Arab Academy for Science & Technology & Maritime Transport

Graduate School of Business – Cairo

PMD 913 Project Progress and Cost Control

Prof. Hesham Bassioni Oct. 2023

TERM PROJECT

Aim and Description

The function of monitoring and controlling projects is essential to project managers to achieve
successful project. In the increasingly competitive business environment, time and cost components
are particularly important requirements across projects. Project progress information and time/cost
control are used as important management tools to achieve the required project completion date and
budget. This term project aims to apply the concepts of project progress and control to a real-life
project of your choosing, preferably in your line of work. The idea is to bridge the gap between theory
and application and to evaluate your managerial decisions and approach. The project will include the
development of a project detailed schedule, project budget, a schedule update, cost control report,
Earned Value Analysis, project progress control and project dashboard illustrating Key Performance
Indicators (KPI). The term project will be produced using the project management software of your
choice and presented in a report. Recommended project management software is Microsoft Project
or Primavera Project Management.

The term project is divided into six tasks based on topics discussed in lectures and
submitted/discussed during the course. A final report is produced at the end of the course including
the six tasks presented in a professional manner and including the managerial evaluation of project
time schedule.

Task 1 (Due by Lecture 3)

Select a suitable project, develop a suitable work breakdown structure (WBS) and develop the list of
activities for the project. Review your structure for inclusion of all relevant project activities. Evaluate
the relationships of activities and enter the predecessor/successor relationships. Run the schedule and
print the Baseline Schedule as a Bar Chart. Use a calendar of your choice for the project.

Task 2 (Due by Lecture 4)

Load the project costs, print the cost/resource loaded schedule and show the project time-phased
budget.

Task 3 (Due by Lecture 5)

Assume actual time data at an intermediate time within the project, enter the actual time data and
show the project time progress and develop the project updated schedule (at data date). Comment on
the project time performance and the necessary managerial actions to be taken. Develop a recovery
schedule based on the managerial decisions.

Task 4 (Due by Lecture 6)

Assume actual cost data at the data date. Enter the actual cost data and show the project cost progress
and perform a Cost Control Analysis and Earned Value Analysis and comment on the necessary
managerial actions to be taken.

Task 5 (Due by Lecture 7)

Plot the budgeted and actual project progress (cost or effort or otherwise), and comment on the project
progress control.

Task 6 (Due with Term Project)

Choose appropriate Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for the project and design an appropriate
“Dashboard” to monitor project performance.
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Arab Academy for Science & Technology & Maritime Transport
Graduate School of Business – Cairo

PMD 913 Project Progress and Cost Control

Prof. Hesham Bassioni Oct. 2023

Term Project Report (Due before Final Exam)

Submit a report entailing the work performed on each task of your term project including the
following items:
• Cover page mentioning all necessary project information
• Executive summary
• Project description
• Detailed schedule (Gantt Chart) Grouped by WBS
• Project time-phased budget
• Project updated schedule
• Project recovery schedule based on managerial decisions
• Project Cost Control/Earned Value Analysis
• Project Progress Control
• Project Dashboard including appropriate KPI
• Critical discussion of project time/cost status and the managerial decisions to be taken

Marking Scheme

Element Weighting (%)

Project description 10
Project budget development 10
Project updated schedule development 15
Cost Control/Earned Value Analysis report 15
Project Progress Control 10
Project Dashboard including KPI 10
Critical discussion of project time/cost status 30
& managerial decisions to take
Total 100

Submittals
• A single file report in .pdf

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Arab Academy for Science & Technology & Maritime Transport
Graduate School of Business – Cairo

PMD 913 Project Progress and Cost Control

Prof. Hesham Bassioni Oct. 2023

PROBLEM SET 1

Schedule Updates & Time Control

1)
Draw the planned and one Remaining
Depend- Durat- Actual Actual
month updated schedules for Activity Duration
ency ion (d) Start Finish
the given project. Assume a (d)
typical month has A --- 10 0 10 0
approximately 25 working B A 15 11 --- 4
days. C A 10 12 22 0
D B 5 --- --- 7

2)
Prepare an updated schedule for the given project, after one month of the project, assuming a month
has approximately 25 working days. Discuss the project progress and the managerial decisions you
might take.

