Chapter 4: Progress Report
Overview
A progress report is essential in large projects. Stakeholders in the project want to verify the money, people, and other resources are being used appropriately. Additionally, the stakeholders may have a vested an interest in the outcome and may be interested in further information. Progress reports also act as a method of persuasion: to demonstrate to clients and the administration progress is being made, the project is on time with deadlines (Last).
Progress reports can occur in several ways, they can be live and in person, they could be live and virtual, or it could be a prepared document or set of slides to share with everyone to review on their own time. It is helpful to know how you will be assessed, in order to create content and prepare accordingly. In this week of the course, you will debate the values of one form of presentation over another, complete lesson 5 of the certificate and complete a logic model diagram to meet the goals of the progress report.
Format of a Report
A progress report should include specific elements including what has been accomplished, what is being worked on currently, and what it is anticipated in the future.
- Focus on specific time frames, such as “In the last three months, we met these goals…”, “In the next six months, we aim to meet these goals…”.
- Focus on defined milestones, such as ordering, purchasing, distribution, tech training, etc.
- It may also be beneficial on larger goals of what has been accomplished.
- Consider including the following section: introductions which covered the purpose and scope of the project; a summary of your project and its related history, research gathered, and overall appraisal of the project (Hamlin et al.)
Different Types
A progress report can very in length depending on the size and importance of the project. While you are going to be completing a progress report according to Lesson 5, it can be helpful to be familiar with other forms of progress reports (Last).
- Memo: A short report, somewhat formal, which will be roughly one to four pages.
- Letter: A short, again somewhat formal report, which is shared with those outside of your organization.
- Formal Report: A longer, more formalized report, which maybe be sent within your organization, but also beyond your organization.
- Presentation: A formal presentation given to your targeted audience.
Logic Model
In addition to a prepared presentation, a logic model will be created to provide a valuable visual to stakeholders regarding the project. A logic model is a visual representation of a project, much like a flow chart, map, or a table (Department of Health and Human Services). Logic models function as a story about your program, documenting how the changes will impact the intended audience. The model is an engaging tool to connect the stakeholders with the most important parts of the project; you are establishing the impact.
There are some required components for a solid logic model. Review the components below in preparation for the assignment.
References
Berman, E. (2019). Your technology outreach adventure. American Library Association.
Canva (2022). Canva’s recording studio [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxkWpBqNFp4
Department of Health and Human Services (2018). Developing and using a logic model. Retrieved on May 31, 2023 from https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/docs/logic_model.pdf
Hamlin, A., Rubio, C., & DeSilver, M. (n.d.). Progress reports. Retrieved on May 30, 2023 from https://pressbooks.pub/coccoer/chapter/progress-reports/
IT Project Managers (2021). Project status report: Simple project progress report template [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZIiHznFF70
Last, S. (n.d.). Technical writing essentials. BC Campus. Retrieved on May 30, 2023 from https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/technicalwriting/chapter/progressreports/
Piktochart (2022). Progress report: How to write, structure, and make it visually attractive [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQTje_GYhb4
