Your project success relies on you communicating project status. Use these tips and templates to help
1. Keep your update short – aim for 5 minutes or less.
2. If you have project objectives, compare progress with these objectives.
3. Provide a 1-page document so that people can take away the key messages.
4. Provide easy-to-understand status indicators – “Red / Amber / Green” (RAG) status for each update item.
Project Update in more detail
Project updates are a crucial part of project and product management.
- Keep your update short – aim for 5 minutes or less.
- Provide some introductory context – remember that everyone’s mind is elsewhere.
- Avoid going into detail – just give the headlines!
- If there are any issues, provide some suggested solutions.
- If you have project objectives, compare progress with these objectives.
- Show this side-by-side: Targets vs Actual Progress.
- RAG Status is a good way of highlighting good and bad progress.
- If you bear bad news, it always pays to have some suggested solutions.
- Provide a 1-page document so that people can take away the key messages.
- Once again – keep it simple.
- Use a Status Report or Dashboard template (see below).
- Provide easy-to-understand status indicators – “Red / Amber / Green” RAG status for each update item.
- RAG Status: this can be achieved with traffic lights, or dials, or just simply the Red, Amber, Green colours.
- Dials: While it may seem a bit of a gimmick, dials can be very popular with corporate stakeholders.
Short on time?
Use these templates to help with business best practice:
Project Status Report Template Discount Bundle (PPT & Excel)
All of our Project Status Report Template formats in one discount package. Enjoy our professional formats for delivery status, risk status, rollout status, and innovation status. All in easy-to-edit Powerpoint and Excel.
See the Project Status Report Template Discount Bundle (PPT & Excel)
Status Template
The Powerpoint Project Status Template has 13 Status Templates to help you with all project updates and Executive Board Status Reports. Instant Success.
Supplier Status Report (Excel)
A dynamic supplier control template which has status indicators automatically updated by performance data.
Innovation Project Status Report Template (Powerpoint)
Provide professional updates with this Innovation Project Status Report. Choose from 15 formats, & benefit from guidance notes. Clear & flexible templates.
See the Innovation Project Status Report Template (Powerpoint)
Transition Status Report Template (Excel)
The Transition Status Report Template helps you keep track of your critical transition tasks, so that you can manage risk, and report on the main Transition progress areas.
Business Topics
- Operations.
Operations is a key function in any business. Led by the COO, operations can cover a wide range of business-critical processes.
- Dashboards, Reports and Status Presentations
- RAG Status Reports & Dashboards
- Business Reports
Template Types
Related Business Best Practices
How do I present a Strategy Progress Report?
Executives and stakeholders have short attention spans. Use this guide to focus on important points.
How do I present a Project Update?
Your project success relies on you communicating project status. Use these tips and templates to help
How do I create and use a Risk Log?
You need a Risk Log so that you can track and manage your project risk. How do you create one and then use a Risk Log?
What is the best RAG Status graphic?
RAG Status – Red / Amber / Green – can be shown in a variety of formats. Which is the best RAG Status graphic?
All Business Best Practice
See all Business Best Practice here.