Activity Depend- Original Actual Actual Remaining

ency Time (d) Start Finish Time (d)
A --- 10 0 10 ---
B A 20 12 --- 5
C A 60 13 --- 50
D A 30 9 --- 22
E B, C, D 50 --- --- 50

3)
Consider the previous problem if the following data was available instead of the “Remaining
Time”.
- Progress of activity A and B are measured using the fixed formula method. Activity A being
0/100 and activity B being 50/50.
- Activity C uses an employee whose level of effort is estimated to be 60 workdays. After the first
month, the new estimate is 70 workdays. The timesheets of the programmer show 10 workdays
on this project.
- Activity D is measured by a subjective percent complete of 34%.
- Activity E uses an objective indicator whose estimate is 500 units and none of these units have
been performed yet.

4)
Adequate project time completion is usually a vital requirement of projects, and thus the importance
of project time control in determining project progress.
i. Critically discuss the effect of level of detail of activities on the accuracy/administrative
effort of project time control.
ii. Critically discuss the methods of measuring work element progress in terms of their
appropriateness to your line of work.

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Arab Academy for Science & Technology & Maritime Transport
Graduate School of Business – Cairo

PMD 913 Project Progress and Cost Control

Prof. Hesham Bassioni Oct. 2023

5)
Calculate the percent complete of each activity and evaluate the updated schedule as a precedence
diagram for the second monthly progress report. Estimate a month having 22 working days.
Dur. Upd
Activity Dep. AS AF
(day) Dur.
A --- 10 0 10 10
B A 12 11 22 11
C B 15 22 35 13
D A 18 10 27 17
E B 16 22 39 17
F C, D 22 36 --- 24
G D 27 27 --- 25
H D 15 27 42 15
I H 7 42 --- 8
J E 14 39 --- 14
K F, G 15 --- --- 15
L K 26 --- --- 26
M J, K 14 --- --- 14

Activity Progress Measurement Data:

- The percent complete of all activities, except for J, I & G, are calculated using the level of effort
method in terms of project days.
- Activity J is calculated using the start/finish method where PCT during activity is 30%.
- Activity I is calculated using the units completed method, where actual units performed are 160
units, total units planned are 630 units.
- Activity G has the “Code module” milestone completed, and is currently in the “Testing module”
phase. The following are the milestones of the activity. Note that the milestones are sequential.
Milestone Weight
Specify module 0.1
Design module 0.3
Code module 0.4
Test module 0.2

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Arab Academy for Science & Technology & Maritime Transport
Graduate School of Business – Cairo

PMD 913 Project Progress and Cost Control

Prof. Hesham Bassioni Oct. 2023

PROBLEM SET 2

Cost Control
1) Calculate the cost variance and the Estimated Actual
estimated project cost at completion for Percent
Contract Item Total Direct Cost to
the following cost data. The cost Complete
Cost (EP) Date (EP)
performance of R.C. Skeleton is
Earthworks 20,000 100 22,000
assumed to continue in the same
manner. However, a problem in the Foundations 30,000 100 34,000
bricks being supplied was found to R.C.
cause the poor cost performance of 60,000 75 44,000
Skeleton
brickwork. A new supplier and brick is
being used that conforms to standards. Brickwork 15,000 30 5,000
Finishing 30,000 0 0

2) Perform a cost variance analysis and

Control Estimated Percent Actual
calculate the project progress by cost and the
Account Cost (EP) Complete Cost (EP)
estimated project cost at completion if past
A 200,000 100 205,000
cost performance is expected to continue.
D 90,000 60 50,000
C 50,000 25 23,000
B 200,000 26 44,000
3) E 500,000 0 0
Project cost control is an important aspect of project management. Planned costs are compared to
actual costs, and deviations indicate areas of project management concern.
i. Critically review the decision of defining control accounts
ii. Critically review the effect of the level of detail on the accuracy / administrative effort of
project cost control
iii. In your line of work/company critically evaluate the expected obstacles to gathering actual
cost information.

