The Project Management Tool Kit: 100 Tips and Techniques for Getting the Job Done Right

CONTROL PROCESS60Project Metric Selection

What:	Defining a coherent set of project measures.
When:	Project planning, execution, and control.
Results:	Encouragement of desired behaviors and an established basis for objective baselines and project control.

Document Desired Behaviors and Outcomes

Before deciding what to measure on projects, define the behaviors you seek. Measurement affects behavior, so clearly define desired results and use them to guide selection of metrics.

There are three types of metrics: predictive, diagnostic, and retrospective. Useful systems of metrics will generally include a good balance of measurement types.

• Predictive metrics use analysis to provide forecasts of future conditions. Most predictive project ...