The Monitor and Control Project Work process is performed to monitor project processes associated with initiating, planning, executing, and closing. Corrective or preventive actions are taken to control the project performance. Monitoring is an aspect of project management performed throughout the project. Monitoring includes collecting, measuring, and disseminating performance information, and assessing measurements and trends to effect process improvements. Continuous monitoring gives the project management team insight into the health of the project, and identifies any areas that can require special attention.
As issues arise in the course of managing the project team, a written log can document persons responsible for resolving specific issues by a target date. The log helps the project team monitor issues until closure. Issue resolution addresses obstacles that can block the team from achieving its goals. These obstacles can include factors such as differences of opinion, situations to be investigated, and emerging or unanticipated responsibilities that need to be assigned to someone on the project team.
The Integrated Change Control process is performed from project inception through completion. Change control is necessary because projects seldom run exactly according to the project management plan. The project management plan, the project scope statement, and other deliverables must be maintained by carefully and continuously managing changes, either by rejecting changes or by approving changes so those approved changes are incorporated into a revised baseline.
Every documented requested change must be either accepted or rejected by some authority within the project management team or an external organization representing the initiator, sponsor, or customer. Many times, the Integrated Change Control process includes a change control board responsible for approving and rejecting the requested changes.