4) The given project information is after one month of progress. Assume a month has 25 working
days. Calculate the cost variance at the activity level and estimated project cost at completion.
Assume past cost performance will continue for activities D and C, but the planned performance
is to be expected of B.
Estimated Actual
Cost
Total Direct
Activity Percent
Direct Cost to
Complete
Cost (EP) Date (EP)
A 100 20,000 22,000
D 67 40,000 34,000
C 23 120,000 64,000
B 45 60,000 25,000
E 0 80,000 0

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Arab Academy for Science & Technology & Maritime Transport
Graduate School of Business – Cairo

PMD 913 Project Progress and Cost Control

Prof. Hesham Bassioni Oct. 2023

PROBLEM SET 3

Project Progress Control

1) The given project information is after one month. Evaluate project progress from the updated
schedule based on time and man-hours. Use effort-based percent complete for activities in terms of
man-hours. Assume a month has 25 working days. Discuss which project progress calculation
method you prefer and why?

Planned Updated Original

Act- Depend- Actual Actual Actual
total total Dur.
ivity ency manhours Start Finish
manhours manhours (days)
A --- 100 100 100 10 0 10
B A 190 200 130 20 12 ---
C A 500 520 120 60 13 ---
D A 450 480 230 30 9 ---
E B, C, D 500 500 --- 50 --- ---

2) The given project information is after one month of progress. Assume a month has 25 working
days.
i. Calculate the project progress by time.
ii. Calculate the cost variance at the activity level and estimated project cost at completion.
Assume past cost performance will continue for activities D and C, but the planned
performance is to be expected of B.
iii. Calculate the project progress by cost
iv. Evaluate the project time and cost progress.

Estimated Actual
Original Remain- Cost
Act- Depend- Actual Actual Total Direct
Dur. ing Time Percent
ivity ency Start Finish Direct Cost to
(days) (days) Complete
Cost (EP) Date (EP)
A --- 5 0 5 --- 100 20,000 22,000
D A 20 6 --- 5 67 40,000 34,000
C A 60 7 --- 45 23 120,000 64,000
B A 30 5 --- 12 45 60,000 25,000
E D, C, B 40 --- --- 40 0 80,000 0

3) Project progress can be quantified in many ways. The most common of which is the cost method
where actual project cost progress is compared to planned project cost progress. Critically
discuss this method of project control, and other possible methods, in terms of: reflection of
project progress; and practical use in projects.

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Arab Academy for Science & Technology & Maritime Transport
Graduate School of Business – Cairo

PMD 913 Project Progress and Cost Control

Prof. Hesham Bassioni Oct. 2023

4) Table1:
Consider the project information in Table 1, Schedule
showing the WBS elements comprising the entire Baseline
Update 3
scope of a project, planned dates in baseline Schedule
WBS (DD = 75d)
schedule, and actual/planned in updated schedules. Element
Finish Start Finish
The project’s planned duration was 100 days. Start (d)
(d) (d) (d)
Measurement of work element progress is by the
duration method. A 0 10 0-A 11 - A
i. Draw the baseline schedule of the project as a B 10 20 10 - A 23 - A
bar chart. C 10 70 11 - A 77
ii. Draw the updated schedule for 3rd update as a D 10 40 12 - A 51 - A
bar chart; Data Date (DD) = 75d E 70 100 77 115
(Hint: you can combine bar charts for baseline * "A" denotes an actual date, e.g. "11 - A" means an
and updated schedules in one chart, if you actual start on day 11. All other dates are planned
prefer)
iii. Calculate the planned project progress by time from the baseline schedule.
iv. Calculate the actual project progress on the DD of 75d.
v. Comment on the project time performance using:
a. Project progress
b. Project updated completion date
vi. Analyze the reasons of delay
vii. Suggest suitable managerial actions to mitigate (overcome) the delays

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Arab Academy for Science & Technology & Maritime Transport
Graduate School of Business – Cairo

PMD 913 Project Progress and Cost Control

Prof. Hesham Bassioni Oct. 2023

PROBLEM SET 4

Earned Value Analysis

1)
The given project information is after one month. Assume a month has 25 working days. Activity
progress is by the duration method.
i. Calculate the baseline and one month updated schedules.
ii. Evaluate the project progress by time using the updated schedule.
iii. Conduct a Cost Variance Analysis for each activity and evaluate the project progress by
cost, if past cost performance is expected to continue.
iv. Compare between the project progress by time and by cost, and comment on which you
prefer to reflect project overall progress and why?
v. Perform an Earned Value Analysis for the project built from the activity level.
vi. Compare between the expected project cost calculated from the Cost Variance Analysis and
from the Earned Value Analysis. Should their values be equal or not and why?
vii. Comment on the estimated project completion time between the Earned Value Analysis and
Schedule Update. Should they provide similar values and why? Which do you think is
preferred to reflect project time progress and why?

