The primary purpose of this phase is to control and manage change. Controlling the Project is not a discrete phase. Its activities are performed simultaneously with those in the Executing the Project phase.

As the project progresses, the Project Manager will collect project status information from Project Team Members and Customers. The method used is less important than being proactive in seeking information. Information collected should include progress made, percent complete, and a forecast that indicates when the activities will be completed. This is also a good time to seek input about activity dependency changes and whether activities should be added or removed from the plan. The information gathered can be interpreted to identify variances, evaluate overall project performance, and develop monthly status reports. Key areas to watch for variances are project scope, schedule, and resource utilization.

Scope control involves trying to contain changes to project scope when that is possible and managing changes when they must occur. When scope changes are unavoidable, the Project Manager should identify their impact on the project plan and obtain approval from the Project Coach and Customer. After approval, the changes can then be communicated to Project Team Members and Stakeholders.

Schedule control is a "balancing act" for the Project Manager. Initial estimates are sometimes not as accurate as we would like. Some activities are completed ahead and some behind schedule. If they are not on the critical path, they will not usually affect the overall project completion date. The Project Manager adjusts the plan as needed and ensures that all involved parties are informed. If the project completion or interim milestone dates are significantly impacted, he/she should obtain approval from the Project Coach and Customer before they are implemented. After approval, the changes can be communicated to Project Team Members and Stakeholders.

Changes in project scope or overall schedule are sometimes extensive enough that the Project Manager and Coach may want to consider revisiting the Planning the Project phase and/or updating the baseline plan. An update to the baseline plan is not a decision to be taken lightly because this may alter a historical record that could be useful when assessing project performance in the Closing the Project phase.

Resource control involves assessing both how they are being utilized and in the case of human resources, whether they are able to devote the time needed to complete their activities on time. It is a rare occurrence in our environment that a resource is devoted 100% to a given project. When they are shared between projects, one or all of those projects can slip depending on how human resources are managed. The Project Manager should stay on top of this situation, while being sensitive to the other commitments of Project Team Members. The Project Manager may have to escalate the issue if his/her project is being affected by another project of similar priority.

Open communication with Stakeholders will help ensure project success. Internal customers should be included to resolve issues pertaining to long-term support. The Project Manager should conduct periodic project reviews with them to facilitate the exchange of information. This will help surface issues early when there are the most options to address them while maintaining important relationships. Items discussed should include: overall project status, schedule variances, and open issues.

Inputs

Project Plan

The project plan is prepared by the Project Manager with input from the project team, and should be reviewed and approved by the Project Coach, Customer, and affected Stakeholders. It describes what the team plans to produce (milestones and deliverables), the sequence of activities, and what resources are needed. The project plan and supporting materials must be stored and maintained in the project’s official subdirectory of project documents (see the section Additional Resources, AIS Project Management Libraries for the AIS LAN location). The project manager must request the creation of the project subdirectory by the AIS Department Systems and Services Team.

AIS Policies and Guidelines

There may be AIS policies and guidelines that are applicable to a given project. It is the responsibility of the Project Manager to apply them as needed.

Outputs

Project Plan Modified

This represents the updated version of the project plan. The project plan and supporting materials must be stored and maintained in the project’s official subdirectory of project documents (see the section Additional Resources, AIS Project Management Libraries for the AIS LAN location). The project manager must request the creation of the project subdirectory by the AIS Department Systems and Services Team.

Project Status

Project status is reported monthly to the Planning and Leadership Team and department. Refer to the AIS Planning and Budgeting Process, Perform Project Management Process - section 3.0, and Status Report Process for further details. It also should be reported periodically to project Stakeholders.

Tools and Techniques

Presentations and Meetings

Meetings can be an effective way of gathering project information since all affected parties are in the room together. Facts not clearly documented can be obtained through discussion.

Microsoft Project (latest version)

Microsoft Project is project management software that assists Project Managers by providing a means of organizing project information.

Project Management References

This includes tips, AIS-specific reference materials, document locations, training classes, books, articles, and other materials as mentioned in the Additional Resources section of this document.

Expert Judgment

Expert judgment will often be required during this phase. It can be provided by any group or individual with specialized knowledge or training, and is available from many sources including:

• Personal experience
• Other teams in AIS
• Vendors
• Other universities with similar projects