Project management is an ongoing activity. This includes the day-to-day management of people, information, schedules, and performance. Quantum uses two project management tools for projects. The first is the project plan, written during proposal development and maintained and updated throughout the life of the project. The second is the status reporting mechanism employed for Quantum projects.
Project PlanThe Project Plan is one of the essential elements of project success. A well-defined and documented plan enables the project lead and contributors to keep the project on schedule and in compliance with the requirements.
The Project Plan is a living document: It can be modified during the project, as long as all team members accept the changes and associated consequences. The project plan serves as a basis for the monthly status review; milestone and progress reports reference the project plan.
Status ReviewsThe status reviewing and reporting mechanism is based on weekly status updates and monthly meetings to discuss progress, review design and development documents, and review prototype or system demonstrations. The project plan is updated to reflect project status. Other details and comments are also generated, such as suggestions for improvements of work content or processes. The weekly status report form includes the following information:
- Current status of the project
- Tasks that have seen significant progress
- Weekly completion status
- Verification of progress
- Actions for the following week
- Action items or issues requiring resolution by Quantum
- Issues requiring discussion or resolution by the client
- Time expended this week and to date