Visually Displaying Project Progress

There are various methods to show progress on a project, depending on the approach being used. This can include using low-tech tools like "stickies" and colored dots, or software applications. All of these methods rely on regular updates to give a clear view of the progress being made, as well as any obstacles that may be encountered.

Task Board

The Task Board is a simple and easy-to-maintain method that is well-suited for adaptive and agile time-boxed approaches. It consists of three columns: To Do, In Progress, and Done.

Items that are ready for work are placed in the To Do column. When work begins on an item, it is moved to the In Progress column. Once the work is completed, the item is moved to the Done column.

Pros: The Task Board is easy to understand and use. It provides a visual representation of work in progress on backlog items, including iteration, release, and product backlogs.

Cons: This method requires an understanding of the "Definition of Done" to determine when an item should be moved to the final column. Additionally, it lacks features to help determine why an item has not been started or has been in progress for a prolonged period.

Kanban Board

The Kanban Board is an extension of the task board and supports the adaptive/agile continuous flow approach. It originated in manufacturing to display progress along an assembly line and is now commonly used in helpdesk or customer service organizations to show work in progress.

This board can have several columns to display the different stages of work required to complete individual items. These columns can represent the types of work done (e.g., analysis, design, testing, approval, etc.) or the resources to which items are assigned (e.g., level 1, level 2, level 3, etc.).

In addition to the in-progress work columns, there are queues between the columns. These queues allow completed work to be moved into a queue, awaiting availability for the next column to "pull" the work item.

The columns on the Kanban board include a Work in Progress (WIP) limit, which is the maximum number of items that can be in a specific column at one time without overburdening the resources. This limit helps identify bottlenecks and areas where additional resources may need to be moved from one 'column' to another.

The board helps identify bottlenecks and areas requiring additional resources due to the WIP limit and the queues. This requires understanding the entrance and exit criteria for each column.

While this board supports a continuous flow adaptive/agile approach, it is often used to expand the three-column task board when additional "in progress" information is required.

Requirements Traceability Matrix

The Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM) is a tool used in predictive approaches to monitor the progress and completion of individual requirements identified within the Scope Statement. Due to the potentially large amount of data involved, the matrix is often automated through requirements management software. The number of columns and usage of the matrix is determined as part of the Requirements Management Plan.

The RTM allows for both backward and forward tracking of individual requirements to ensure completion by the end of the project. It also helps assess the impact of a requested change on other parts of the project.

Backward tracking ensures that each requirement is associated with and supportive of a business or strategic objective, as well as ensuring that all objectives have supporting requirements. Forward tracking involves monitoring the progress of individual requirements and is closely tied to the traceability aspect of well-defined user stories and requirements.

This tracking can be supported by software as simple as an Excel spreadsheet, providing the ability to "hyperlink" documents to specific columns. For example, test cases and results for a requirement could be hyperlinked in the "test" column. This capability supports connecting individual project artifacts for requirements to a central tracking artifact.

Pros: The Requirements Traceability Matrix offers a comprehensive display of progress toward the completion of individual requirements, providing project managers with reassurance that all specified requirements will be delivered at the end of the project without being overlooked.

Cons: It can require a large amount of effort to maintain, depending on the number of columns and the level of detail tracking required.

Tracking Gantt Chart

The Tracking Gantt chart is an updated Gantt Chart that is continuously developed during schedule planning using a predictive approach.

During the initial planning phase, work packages from the WBS are moved to the schedule, additional activities are identified, dependencies are noted, durations are estimated, and resources are added. This process is often supported by scheduling software such as MS Project or Primavera. The activities and details are listed in a chart format with a Gantt or modified Gantt chart displayed.

Once the schedule has been "baselined," a Tracking Gantt view becomes available. This view not only shows the planned start and end dates, but also the actual start and end dates, and the progress toward the end date for each bar.

While the Tracking Gantt Chart has been the preferred tracking method for many years, it does require a clear understanding of how progress will be specified and tracked. These details are often included in the Performance Management Baseline definition as part of the Schedule Management Plan. They include the 'earning rules' or metrics, which are the methods used to quantify the work accomplished. These can be a fixed formula, percentage complete, weighted milestones, physical measurements, or level of effort, especially when using earned value management.

Pros: The Tracking Gantt Chart is a well-established method of displaying progress against baselined work, instilling project managers with confidence in its reliability.

Cons: Requires additional work to capture the information regarding work status from individuals performing the work and may not reflect real-time, current status.

Teams Planner

Many project teams are using different components of Microsoft Teams. It's important to note that Planner offers a simple way to show progress on individual items using "cards," similar to agile "stickies." These cards can display the status of each item but do not show dependencies between cards

Summary

Regardless of how information is presented, these methods can provide transparency in the agile mindset. We should analyze the frequency, level of detail, and format of information needed to meet stakeholder needs. This should be balanced with the effort required to provide accurate and timely information, depending on the project approach being used.