Reporting is just a step in a long process called management. The process goes like this:
1. Execute plans
2. Collect status data (at least 8 points of view should be used)
3. Calculate status
4. Evaluate status
5. Develop proposals for handling deviations and problems
6. Report
7. Meet with decision makers
8. Transform decisions into plans
9. Execute the new plans
10. Go to step 1
What I will write about here is step 4. Let us imagine in step 3 that an activity is delayed, how do you assess such a delay in step 4? The following questions should at least be asked?
1. Is the activity on the critical path or does the delay put it on the critical path? If Yes, then the delay is serious, and we must ask further ...
2. Does the delay have impact on Milestones (who often are synchronization points to and from other projects or sub-projects)? If yes, then it is pretty serious, so we ask on ..
3. Does the delay have impact on the delivery of certain Deliverables? If yes, then we know to be in a serious situation and must ask on ..
4. Does the delayed Deliverables postpone the Purpose of the project ie. will there be a delay in achieving the desired effect? If so, then the delay is probably quite critical. If the effect is measurable, you can probably almost calculate the cost of the delay, and that it is good ammunition to take with you when you have to argue for your solution to the delay.
So what I'm trying to say is that good reporting requires prior brainwork!
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