Project control is a professional function that is not widely recognized as a specialized skill set in its own right. There are many definitions of project controls that are used in industries and companies. They play a critical role in providing the necessary cost, time, and performance benefits that are essential to successful project and program outcomes. Project controls include the data collection, data management, and analytical processes used to predict, understand, and constructively influence the time and cost outcomes of a project or program; which through the communication of information in formats that help in effective management and decision making.
Next, we’ll explain what project control is and how these processes can be used to help stay within project scope, minimize budget, and maintain project schedule.
What is the role of project control in the success of projects?
Project control in Yesna pars dcompany provides information that allows project managers to make informed and timely decisions that prevent risks that threaten the project. From project initiation to completion, your job as a project manager is to keep everything on track and within scope. Without a project controls process, it is difficult to answer important questions about the project, which may affect or complicate the success of the project. Some of the reasons projects can go off track without project controls include:
- People: Without project control, there may be questions about who is available on a project. Who is responsible for roles and responsibilities? and who should undertake specific tasks during project development.
- Quality: The control process in the project ensures that expectations are met, that items are complete at each stage of the project, and that all factors work along the way.
- Cost: When project cost is not controlled, unexpected costs may occur due to changes in stakeholders or miscalculations during project planning.
- Time: Monitoring project time prevents issues such as schedule delays, shifting priorities, and resource conflicts that can lead to unfavorable project outcomes.
In general, through the control process, it is possible to find out whether everything is going according to plan or not. If it doesn’t go according to plan, you quickly take the right steps to keep your project on track.
How to set up your project control in 10 easy steps
Smart and effective project control setup starts before the implementation phase of your project. Monitoring and control go hand in hand for every step of your project. Control and monitoring should be strengthened using any of the following steps:
1- Determining the scope of the project:
which includes explaining and communicating every aspect of the project to all team members.
2- Team structure and assigning tasks:
Determining who is best for each required task, how many members are assigned to each team, and planning how to monitor progress.
3- Predetermined risk factors:
Knowing the risks that are worth accepting and the risks that destroy the project’s achievement. When risks are controlled, they can be mitigated before they become real project risks, saving you from irreparable damage.
4- Possible cases of compatibility:
Both internal and external factors can dictate that a project must change course. Plan for unexpected but probable factors that require changes in your project process and determine contingencies for adapting to the changes.
5- Monitoring the status of the project:
Set a schedule and establish a method (ie, regular face-to-face meetings or written reports) to monitor how well or poorly your project is going. Also, if the project is running ahead of schedule, check and find out what will facilitate faster progress. Use agents in your future projects. As a result, knowing what to watch for and what to avoid can save you valuable time and money on future projects.
6- Programs for effective communication:
Obviously, your lines of communication need to be efficient and transparent, but consider your plans for communicating with clients and project stakeholders alike.
7- Deadlines and budget:
Set up a plan to determine initial project costs, track budget changes through regular communication with the accounting department, and ensure deadlines are met. Also, if and when a deadline is missed, develop a contingency plan for how to avoid missing future deadlines.
8- Analysis/evaluation:
Establish a system for evaluating and analyzing how each element of project planning and execution contributes to the overall success of the project within the scope of the project. Is something missing? Do you need to allocate more resources or reallocate personnel? A system should be in place to resolve queries (and all other queries) during implementation and planning.
9- Possible corrections:
As a follow-up to the previous step, if there are signs that the project needs modification or you notice that some of your bases are not covered, not only for one method of implementing changes, but also for the eventuality if the modifications are combined with a set of Be aware of your problems, plan. Although you can’t predict the future, you can imagine it and plan to influence it as much as you can.
10- Planning to present the project:
Decide who will be responsible for delivering the final work, who and what supplies will be needed? Also, plan how to handle the handling situation.
As a reminder, each of the controls listed above requires a specific monitor at each stage. You basically have no control without adequate supervision. Project control in every aspect of the project, from conception to delivery, is more essential than ever in the modern and competitive project management market.
What does a project controller do?
A project team member can create project controls, or a company can hire a project controller who focuses solely on designing and managing controls. The role of the project controller is to identify any potential challenges that may arise, create and manage budgets and schedules, and keep the project manager and the rest of the team informed of progress. The Project Controller works directly under the Project Manager and reports to them on the progress of the project. The project controller may also work alongside other staff including IT teams, contractors, vendors, finance teams.
Benefits of project control
- Some of the key benefits of project control are as follows:
- Reduce project costs through the ability to make timely decisions using KPIs
- Increase project predictability for cost and completion date
- Increasing awareness of the financial health of the project as it progresses
- The ability to reduce project scope creep
- Meaningful benchmark data for future projects through well-structured projects
- Increase margin when working in a fixed price setting
- Improving the record for proper management and control of projects
- Competitive advantage over organizations with less developed project management capabilities
- Increasing job satisfaction for project team members