Proactive monitoring: Traffic light indicators in Project Plans

[Jacob]

Below link is a good article I found on creating step-by-step proactive
indicator in project plans, to draw attention to potentially late & late
tasks - basically provides a green/yellow/red light.

http://www.projectperfect.com.au/info_stoplights_in_microsoft_project.php

I have fine-tuned it slightly so that "Red" items are more of a function of
duration vs. % complete (link above goes Red only once it is late).

See the article and if you want my small change let me know (all free).

-Lou

 

[Jim Aksel]

Nice post, Thanks!
We use the Schedule Performance Index (SPI) and the Cost Performance Index
(CPI) and create a stop light for each. These are fields availabel in MS
Project as long as you have a fully resourced and costed baseline.

CPI or SPI > 1 means is good (low on cost, or, ahead of schedule).
CPI=1, SPI=1 This means the cost or schedule is exactly as planned.
CPI<1, SPI<1 These are indicators of over run cost or late on schedule.

Of course you can mix and match. Generally the criteria used is 0.8 or
below is RED, 08. to 0.9 is YELLOW and above that is GREEN. Many companies
also flag values above 1.05 becuase there is usually something wrong with
logic if your are more than 5% ahead on schedule or cost.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Jacob,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

You might like to have a look at my series on Microsoft Project in the
TechTrax ezine, particularly #15 on customizing fields, at this site:
http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc or this:
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMFrame.asp?CMD=ArticleSearch&AUTH=23
(Perhaps you'd care to rate the article before leaving the site,
Thanks.)

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: <http://www.mvps.org/project/>

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP