Remaining work says more than a progress percentage
Asking "where are you, in percent?" produces flattering, late figures. Asking for the time spent and the work remaining reveals drift as soon as it appears.
Lola López · team member
Percentage shown: 65% It does not show the gap.
The progress percentage is the most frequently asked question in project reviews, and the least reliable. A task stays "at 90%" for a long time, because the percentage describes an impression, not a quantity of work.
Two simple questions
Instead of "how far along are you?", two questions are enough: how much time did you spend today, and how much is left? The first is a fact. The second is an estimate, but one made again every day by the person doing the work, who is best placed to give it.
An example
Lola is preparing the new site for a packaging line. On Monday, she spends 7 hours on the task and reports 8 hours remaining, as planned. On Tuesday, she spends 6 and still reports 8 hours: as she progressed, she found extra work. The schedule, however, expected only 2 hours to remain by Tuesday evening.
The 6-hour gap shows up the same day. A percentage would have displayed "65%" and the drift would have gone unnoticed until the due date.
Inform, and only ask for approval when it matters
Not every report calls for a decision. As long as the task's buffer absorbs the gap, the project manager is simply informed. When it no longer suffices and the objective is at risk, the report is submitted for approval. That keeps tracking from turning into constant control.
Key points
- time spent is a fact, remaining work is an estimate kept up to date;
- the person doing the work estimates what remains;
- the gap with the plan is visible the same day, not at the deadline.