Effective Software Project Management

Level of Detail

There are always questions about the level of detail and frequency of reporting in project status reports. Our feeling is that the more you report, the more likely it is that someone will object or find some reason to micro-manage your project. You can examine this issue in more detail by considering the reporting requirements at the activity manager, project manager, and senior manager levels.

Activity Manager

The activity manager will want the most detailed and granular information available. After all, the activity manager is directly responsible for getting the work done. Because he or she manages the resources that are used to complete project work, he or she will want to know what happened, what was scheduled to happen, who did what (or didn’t do what), why it happened as it did, what problems have arisen, what solutions are within reach, and what changes need to be made. Reports that reflect very detailed information are of use to the activity manager and the project manager but, because of their very detail, are of little value to anyone outside of the project team.

Project Manager

The project manager is concerned with the status information of all activities open for work during the report period. Just as is the case with activity-level reports, there are reports for the project manager and reports from the project manager to senior management.

Reports for the project manager present data at the activity level and show effects on the project schedule. ...