Introduction to Monitoring Evaluating, Controlling and Project Control Cycle.

Any construction projects rarely go as planned. We expect some deviation from baseline (target) schedule, budget, and quality. So controlling exercise must be adopted by the concerned authority during project implementation to fulfill predefined objectives.

4.1 Introduction to monitoring, evaluation and controlling

1. Monitoring

Monitoring is collecting, recording and reporting information concerning all aspects of project performance that the project managers or others in the organization wish to know. It aims to ensure that project inputs, schedules, outputs and other actions are proceeding according to the project plan. It is done during the project implementation phase. So monitoring is primarily aimed at tracking and improving project implementation. It is a continuous and ongoing process and evaluation is periodic.

2. Evaluation

Evaluation is an objective and systematic judgmental process for determining relevance, efficiency, effectiveness and impact of project performance. It is the assessment of project during implementation.

Evaluation is done to improve project implementation and to improve future project planning and decision making.

Evaluation can be of following types:

1. On-going
2. Mid-Term
3. Terminal
4. Ex Post

3. Controlling

Controlling is the management function of comparing the actual achievements with the planned ones at every stage and taking necessary action, if required, to ensure the attainment of the planned goals. It includes three step processes- measuring, evaluating and correcting.

1. Measuring: determining through formal and informal reports the degree to which the progress towards the objective is being made.
2. Evaluating: determining the cause and of possible ways to act upon significant deviations from planned performance.
3. Correcting: Taking control action to correct an unfavorable trends or to take advantage of an unusually favorable trend.

Controlling ensures that “Right things are done at the right time in right manner”.

4.2 Project Control

• Project control system is a process or mechanism for continuing regular monitoring and controlling of the project. Control measures actual performance and compares it with standards to identify deviations. Deviations are analyzed to take corrective actions.
• It serves two major functions:

1. Ensures regular monitoring of performance.
2. Motivates project personnel to strive for achieving project objectives.

Types of control:

1)Pre-control (Feed-forward control): It is inputs-based. It is initiated before the start of the activity.

2)Concurrent Control (Yes/No Control): It is transformation-based. it is initiated during the implementation of the activity.

3)Post Control (Feedback Control): it is output-based. it is initiated after the completion of the activity. It is based on the feedback of performance results. An example is a financial analysis.

4.3 Project Control Cycle

Project control is the cyclic process. Project control starts from the project initiation phase and continues until the end of the project. In project control, there are four basic steps.

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1. Setting Standards (What is to be done?)

Planning sets the standard of performance. Standards are the starting point of control. They are target or yardstick of control. Control can be in terms of time, quality and cost etc. Our actions must be towards to meet the standards set on this step.

2. Measuring Performance (What actually was done?)

This is the second step in project control. In this step, actual performance within a given period is measured. It is a continuous ongoing process to get feedback. The appropriate monitoring system will provide information about actual performance.

3. Finding Deviations (Extent and causes of deviation)

In this third step of project control, actual performance measured in the second step is compared with standards set in the first step to find extent and cause of the deviation. Causes are analyzed and finally, responsibility is located.

4. Take corrective actions (future standards)

After finding deviation and locating responsibility necessary actions are taken to bring the project back on track. Standards set in the first step are revised according to current achievements.

Project Control System

Project control system is the process or mechanism to provide regular monitoring and controlling and information regarding all the aspect of the project. If the project is left on its own, there is every chance that project will not fulfill predetermined need and objectives within given constraints of resources (time, money). Therefore, effective project control system is required which will find deviation or errors and allow us to bring the project back on track. Effective project control system will provide the following information to project manager:

• Progress of work
• The relationship between cost, work and schedule.
• Potential problems
• Practical level of summarization of the problem and action take
• Audit ability

Bibliography:

IshwarAdhikari and Santosh Kr. Shrestha, “A text book of Project Engineering” 2011, Chandeshwori Publication, First Edition.

K. Nagarajan, “Project Management”, ISBN: 81-224-1340-4, New Age International (P) Limited, New Delhi, India, 2001.

E.R. Yescombe, “Principles of Project Finance” 2002, Yescombe-Consulting Limited.