From the course: Microsoft Project Step by Step: Planning for Successful Project Management

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Understand progress tracking

Understand progress tracking

Failure to decide how you want to track progress leads to team confusion and answers that provide little value, such as almost done. Let me begin with a story. Years ago, I was in a room supporting a general contractor and all the subs were in the room and the GC was going around to each sub and saying, "What percent complete are you?" And you'd hear 75%, 80%, 90%, 75%, and so on. Well, suddenly the GC had to leave the room and take a phone call and I was taking notes and I said, you know, I didn't get everyone, can you please go around the room again and give me those percent completes again? Well, all of a sudden the whole room of subs started laughing. And I said, "Well, what's going on?" They said, "Well, Cindy, the only reason we're all 75% or more is because we don't get paid unless we report 75% or better progress." So most of the subs were really only at 30 or 40%. Well, later on I talked to the GC and I said, "I think you're asking the wrong questions and maybe you should…

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