A baseline sets the ambition for a\u00a0project\u00a0\u2013 what is the project aiming to achieve, within what timeframe and within what budget? It is, without doubt, the key management tool for any project. Despite this, teams are rarely given enough time or resources to develop a robust project baseline.<\/p>\n
Our director,\u00a0Mathew Hazenberg, dives into what a proper baseline can do for a project, why do it, when to start it.<\/p>\n
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A baseline sets the ambition for a project \u2013 what is the project aiming to achieve, within what time frame and within what budget? It is, without doubt, the key management tool for any project.<\/p>\n
Despite this, teams are rarely given enough time or resources to develop a robust project baseline. However, when they are, we have seen that the clarity, focus and alignment it fosters across a project\u2019s organisation is invaluable \u2013 and fundamental to the project\u2019s success.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Why do we need a project baseline?<\/strong><\/p>\n A baseline helps align the entire project team around a common plan, and it provides a reference<\/em><\/strong> point<\/strong> from which to evaluate:<\/p>\n When do we set a project baseline?<\/strong><\/p>\n Baselines should be set ahead of major decision points<\/em><\/strong> (feasibility approval, major contract awards, etc.) so that there is a documented, coherent definition of the expected project outcomes, scope, schedule and cost on which those decisions were made. It is vital that enough time and resources are dedicated to producing it, given it will become the yardstick for the project<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n What makes a good project baseline?<\/strong><\/p>\n A project baseline should:<\/p>\n A baseline is only valuable when all stakeholders trust it and buy into it (whether or not they are happy with what it tells them). This requires three things:<\/p>\n When should you update the baseline?<\/strong><\/p>\n Firstly (as mentioned earlier), the baseline should be updated at key decision points through the project development process to reflect the latest understanding of the project and the level of certainty in the scope, time and cost.<\/p>\n Other than this, when to update a baseline can often be a contentious issue because of different perspectives; a project sponsor and a project director may have differing views, for example. However, it makes sense for a baseline to be updated in the following circumstances:<\/p>\n Whether these revised baselines are translated into revised targets and KPIs for organisation-level (and individual-level) performance management is another subject!<\/p>\n When done properly, developing the baseline forms an integral part of all other project development activities<\/em><\/strong> (design, planning, estimating, etc.) and takes just as long. All too often, we see incoherent baselines pulled together in a few weeks just to tick a box.<\/p>\n Investing time and effort in developing a coherent, detailed and realistic baseline at the start of a project pays back multiple times over and is one of the most clear-cut investment decisions leadership can make. <\/em><\/strong>Let\u2019s make sure project baselines receive the dedicated time and resources they need!<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A baseline sets the ambition for a\u00a0project\u00a0\u2013 what is the project aiming to achieve, within what timeframe and within what budget? It is, without doubt, the key management tool for any project. Despite this, teams are rarely given enough time or resources to develop a robust project baseline. Our director,\u00a0Mathew Hazenberg, dives into what a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":43,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[121],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41872","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-united-arab-emirates"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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