Understanding Data Flow and Information Gathering in Project Management

 

This writeup covers Raw Data Management and getting the meaningful information out of it. Information sharing is a part of communication management plan, and more than 90 percent project movement depends on communication.

 

Project Management Data and Information Flow

Data - information (such as measurements or statistics) used as a basis for reasoning, discussion, decisions, mentoring, alignment calculation, etcetera.

Data is the basic information source collected throughout the execution of processes of the project

This raw data which needs to be taken carefully, is then analysed qualitatively, aggregated, and transformed into information which is used for reporting purposes. Raw data management is a very important aspect as all the information depends on it. There is technological advancement these days and data can be electronically observed and stored in dataloggers from where real time data transmission can be done to storage device. The automatic data recording is very reliable and given preference over manual data recording.

 

The raw data is recorded for example in following fields

    Weather station

    Batching plant operation

    Drilling and grouting

    Health and safety

    Environment

    Geographical

    Educational

    Quality control measurements

    Earned value management

    Progress

    And others

 

 

 Ensure a Strong Data Management Framework

Important principles for successful data management framework may be considered as given below.

    Data collection is very important and should be done with sincere efforts as it is a source for taking furth3er actions.

    It is a regular process and as such the resource management for data collection must be adequate

    Data management is a business need and involvement of Total Quality People should be there.

    There should be a data management plan suitable for general data management and integrated with custom data management facility Stress should be on real time data management.

    Data storage management should use digital data facility with required backup facility.

    The stored data should be analyzed with required data analysis tools to get an output from it.

    The information obtained from raw data analysis should be transmitted effectively and efficiently for further use to venture stakeholders

 

The detail of data- information -flow is shown below in the chart as an example.

The total information - data stream – use, is as described below.

 

The raw data is gathered during project activities physically or electronically. The nature of information gathering is vital to look for significant data. The information gathered is overseen physically and electronically, and it is called work performance data (WPD). The good practice is that it should be collected with automatic real time data collection, loading, and transportation to the central server for further analysis.

The data analysis is done in project context and accordingly it is aggregated for transformation process. The transformed data is used for getting work performance information (WPI).

 

The significant data is utilized for creating work performance reports (WPR). (WPR are high level reports, progress reports, financial reports, report on change management, stakeholder mange met, risk management, HSSE report, business reports for assessing the alignment of ongoing projects and others).

The WPR have important role to play in project management and    these reports are passed to change control units / boards and to communication units. The communication units compose the reports for the stakeholders and the project team.

Any changes approved based on these reports are informed to process control units and further to project team and the stakeholders.

The desired and approved changes in process control are documented for necessary changes in project plans. The revised project plans are then used for further project execution processes.

 

The flow diagram below has the contents suggested in PMBOK guide of PMI

 

Ultimately the data flow can be managed for

 

    Data Storage

    Data Analysis

    Getting information

    Sharing Information

    As Repository of Data and Information

    For Preliminary Planning of Project

 

“Management is, above all, a practice where art, science, 

and craft meet.” –  Henry Mintzberg