Progress table – make it speak!

By Nirbhay S Salar

Project progress tables are inseparable part of project control professionals. I have seen these tables in
various forms – elementary to quite sophisticated & comprehensive. In order to enable leaders initiate
actions data provided in progress tables play vital role – it may suppress or accentuate the problem/
status.
In this article I will try to show, how one can make table more meaningful. Make the table speak! I will
illustrate this with an example of progress table having only two work items, say ‘excavation’ and
‘concreting’. Case-A thru’ F; how tables become more meaningful.
Case-A: Unbelievably basic and rudimentary. But believe me these are still in use. Focus only on “period
plan & actual”; (the period may be a day, week or month) all other aspects of progress are ignored.
Cumulative Period
Sl. Work Item UOM
Scope Actual Plan Actual
1 Excavation M3 20,000 18,000 3,500 2,200
2 Concreting M3 6,000 4,000 1,500 1,200

Case-B: ‘Cumulative schedule’ is added to tell ‘overall status’ of work item. Table presents ‘overall’ and
‘period’ progress variance.
Cumulative Period
Sl. Work Item UOM
Scope Schedule Actual Plan Actual
1 Excavation M3 20,000 18,000 10,000 3,500 2,200
2 Concreting M3 6,000 4,000 3,000 1,500 1,200

Case-C: “Schedule Completion’ of work item is added. The derived data viz. ‘cumulative balance
(cumulative scope – cumulative actual)’, ‘period actual’ and ‘remaining duration (schedule completion –
data date)’ can be used to estimate if work item schedule completion will be hit or miss- focus shift to
‘completion’ of work item.

Cumulative Period Compln.

Sl. Work Item UOM
Scope Schedule Actual Plan Actual Schedule
1 Excavation M3 20,000 18,000 10,000 3,500 2,200 Ju'18
2 Concreting M3 6,000 4,000 3,000 1,500 1,200 Sep'18

Case-D: ‘Completion forecast’ is added. Now it can be analyzed if current completion forecast is
acceptable or not. If unacceptable then corrective action needs to be initiated.

Cumulative Period Completion

Sl. Work Item UOM
Scope Schedule Actual Plan Actual Schedule Forecast
1 Excavation M3 20,000 18,000 10,000 3,500 2,200 Ju'18 Sep'18
2 Concreting M3 6,000 4,000 3,000 1,500 1,200 Sep'18 Oct'18

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Progress table – make it speak!
By Nirbhay S Salar

Case-E: To substantiate “completion forecast” and to keep track of best production, ‘best production’
and ‘when’ it happened is also added. Now reader can estimate the veracity of ‘completion forecast’. He
also knows that if production has peaked out or not.

Cumulative Period Completion

Sl. Work Item UOM
Scope Schedule Actual Plan Actual Best When Schedule Forecast
1 Excavation M3 20,000 18,000 10,000 3,500 2,200 2,500 Mar'18 Ju'18 Sep'18
2 Concreting M3 6,000 4,000 3,000 1,500 1,200 1,200 Jun'18 Sep'18 Oct'18
Case-F: Graphs are added to present last four periods plan and actual production. Now it’s very easy for
the reader to arrive at databased action. Also, the production profile is archived for future reference.

Cumulative Period Completion

Sl. Work Item UOM
Scope Schedule Actual Plan Actual Best When Schedule Forecast
1 Excavation M3 20,000 18,000 10,000 3,500 2,200 2,500 Mar'18 Ju'18 Sep'18
2 Concreting M3 6,000 4,000 3,000 1,500 1,200 1,200 Jun'18 Sep'18 Oct'18

Excavation (M3) Concreting (M3)

5000 2000
Plan Actual 4000 Plan Actual
4000 1500 1500
3500
1500
3000 3000 1200
3000 2500 1000 1000
2200 2200 1000 900
1800
2000
500500
1000
500
1000 500
100100
0 0
Period-1 Period-2 Period-3 Period-4 Period-5 Period-6 Period-1 Period-2 Period-3 Period-4 Period-5 Period-6

Now the table reader can interpret data easily and can himself be aware of trend, best production (the
system can produce – with current resources); if best was in recent past or long before; if the reported
forecast is achievable or not. All this helps reader to decide if course correction is required. The table is
speaking now!

Not to mention that the table can be enriched further, but I will stop it here.

This example demonstrates how progress table, if designed properly can help in not only ‘progress
reporting’ but also in decision making. It can form the backbone of your decision support system. But
teams don’t use table like Case-E or F; few reasons can be:

 The issuing team is not trained, ignorant about importance of good progress table.
 Trying to hide the truth – it may help some team members not to provide all this date; to enable
them to make stories.
 There is no traction for comprehensive and enriched progress data from project leadership.
They probably don’t know how use such simple tool effectively.

Ideally none of the above should be the reason. But……

I am sure if you are a project professional, you might have either prepared or received such progress
table. Which was the case, A, B…… F or even more enriched and matured!

Next time think about it. Does your progress table speak? If not, make it speak – clear and loud!

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