“What percent done are you?”

Status reporting is a core skill (and responsibility) of project managers. It is an opportunity for you to check in with your team, and to build rapport and engagement with stakeholders. But it’s also something we often take for granted.

In this episode, Kate and Kim talk about how to approach status reporting whether your project is big or small, and how to leverage this key communication point to help with overall project success.

Why Status Reporting?

Essential for communicating project progress and challenges
Builds trust with stakeholders by demonstrating progress

Tailoring Status Reports

Reports should be adapted to audience needs
Understanding the audience (executives, team members, stakeholders) is crucial!

Components of an Effective Status Report

Executive Summary: A clear, concise overview
Accomplishments: Completed tasks or milestones
Upcoming Tasks: Planned activities or next steps
Risks and Issues: Key challenges and potential problems
Go-to-Green Plan: Strategy for addressing significant off-track areas
RAG Status: Red, Amber, Green indicators for project health
Budget Status: Financial overview (where applicable)
Timeline Overview: High-level graphical representation of key events

Approaches to Percent Complete

Debate on the utility and accuracy of percent-complete metrics
Preference for tying status to key milestones over percent completion

Status Report Frequency and Medium

Weekly status meetings with teams
Different report cadences for different audience levels (e.g., executive status monthly)
Possible mediums: Email, PowerPoint, Slack, or other communication tools

Challenges in Status Reporting

Ensuring stakeholder engagement and consumption of reports
Potential pushback on RAG status, especially when reporting red or amber
Importance of team input and alignment on report content

Additional Recommendations

Focus on highlighting value and progress in reports
Importance of clear, effective communication in status reports
Using status reports for accountability and project alignment

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