Activity Dependency Estimated Actual Original Actual Actual Remain-

Cost (EP) Cost Dur. Start Finish ing Time
(EP) (days)
A --- 200,000 205,000 5 0 9 0
D A 90,000 70,000 20 12 --- 7
C A 50,000 16,000 40 13 --- 28
B A 110,000 67,000 30 9 --- 14
E D, C, B 50,000 0 20 --- --- 20

2) The given project information is after one month of the project. Assume a month has 25 working
days. Perform an Earned Value Analysis built from the activity level for the project. All percent
completes of activities are calculated based on project duration.

Act- Depend- Original Actual Actual Remain- Estimated Actual

ivity ency Dur. Start Finish ing Time Total Direct
(days) Direct Cost to
Cost Date
A --- 5 0 5 --- 20,000 22,000
D A 20 6 --- 5 40,000 34,000
C A 60 7 --- 45 120,000 64,000
B A 30 5 --- 12 60,000 5,000
E D, C, B 40 --- --- 40 80,000 0

3)
The project information in Table 4 is after one month. Assume a month has 25 working days. All
activities' progress are measured using the duration method.
i. Prepare the project baseline schedule.
ii. Prepare an updated schedule for the given project, after one month of the project.
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Arab Academy for Science & Technology & Maritime Transport
Graduate School of Business – Cairo

PMD 913 Project Progress and Cost Control

Prof. Hesham Bassioni Oct. 2023
iii. Perform an Earned Value Analysis for the project, built up from the activity to project level.
iv. Critically interpret your managerial decisions based on the Updated Schedule and Earned
Value Analysis.

Table 4: (All durations are in project days and all costs are in Egyptian Pounds)
Activity Dependency Estimated Actual Original Actual Actual Remaining
Total Cost Cost Duration Start Finish Time
A --- 200,000 210,000 5 0 9 0
D A 90,000 50,000 20 12 --- 6
C A 56,000 23,000 40 13 --- 30
B A 200,000 67,000 30 9 --- 17
E D, C, B 500,000 0 20 --- --- 22

4) For the second monthly status report of a project:

i. Calculate the percent complete of each activity and of the project;
ii. Provide an earned value analysis built from the activity level of the project;
iii. Plot the project progress graphically and show the cost and schedule variances;
iv. What is the updated TF of the critical path, if the project must end in 100 days, and what
does it show?

Estimate a month having 22 working days. The percent complete of activities are calculated using
the duration method, except for activities G, I, and J:

- Activity G is calculated using the level of effort method, due to its dependency on a particular
resource. Total planned work hours for the resource are 112 hours, actual hours performed to date
are 30 hours, and planned hours of resource to date are 33 hours.
- Activity I is calculated using the start/finish method where PCT during activity is 30%.
- Activity J is calculated using the units completed method, where actual units performed are 320
units, total units planned are 630 units, planned units to date are 390 units.
Planned Actual
Activity Dep. Dur Cost
Cost (EP) AS AF RD
(day) (EP)
A --- 10 6,000 0 10 --- 6,100
B A 12 13,000 11 22 --- 13,300
C B 15 21,300 22 35 --- 22,000
D A 18 15,600 10 27 --- 15,100
E B 16 25,600 22 39 --- 24,700
F C, D 22 30,100 36 --- ??? 7,500
G D 27 28,000 27 --- ??? 14,100
H D 15 15,500 27 42 --- 15,800
I H 7 5,000 42 --- ??? 1,500
J E 14 12,000 39 --- ??? 2,500
K F, G 15 13,000 --- --- 13 ---
L K 26 45,000 --- --- 30 ---
M J, K 14 7,500 --- --- 14 ---

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 Arab Academy for Science & Technology & Maritime Transport
Graduate School of Business – Cairo

PMD 913 Project Progress and Cost Control

Prof. Hesham Bassioni Oct. 2023

5)
A. How does Earned Value Analysis perform in terms of measuring schedule progress? Is the
answer the same for the beginning and towards the end of the project? Does the answer differ if
the project is on, behind or ahead of schedule?

