This chapter addresses issues related to monitoring and controlling the project.

Monitoring
refers to collecting, recording and reporting information about the project while controlling uses
this information to bring actual performance into agreement with the plan. The chapter begins
with an overview of the plan-monitor-control cycle. Emphasis is given to the importance of
designing the planning-monitoring-controlling process. Next the issue of data collection and
reporting is discussed including the topics of data collection and types of data, data analysis,
types of reports, and meetings. Following this, the earned value approach is presented. As the
chapter notes, earned value represents a way to capture both in-process performance and cost on
a certain date as measured against budget or schedule. Finally the chapter concludes with a
discussion of project control, the design of the control system, and scope creep.

Cases and Readings

Some cases appropriate to the subject of this chapter are:
Harvard: 9-193-013 American Airlines: The InterAAct Project (A) and 9-193-014 (B) This
17-page (and 11-page) set of cases describes the design and implementation of an extensive
knowledge information system project. The implementation is in trouble in the A case and must
be reassessed. The (B) case describes the outcome of the successful implementation. (A) 17
page teaching note (5-194-095) is available.
Western Ontario: 9-91-E009 Riverview Childrens Hospital This 14-page case concerns an
upcoming audit while in the middle of an information system changeover that is in difficulty. The
manager has to decide whether to go ahead with the implementation or wait until the audit is
over, either alternative having serious negative consequences.
Harvard: 9681-091 Corning Glass Works: The Z-Glass Project This excellent, 15-page
case shows how a project can get into trouble on many fronts: strategically, technically, and
behaviorally. Involves a turn-around project for a new production process that is getting worse
instead of better. Involves issues of monitoring, control, strategy, organization, and behavior.
Lots of data to work with. A 14 page teaching note (5-683-045) is available.
Harvard: 9-396-312 BAE Automated System (B): Denver International Airport BaggageHandling System This 3-page follow-up to the (A) case (see Chapter 1) describes the control
actions finally taken to address the airport baggage system problem. A 32 page teaching note for
the (A) and (B) cases (5-399-099) is available