Skip to content

6_tracking.md

Latest commit

 

History

History
56 lines (41 loc) · 2.59 KB

6_tracking.md

File metadata and controls

56 lines (41 loc) · 2.59 KB

Execute and Track (Budget Control)

  • Track like this (daily/bi-daily with the owner):
    • “Task was sized at 5 days. We’re 2 days in. Where are we?”
    • If the SME says “10% done”, you have a problem. Either the estimate was wrong, or there’s a gate.

Probe immediately (5 Whys):

  • Is there a gate (e.g. waiting on firewall, access, data, approvals)?
  • Is it underestimated (we just sized it badly)?
    • Option 1: Borrow time from other tasks (ideally ones already completed under budget).
    • Option 2: Escalate to the Custodian — warn it’s taking longer; renegotiate scope/budget/dates.
    • Blame wisely: if it’s a customer dependency, say so (with evidence). If it’s on delivery, own it and adjust.

Smell test:

if % time elapsed > % work complete:

...raise a flag. Don’t wait for Friday.

Tooling

Bootstrap PMs don’t worship tools, but they use what works:

  • Burn charts (progress vs. effort). Quick visual of whether you’re on track or drifting.
  • RAG status (Red/Amber/Green). Fast, brutal clarity for execs. If it’s Red, everyone knows.
  • Kanban board / task grid. Delivery plan in motion. Doesn’t matter if it’s Jira, Trello, or a whiteboard.
  • Simple trackers (Excel/Sheets). Sometimes the fastest way to keep time vs. progress visible.

Pick the tool that gives clarity with least drag.

Cadence & Pressure

  • Meeting frequency is a vibe call:
    • Clued-up, demanding customer? Match their pace. Daily stand-ups are fine.
    • Laid-back customer? Red flag. Micromanage. When dates slip, blame lands on delivery. Stay ahead of it.

Your job: Nag both sides. Knights (SMEs) may moan, but they’re not paying.
The goal is customer satisfaction — visible progress, clean comms, no surprises.

Lawyer/Detective Mode

  • Always gather evidence: decisions, blockers, owner acknowledgements, timestamps.
  • Run pre-mortems: “If this goes wrong, how will it go wrong?” Then go hunt those failure points now.
  • If it does go tits up, your trail proves diligence and narrows the fix.

Quick Checklists

Tracking

  • Timebox set (if possible)
  • Daily/bi-daily progress vs. time check
  • Gates logged as blockers, owners named
  • Under-/over-runs balanced or escalated
  • Custodian informed early on impact
  • Evidence captured (notes, emails, screenshots)