A project rarely goes exactly as planned – budgets stretch, deadlines shift and unexpected challenges pop up. That’s why the project monitoring and controlling phase is crucial. It’s the safety net that helps your project stay on course, meet its objectives, and deliver results without spiralling into chaos.

This phase acts as a continuous checkpoint where progress is tracked, risks are managed, and adjustments are made. Without it, projects can drift off track, leading to missed deadlines, blown budgets, and unhappy stakeholders.

In this guide, we’ll break down why monitoring and controlling matters, the key players involved, essential documents, and best practices to help you maintain control over your project.

But first – the project lifecycle is the step-by-step framework that guides a project from an idea to completion. If you’re not familiar with the Project Lifecycle, then read here.

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What is the Project Monitoring & Controlling Phase?

The project monitoring and controlling phase is one of the five phases of the project management life cycle. It runs alongside the project executing phase and involves tracking progress, making adjustments, and ensuring the project stays on course. The goal is to ensure that the project meets its objectives within the set timeline, budget, and scope.

During this phase, project managers assess performance using key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to compare actual progress with planned targets. This phase also involves identifying risks, resolving issues, and making necessary adjustments to keep the project aligned with its goals.

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Why Is the Project Monitoring & Controlling Phase Important?

Without monitoring and control, a project can easily go off track. This phase ensures that the project is running according to plan and allows teams to identify potential risks. It also helps in:

• Maintaining Quality: Regular checks ensure the project meets required standards and stakeholder expectations.
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• Staying Within Budget: Tracking expenses ensures that the project does not overspend.
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• Keeping to the Schedule: Monitoring progress ensures tasks are completed on time.
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• Effective Decision-Making: Real-time data helps managers make informed.

By tracking performance, project teams can respond quickly to any deviations and maintain control over the project.

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Key Documents for the Project Monitoring & Controlling Phase

Several documents play a crucial role in ensuring the project stays on track:

1. Project Status Reports: Provide updates on progress, risks, and issues.
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2. Change Logs: Record any requested changes to the project scope, schedule, or budget.
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3. Risk Register: Record and mitigate risks.
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4. Quality Assurance Checklists: Ensure deliverables meet required standards.
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5. Budget and Expense Reports: Track financial performance against the project budget.
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6. Work Performance Reports: Highlight task completion rates, milestones achieved, and resource use.
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7. Stakeholder Communication: how stakeholders are updated.

These documents help project managers and teams monitor performance and make informed decisions.

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Key Players during the Project Monitoring & Controlling Phase

Several team members play important roles in this phase:

• Project Manager: Oversees monitoring efforts, tracks progress, identifies risks and implements necessary changes.
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• Project Team Members: Do the work, give updates, and report any problems.
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• Stakeholders: Get updates and may ask for changes to the project.
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• Quality Assurance Team: Makes sure the work meets the required standards.
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• Financial Analysts: Keep track of the budget and spending.
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• Risk Managers: Identify and manage risks before they cause problems.

Clear communication and collaboration between these players keep the project stable and running smoothly.

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Best Practices for the Project Monitoring & Controlling Phase

To ensure successful project monitoring and control, project managers should follow these best practices:

Best Practice 1: Baseline planning

Setting a project’s original plan for scope, schedule, and budget. It acts as a reference point to measure progress. If changes happen, teams compare them to the baseline to see the impact. It helps keep projects on track and ensures everyone works towards the same goals.

Best Practice 2: Establish Clear Performance Metrics

Use KPIs like schedule variance, cost variance, and quality standards to track progress.

Best Practice 3: Use Real-Time Tracking Tools

Project management software such as Jira, Trello, or Microsoft Project can provide real-time data and automate reporting.

Best Practice 4: Schedule Regular Status Meetings

Holding briefings with the team ensures everyone is aligned and aware of their tasks.

Best Practice 5: Use a Change Log

A change log is a document that records all modifications to a project, including changes to scope, schedule, budget, or deliverables. It tracks what changed, when, why, and who approved it. This helps maintain transparency, manage scope creep, and ensure all stakeholders stay informed about project adjustments.

Best Practice 6: Monitor Budget Closely

Regularly reviewing financial reports helps prevent overspending.

Best Practice 7: Proactively Identify and Mitigate Risks

Early detection of risks allows teams to develop solutions before issues arise. Risks should be recorded in a risk log.

Best Practice 8: Communicate Effectively

Keeping stakeholders informed builds trust and helps with decision-making.

Best Practice 9: Review and Adjust the Project Plan When Needed

Flexibility is key to managing changes effectively while keeping the project on track.

Applying these practices improves the likelihood of delivering a successful project within scope, budget, and timeline constraints.

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Key Takeaways of the Project Monitoring & Controlling Phase

• The monitoring and controlling phase happens alongside the project executing phase to track progress and ensure project success.
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• It focuses on maintaining schedule, budget, and quality through real-time tracking and performance assessment.
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• Using performance goals and tracking tools makes the project more efficient and easier to manage.

By implementing effective monitoring and controlling strategies, project managers can navigate challenges and ensure a successful project completion. Click here to read more about the project closing phase.

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