The primary intention of the project team would be to deliver the agreed products and services to the customer (internal or external) within the customer expected quality level, lead time and cost. Also, we have discussed the concept of project management & different project evaluation techniques in previous chapters/articles. Since, evaluation and planning take place through a series of analysis and predictions, it is important for the project team to closely monitor the progress of the actual performance as a minor deviation can lead to a major downfall.
Recall your childhood. Your parents were around you 24*7 ensuring that you are brought up right. Definitely there were a lot of commitment, effort and contribution towards the whole process of introducing a "good" human being to the society. Have they put restrictions in your behavior? Have they ever said "NO" to any of your request? Have they guided along the path of success? Yes, this is simply because implementing certain controls would assist in achieving final targets.
Project Controls are the data gathering, data management and analytical processes used to predict, understand and constructively influence the time and cost outcomes of a project through the communication of information in formats that assist effective management and decision making.
Project Controls is a professional function not widely recognized as a set of specialized skills in its own right. It is a function that is critical to achieving successful project outcomes i.e. delivering required benefits to cost, time and performance.
Who are Project Control Professionals and Where Do They Fit In?
These professionals are also a part of the project team, working towards achieving common project goals and responsible to the Project Manager.
I don't think I would be wrong if I state that these individuals are the heart of the Project Team.
Project controls would assist effective decision making through "informing, monitoring and analysing" project activities and recommend controls to exercise where it is necessary. This is more of a proactive work to minimize the negative impact on the project future.
In other words, Project Control professionals generate and maintain the information that brings awareness to the Project Manager and Senior Managers so that control can be exercised.
Difference Between Project Management and Project Control
Project Control is a subset of Project Management with the primary focus of managing the project’s cost and schedule.
Project Manager is directing the work of the project team while the Project Controller advises the team and the Project Manager of possible cost & schedule issues/ recovery plans.
Project Controller generates the project’s cost/ schedule information while the Project Manager consumes the information generated and makes decisions for the project.
Two Fundamental Purposes of Project Control
The regulation of results through the alteration of activities.
The stewardship of organizational assets.
Types of Control Processes
Project control is not simply waiting for things to go wrong and then fixing it. It is chiefly to have systems to identify problems before they manifest themselves.
Cybernetic Control This is the most common kind of control mechanism. A project has inputs and outputs. The outputs can be in the form of milestones that have to be met. Cybernetic controls focus on the outputs. If these milestones or outputs do not measure up to the set standards, then the situation is investigated to see if there is a sufficient cause to change patterns of activity. The focus of this kind of control is to reduce deviations from a standard. The more the deviation, more is the attention the situation warrants.
Go/no-go control This takes the form of testing to make sure that certain preconditions are met before a task is undertaken. This type of control can be used for a specific part of the project too. Go/no-go controls are linked to the actual plans and are not independently set on a calendar.
Post-performance Control Post-performance controls are applied after the completion of the project or the task, The focus here is not on altering what has already happened but in making sure that good and bad practices are recorded for being of help in future projects. The post-performance controls include a set of recommendations on how to improve future projects.
Purindu B Jayatilake
MSc Eng (Reading), MBA, BSc (Hons) Eng, ACMA (UK), CGMA
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