Provide information and insight from data outputs to enable informed decision-making
Overview
This standard is about providing information and insight from data to enable informed decision-making through progress reporting.
You will need to understand where data originates from within a project, and how data sets flow within a project to be transformed into information which can be used for analysis to provide insight for reporting and decision making. You will be able to identify where there are gaps or blockers to this process and understand how to overcome these.
You will need to be able to select the right data, information and knowledge at the right level of detail appropriate for different stakeholders and communicate it in appropriate formats at the appropriate time, including through dashboards, analytics applications and reports.
You may need to modify your communication to suit the stakeholder and for different purposes, including to inform on project progress and performance or advise on actions to take.
You will provide effective reporting by creating visualisations to present data, information and messages; through preparation and delivery of data commentary and narratives to explain what data is indicating, including around estimates, schedules, costs, forecasts and variances. Reports should provide appropriate information about risks, assumptions, and issues; reference breakdown and coding structures and, when required, include recommendations based on evidence.
Who this standard is for
This standard is for project controls-related roles, including project controls engineers, estimators, planners, schedulers, cost controllers, risk analysts, risk managers and contract managers.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- source, collate, analyse, interpret, manipulate, aggregate, format and record data, using it to create relevant time, cost and resource reports
- identify how data flows through a project and its systems, resulting in outputs that can be used as information for reporting,
- identify any gaps, risks, opportunities or blockers
- take into account how data sets are combined in order to create information for project decision making
- identify and categorise relevant project stakeholders
- analyse and interpret the needs and expectations of relevant stakeholders
- monitor progress/performance and analyse data associated with:
- milestones
- schedules
- progress
- manpower
- resource
- costs
- analyse data outputs in appropriate detail to gain insight:
- to monitor data against project plans
- to compare data and progress against baselines, including how variance from the baseline can impact the project and make recommendations to facilitate project decision making
- using historical and current data for trend management or prediction
- problem solve by recommending early corrective actions to reduce variances, identify issues and presenting and maintaining related action plans for project recovery
- prepare information outputs in varying formats and levels, to:
- communicate and justify project data, information and recommendations
- modify communication style and method to meet the needs:
- of different stakeholders
- for different purposes
- respond to stakeholder queries about information and insight from data outputs using appropriate formats, methods and language
- obtain appropriate information from stakeholders to meet requirements, including clarifying and verifying requirements where information is insufficient, or clarity is needed
- use IT to manage detailed controls data in accordance with procedures
- select and apply cost control techniques to capture actual commitment and expenditure data
- forecast and mitigate events that may cause instability, issues and phase changes
- work with integrity, challenging areas of concern and acting with assertiveness
- take responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of project controls reporting and recommendations
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- sources and categorisations of data on a project
- how data flows on a project, within systems and across a project team, and how data is interpreted, analysed, transformed into information, manipulated and aggregated
- the risks and limitations of data and information systems
- formats of project controls data outputs and how to use them, considering accessibility
- varying depths of data, information and knowledge required by stakeholders, to ensure it is relevant, appropriate and assists stakeholder decision-making
- how to apply the progress measurement set out in the project controls plan
- monitoring and tracking techniques plus reporting formats, methods, and language including appropriate breakdown and coding structures and visualisation techniques
- different approaches to data analysis, the benefits of each, what the metrics are indicating and how this may impact on recommendations and decisions
- how to construct data commentary, narrative storytelling, and responses to inform, advise, and influence stakeholder decision-making
- principles of stakeholder management and stakeholder engagement
- principles of confidentiality
- the importance of communicating with integrity including ensuring recommendations are evidence based
- human factors, optimism bias and their implications for project controls
- the benefits to project controls of a mature and progressive organisational culture, including transparency in reporting and incentivising early disclosures for bad news
- how software tools and IT systems support successful project controls, including:
- the attributes and limitations of available software tools
- use of procedures and work instructions
- extracting data and formatting reports
- the importance of timely and accurate progress reports for both early warning signals and reporting requirements and any associated escalation processes
Scope/range
Scope Performance
Scope Knowledge
Values
Behaviours
Skills
Glossary
Additional information:
Purposes
Stakeholder communication may include:
- communicate technical information
- inform
- advise
- influence
- overcome barriers
- undertake persuasive actions
- respond to feedback and challenging questions
- challenge, where necessary
Data outputs
These may include:
- dashboards
- analytics applications
- reports
- trends
Stakeholders
Stakeholders may include:
- Project manager
- Portfolio manager
- Programme manager