Project monitoring and control: mistakes to avoid

Because of mistakes, project monitoring and control can get tricky and cause delays.

To prevent these potential risks, it is crucial to plan and keep track of set goals and to set and stick to a realistic work approach.

In this article, we will discuss what mistakes should be avoided during the project monitoring and control phases.

7 Common errors in project management

1. Lack of clear goals and objectives

Out of all the risks that can arise during project management, the lack of clear goals and objectives is one of the most significant. It is usually caused by a lack of proper planning and coordination or by an inexperienced project manager.

The project manager must determine and communicate goals to the team.

A lack of clear goals is usually encountered when the scope of a project changes or is not well delineated. This leads to bad work management and poor results. It is important for the entire team to know roles, responsibilities, and results from the very beginning.

That is why a kick-off meeting helps establish and define expectations while fostering a stronger sense of accountability within a team. Key stakeholders will be involved in this process to get their feedback and ensure alignment.

It is helpful to present the core indicators that will be used to measure project progress during the kick-off meeting.

2. Poor communication

Lack of communication is one of the most frequent errors that can result in many threats and can also lead to a major project delay. Poor communication can be caused by a number of factors, leading to misunderstandings and, in extreme cases, complete deviation from objectives.

Further problems such as scope creep, micromanaging, and human error can also be ascribed to communication problems.

Holding regular meetings and establishing who will attend and the agenda will help keep work under control.

Prioritizing open and honest communication, setting procedures to ensure the proper flow of information, and involving stakeholders in the decision-making process are solutions to remedy this problem. Through effective and proactive communication, building trust and monitoring expectations will be possible.

3. Inadequate risk management

A critical project management mistake is ignoring or minimizing risk management value.

Every project involves some level of risk, which can considerably affect its success. Therefore, it is key to identify relevant risks, assess their likelihood and potential consequences, and create different plans to address or minimize each identified threat at the beginning of the project.

4. Bad resource allocation

This failure is caused by insufficient planning and supervision. Some actions that can help avoid this risk include a realistic assessment of resource requirements, proper timing of their use, and regular reevaluation of the feasibility plan.

Too many project managers focus on variables such as scope, quality, cost, and timing while forgetting that people are actually doing the work. Failing to properly manage team members or micro-managing them can lead to delays, affect quality, and cause budget overshoots.

To prevent this problem, it is necessary to ensure that everyone understands how and why their role is important to the project’s success and to plan periodic checks, for example, using a Gantt chart that can help keep track of activities and resources.

5. Letting changes slide out of control

All projects experience large or small changes during their life cycle. Additional requests and features can stress the project manager and team.

Without proper monitoring, these change requests can severely affect project progress. That is why it is crucial to set up transparent and honest reporting that provides real-time data to enable informed and timely decision-making.

This way, should something start to go wrong, it is possible to adjust course in time. It goes without saying that when a change request is received, it is necessary to assess whether it aligns with the project’s scope and the overall vision.

6. Not learning from past mistakes

Sometimes, although we do everything we can, things can go wrong, and a project can go south. In these cases, it is pointless to second-guess, blame, or point fingers for what has happened, but it is important to regard this as an opportunity to learn.

It is important to analyze the data collected during the project to identify the causes of errors.

Asking yourself key questions such as “How can we prevent or foresee what happened?” can generate answers that will serve to avoid similar errors in the future.

7. Not using a project management tool

State-of-the-art monitoring tools provide a general, real-time view of all the work  to help project managers keep the project on track. 

Project management software can improve project monitoring, minimize error possibilities, and improve project planning.

Twproject is the most comprehensive and innovative project management tool available on the market today. This tool allows users to create customized and easy-to-manage reports to avoid the common pitfalls they face on a daily basis.

Thanks to a centralized system to encapsulate all project information, the project manager can easily view and manage dependencies, priorities, resources, and workflows. 

Working with a project management tool such as Twproject helps avoid common project monitoring and control mistakes such as lack of communication, ineffective resource management, and missed deadlines. This tool helps you plan activities more accurately, identify risks early, and optimize resource allocation, thereby reducing delays and unexpected expenses.

Whether the project is complex or simple, Twproject, when used correctly, will improve transparency, organization, and operational efficiency during project execution, increasing the odds of project success.

How to conduct effective project monitoring and control

As we have already mentioned, it is crucial to implement a robust monitoring and control process to ensure project success.

This process begins with clearly delineating key performance indicators (KPIs) from the beginning. These indicators provide a way to measure the project’s progress compared to set goals, providing quantifiable metrics to assess the progress and effectiveness of the activities carried out.

Using appropriate monitoring tools, such as project management software, facilitates the collection of accurate and up-to-date data on different activities. These tools not only automate information collection but also offer advanced data analysis and visualization features, making it easier for the project manager to find significant trends and patterns.

During the different monitoring phases, the project manager must carefully analyze the collected data to pinpoint any deviations from the initial plan. This involves constantly comparing actual and planned results.

If any major discrepancies are found, timely corrective actions must be implemented to get the project back on the right track. Complex data and a thorough analysis of the causes of deviations must support this decision-making process.

It is also critical to monitor potential risks that may arise during project execution. This requires constant attention to internal and external variables that could adversely affect the project. 

Effective communication with the team and stakeholders is pivotal to ensuring everyone is aligned and aware of any changes or actions.

Visual tools such as the Gantt chart can graphically portray timelines and dependencies between activities. This assists in overall planning and control by providing a clear view of deadlines, responsibilities, and interrelationships between different project parts.

In Ultimately, accurate monitoring and control help the project manager make informed decisions and keep the project aligned with initial objectives. This proactive approach increases the chances of project success, helps optimize resources, and improves stakeholder satisfaction.