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16 CHAPTER ONE
PPP REPORT (WEEKLY)
For the project, the PM should submit a Progress, Problems, and Plans (PPP) weekly
report for several reasons. First, it’s a good record of your project. Second, you should
at least have advisors who can look over the report and make suggestions. Last of all,
it will light a fire under you since it’s embarrassing to file an empty report even if you’re
the only person who reads it.
You should observe a basic rule: Confess early and confess often. It’s much better to
air problems early than to keep them secret and let them fester. They almost never get
better left alone. Good management should reward PMs who turn themselves in because
they have significant problems inside their project. That way adjustments and correc-
tions can be made in a timely manner. Problems seldom get better when aged.
The weekly PPP report you write should have the format shown here:
PPP Report

Project Report: 8/15/02—Project XYZ
Progress (The most important things that happened during the week)
____________________________________
____________________________________
Problems (The most important problems that exist)

_____________________________________
_____________________________________

Plans (The main short-term plans to be executed soon)
_____________________________________
_____________________________________

PROJECT REVIEWS (SCHEDULED)

The PM should schedule regular project reviews with senior advisors and colleagues.
Some reviews are called for in the project schedule and checklist. Other reviews can be
scheduled for corrective action, discovery, and so on.