We have now moved from the planning stage to the execution stage of project mana

Question

We have now moved from the planning stage to the execution stage of project management. Following good project management practices, we have set a baseline. How is a project baseline used to guide the execution of the project's work, to evaluate progress and performance, and to control the project? Also, as you continue to think about monitoring and controlling the project, specifically consider the question: How can the project baseline and the earned value approach for variance analysis be used to monitor and report project progress?

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Explanation / Answer

A project baseline is basically a version of the project plan saved just after the project planning is complete and before project execution begins. It's the plan on day one of execution.

Project baseline is made at the start of the project and all milestones and project durations are kept in mind while designing it. Project baseline becomes a dynamic document during execution and activity start dates get affected based on preceding activities. In case of a project baseline the start dates of activities get registered as per the original plan and then the revised schedule and the effect of deviation from original schedule gets noted through the project base line schedule. The parameters of actual progress and scheduled progress give the schedule variance. Similarly the budgeted cost and actual cost give the cost variance. Baseline schedules are very important to judge the performance w.r.t to the original plan. Baseline schedule also helps in evaluating the change request impact during the project. When the change is compared with the baseline schedule then we can correctly estimate the quantum of change and also its effect on critical activities and final end date. Baseline schedule becomes absolutely necessary to control big projects where changes in one activity are having complex inter-relationship with other activities. Baseline also helps in controlling delays due to known or unknown parameters.

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