B. Data date is 1st of June 2014; BAC = 500,000 EGP; Project Original Duration = 9 months.
Project started 1st October, 2013.
i. Calculate the estimated project completion time resulting from the Earned Value and
Earned Schedule Analyses for the given project.
ii. Which of the two answers of Q5-B-i do you think is preferred to reflect project time
progress and why? The following information is given for the project:
1st of April, 1st of May, 1st of June,
2014 2014 2014
Planned Value (EGP) 240,000 367,500 460,000
Earned Value (EGP) 200,000 317,000 410,500
Actual Cost (EGP) 205,000 336,000 430,000

C. Given the results of Q5-B, interpret these results as a project manager showing your possible
managerial actions.

Useful Equations
(𝐸𝑉− 𝑃𝑉−2 )
∆ = (𝐷𝐷 − 𝐷𝐷−2 ) (𝑃𝑉− 𝑃𝑉−2 )
AC EV PV
𝑃𝑇 = 𝐷𝐷−2 + ∆

CV SV
= EV - AC = EV - PV

CPI SPI
= EV / AC = EV / PV

ETC
= (BAC – EV) / CPI

EAC EACT
= AC + ETC = BAC/CPI = PD / SPI

VAC
= BAC - EAC

TCPI
= (BAC – EV) / (BAC – AC)

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Arab Academy for Science & Technology & Maritime Transport
Graduate School of Business – Cairo

PMD 913 Project Progress and Cost Control

Prof. Hesham Bassioni Oct. 2023

PROBLEM SET 5

Complete Course

Q1)
Consider The given project in Table 1, showing the WBS elements comprising the entire scope of a
project, budgeted costs, planned dates in baseline schedule, actual/planned dates in updated
schedules, and actual costs. The project’s planned duration was 100 days and was delayed to 130
days. Activity progress is by the duration method. All dates are in project days and all monetary
amounts are in EGP.
i. Calculate the Planned Value at the 3rd Data Date (DD)
ii. Calculate the Earned Value at the 3rd DD
iii. Perform an Earned Value Analysis for the project at the 3rd DD
iv. Based on your calculations above at the 3rd DD, what improvements or actions do you
recommend as a project manager.
v. Calculate the Estimated Project Completion Time (in days) at the 5th DD using each of Earned
Value Analysis and Earned Schedule Analysis techniques.
vi. Which of the two answers of the previous question (Q1-v) do you think is preferred to reflect
project time progress and why?
Table1:
Schedule Update 3 Schedule Update 5
Baseline Schedule
(DD = 75d) (DD = 125d)
WBS
Element Actual Actual
Start Finish Budgeted Start Finish Start Finish
Cost Cost
(d) (d) Cost (EGP) (d) (d) (d) (d)
(EGP) (EGP)
A 0 10 30,000 0-A 11 - A 33,000 0 - A 11 - A 33,000
B 10 20 50,000 10 - A 23 - A 49,000 10 - A 23 - A 49,000
C 10 70 150,000 11 - A 77 160,000 11 - A 80 - A 163,000
D 10 40 80,000 12 - A 51 - A 81,000 12 - A 51 - A 81,000
E 70 100 70,000 77 115 0 80 - A 130 69000
Totals 380,000 323,000 395,000
* "A" denotes an actual date, e.g. "11 - A" means an actual start on day 11. All other dates are planned

Q2)
A. Project progress can be quantified in many ways. The most common of which is the cost method
where actual project cost progress is compared to planned project cost progress. Critically discuss
this method of project control in terms of: its reflection of project progress; and its ability to isolate
problem areas.
B. Out of all of the methods used to control projects, critically discuss the most appropriate method
or combination of methods to control a project in your line of work, or a line of work of your
choice (Hint: describe the line of work and discuss how one or more methods are appropriate, and
how they should be implemented)

