As the planning phase completes and the project commences, the project manager will now be frequently working on an implementation progress report.
Prepared and submitted on a regular interval, these particular reports help keep stakeholders informed of the status of the project implementation in terms of schedule, issues, scope, resources, and also costs.
In addition, management is able to address project issues and unexpected matters are prevented or, at the least, mitigated.
Implementation status report also serves as a documentation of the project’s history and may have uses for later in the evaluation, review, and analysis of how the project becomes complete.
- Keys to Writing Effective Implementation Status Reports Part 1
- Implementation Status Report Template: Free Download Part 2
- Additional Resources Part 3
- How to dramatically reduce the time you spend creating reports Part 4
Part 1
Benefits of an Implementation Status Report
- It facilitates communication. Through the implementation status report, stakeholders are provided with a consistent, timely, and also fact-based report about the project. Issues are brought to attention for a decision-maker, and as a result, they use data in the status report.
- It serves as a basis for the project performance analysis. As a result, by documenting the project accomplishments, managers are able to have an overview of how the project and the staff involved are performing.
- It retrieves the team on track. Teams in the project implementation are able to see for themselves if the project is losing its focus. Implementation reports steer the team back in the right direction, especially if they are losing their way because of so many adjustments and adaptations that should be made on the job.
Keys to Writing Effective Implementation Status Reports
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Create Targeted Reports
A progress report prepared for the team is different from a high-level status. The previous one gives the team an idea of how their work contributes to the overall project completion while the latter informs top management of the key deliverables and project milestones.
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Focus on the Result and Not on the Activities
As this is a status report, the goal is to see what the project health is and see how close the project is towards its completion. Creating a ‘laundry list’ of tasks complete is not enough. Furthermore, what is important is for the readers of the report to see how each activity brings the organization closer to the completion of the project and realization of its objectives.
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Less Is More
Avoid long sentences and text-heavy paragraphs. Data points should be in the presentation of the report. Senior management will appreciate raw data that they can analyze themselves for now or later, as their references.
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Use Charts, Tables, Graphs, and Info Graphics
One way of making the report on point and avoid wordy conversations is to present data in a visual way, thus, avoiding the need for a narrative.
Consequently, management’s confidence in a project increases if they are up to date with its progress. Furthermore, frequent and regular implementation status reports open communication lines, thus, making it easier for the team to reach out to other stakeholders in case they need assistance, or they are advocating for something that requires approval from the stakeholders themselves.
Part 2
Implementation Status Report: Free Download Section
Click Here to Download Implementation Status Report DOC
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Templates on ProsperForms:
Part 3