Project Controls Basics for Engineering and Construction Projects
The core project controls every engineering project needs — baseline, cost tracking, earned value, risk and change control — explained simply.
What project controls actually means
Project controls is the set of processes that tell you whether a project is on time and on budget — and give you early warning when it isn't.
The five essentials
1. A baseline programme agreed before work starts. 2. Cost tracking against budget with a forecast to complete. 3. Earned value measures (SPI and CPI) to see performance objectively. 4. A live risk register reviewed regularly. 5. Change control so scope changes are priced and approved before they're built.
Getting started quickly
You don't need expensive software. A well-structured set of linked spreadsheets covers most small and mid-sized projects. Our Project Controls Toolkit is built for exactly this.