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Arab Academy for Science & Technology & Maritime Transport
Graduate School of Business – Cairo

PMD 913 Project Progress and Cost Control

Prof. Hesham Bassioni Oct. 2023

PROBLEM SET 6

Complete Course
Planned Schedule and Cost Estimate:
Activity Activity Dur Cost
Activity Description Dep.
ID Code (days) (EP)
WD10 A Mobilization --- 3 1,400
WD20 B Surveying A 4 2,700
WD30 C Excavation - manholes B 3 3,500
WD40 D Formwork - manholes C 5 6,000
WD50 E Poor concrete - manholes D 5 4,700
WD60 F Excavation - trenches D 10 12,600
WD70 G Strip forms - manholes E 2 2,100
WD80 H Lay pipes F 15 11,250
WD90 I Concrete inspection G, H 1 750
WD100 J Remove trenching equip. H 2 1,400
WD110 K Backfill trenches H 6 3,600

I – Prepare a cost baseline for the project.

II – For each status report of the project and at the end of the project:
a - Calculate the percent complete of each activity and of the project;
b - Provide an earned value analysis;
c - Plot the project progress graphically and show the cost and schedule variances;
d - Provide an earned schedule analysis built from the activity level of the project;
e - Compare between the delay on the project, as per the schedule update, and the results of the schedule portion of the Earned Value Analysis and
Earned Schedule Analysis. Comment on their results.

Consider the week to have 5 working days. The percent complete of activities is calculated using the level of effort in terms of project days. The project
contracted finish time is 46 days.

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Arab Academy for Science & Technology & Maritime Transport
Graduate School of Business – Cairo

PMD 913 Project Progress and Cost Control

Prof. Hesham Bassioni Oct. 2023

Project Actual Data:

First Status Report Second Status Report Third Status Report Fourth Status Report Final Project Report
(10 days) (20 days) (30 days) (40 days) (50 days)
Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual
Activity AS AF RD AS AF RD AS AF RD AS AF RD AS AF RD
Cost Cost Cost Cost Cost
A 1,500 0 3 0 1,500 0 3 0 1,500 0 3 0 1,500 0 3 0 1,500 0 3 0
B 2,200 3 7 0 2,200 3 7 0 2,200 3 7 0 2,200 3 7 0 2,200 3 7 0
C 3,000 7 --- 2 4,000 7 12 0 4,000 7 12 0 4,000 7 12 0 4,000 7 12 0
D --- --- --- 5 8,000 12 17 0 8,000 12 17 0 8,000 12 17 0 8,000 12 17 0
E --- --- --- 5 3,200 17 --- 2 6,200 17 23 0 6,200 17 23 0 6,200 17 23 0
F --- --- --- 10 6,300 15 --- 5 12,600 15 25 0 12,600 15 25 0 12,600 15 25 0
G --- --- --- 2 --- --- --- 2 2,100 23 25 0 2,100 23 25 0 2,100 23 25 0
H --- --- --- 15 --- --- --- 15 2,500 25 --- 11 11,100 25 --- 1 11,400 25 42 0
I --- --- --- 1 --- --- --- 1 --- --- --- 1 --- --- --- 2 1,500 42 44 0
J --- --- --- 2 --- --- --- 2 --- --- --- 2 --- --- --- 3 2,300 42 45 0
K --- --- --- 6 --- --- --- 6 --- --- --- 6 --- --- --- 7 3,400 42 50 0

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Arab Academy for Science & Technology & Maritime Transport
Graduate School of Business – Cairo
PMD 913 Project Progress and Cost Control
Prof. Hesham Bassioni Oct. 2023

REPORT 1

Project Key Performance Indicators

Key performance indicators are used to measure project performance and are in turn used to measure
organizational performance. Write a report on the topic including the following:

1. Describe the relevant characteristics of your line of work or a line of work of your choice
2. Describe a project in your line of work
3. Conduct an internet search for examples of KPI in the type of project you described
4. Select appropriate KPI for your described project and discuss the possible alignment of your KPI to
the organization’s performance measurement
5. Design an appropriate Dashboard to monitor project progress/performance.

Report should include the following:

- Cover page mentioning all course and necessary information

- Table of contents including page numbering

- Body of report

- Conclusion

- References

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