. Using a WBS gives you a quick-glance tool to see if you are doing everything necessary to complete the project.
Cross-Check for Quality Control
During this project management phase, you want to take the time to verify the scope of the project, validate project requirements, and review deliverables for quality. This can easily be done with a traceability matrix. A tool that helps quickly compare your current work to establish a baseline or expectations.
Provide Progress Report
Next, you want to make sure you schedule a project report update to let the stakeholders know where you are. Again, this is a great time to give them an overview of the deliverables created to ensure they are satisfied with the projection of the project.
Follow a Control Chart
Another important detail to establish during this phase is quality. A quality control charge and a traceability matrix can help establish this during the entire length of the project management plan. A control chart is another visual representation of the requirements or processes that need to be taken in order to establish a baseline or exceed them.
Don't let your projects go to waste because you don't take the time to add important monitoring and control processes to your project management system. A simple review can ensure your customers a satisfied every time. Plus, good project management can also help save time, resources, and frustration as you are better prepared.
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