Ever looked at a project report that says everything’s green…
…but deep down, you know it’s not?

Maybe you even wrote the report.

The tasks are getting done. The plan is still technically intact.
But something feels off.
Progress just isn’t as smooth as it should be.

That’s usually the first sign.

---

The Problem with Traditional Tracking

Most project tracking focuses on the output:

• How many tasks are complete?
• Are we on time?
• What does the dashboard say?

And on paper, that’s fine. But real progress — the kind that keeps momentum and delivers value — is about more than what’s ticked off.

If you’re not careful, you end up managing the illusion of progress, not the reality.

Ever looked at a project report that says everything’s green…
…but deep down, you know it’s not?

Maybe you even wrote the report.

The tasks are getting done. The plan is still technically intact.
But something feels off.
Progress just isn’t as smooth as it should be.

---

So How Should You Track Progress?

In this video, I break down how I track project progress differently — using real signals that reveal when things are starting to slip, before the metrics turn red.

Here are the key lessons — no video required:

---

🟡 1. Milestones Are Met… But Delivered Late

One missed date isn’t the issue.
It’s the pattern.

If milestones keep sliding — even just by a little — that quiet slippage adds up.
And soon, major dependencies fall behind, and your launch window vanishes.

In Agile, you see it when stories keep slipping from sprint to sprint.
The team looks busy, but velocity’s overstated, and momentum’s gone.

💡 I don’t just track if milestones were hit — I track when, and how painful it was to get there.
If it took overtime, escalations, or stress, that’s not a win.
That’s a warning sign.

---

🟠 2. Decisions Are Dragging

When decisions don’t get made, projects stall.

Sometimes it’s subtle:
A SteerCo debate with no clear outcome.
A hiring process stuck in paperwork.
A critical approval bumped to next month’s agenda.

Suddenly, everything’s blocked — but nothing’s technically “off track.”

💡 I build key decisions right into the plan — as milestones with owners and due dates.
If they slide, I can see the knock-on effect immediately.
And I know exactly where to chase.

---

🔴 3. Issues Stay Open Too Long

Old issues are like injuries.
You can limp for a while, but the longer you wait to treat it, the worse it gets.

If you keep seeing the same issue on the log week after week, it’s not background noise — it’s friction.
It’s draining time, energy, and team morale.

💡 I highlight any issue that’s been open more than 10 days.
That doesn’t mean it’s urgent — it just means it deserves attention.
If it’s dragging on, I want to know why.

And here’s an insider PMO tip:
📉 If I see issues open for 60+ days, I assume the project isn’t in control.

---

So What Do I Actually Do?

Here’s my simple system:

• Milestone tracking isn’t just about if we hit them, but when, and how much effort it took.
  If delivery required heroics, that’s not success — that’s strain.
• Decision points go in the plan like any other task.
  They have an owner and a due date.
  No decision = no progress.
• Issues are reviewed regularly.
  If they’re lingering, we don’t ignore them — we fix them, or escalate.

And above all, I keep asking:
📌 Are things taking longer than expected?
📌 Are tasks getting blocked?
📌 Is the team burning out just to stay green?

If so, I act — before it’s “officially” a problem.