This blog post was based on the 4th edition of the PMBOK Guide, and from the 5th edition of the PMBOK Guide, the PMI has changed the definitions of terms used in this blog post; therefore, this post is now obsolete.
I have re-written this blog post based on the version of the PMBOK Guide. Please visit Work Performance Data and Work Performance Information. I am leaving this post in case someone wants to review the old post under the PMBOK Guide (4th edition).
Management is always interested in the status and progress of the project. They want to know:
- What percentage of the project is completed?
- What percentage is yet to be completed?
- How much money has been spent?
- What have you earned?
- Are you ahead or behind schedule?
So, how will you provide them with this information?
You can show them this information through the work performance report. This report shows all the information required by project stakeholders, as defined in the communication management plan.
To prepare this report, you will need work performance information and work performance measurements.
Work Performance Information
Work performance information is the raw data of the project’s status. It refers to the percentage of work completed, how much time has elapsed, the cost incurred, and more.
It provides us with the current status of the project. You use this information to create work performance measurements and the work performance report.
A few examples of work performance information are as follows:
- How much of the work has been completed?
- What is the schedule’s progress?
- What cost has been incurred to date?
- What are the quality metrics of the product?
- What is the risk status?
- What is the procurement performance?
Work Performance Measurements
Once you get the status, you compare it with your planned progress and come up with work performance measurements. They are the comparison between the planned progress and the current status of the project.
Some examples of work performance measurements include:
Schedule Performance
Here, you will compare the planned schedule with the actual schedule.
For example, for an activity that was scheduled to be completed in five days, work performance measurements show how long it actually took to complete.
Cost Performance
Here, you will compare your planned expenditure with the actual expense.
For example, what was the planned cost for the activity, and how much did you actually spend to complete it?
Quality Performance
Here, you compare the planned performance with the actual performance.
For example, you will measure how many defects, tolerance, and thresholds were allowed and how many occurred.
Risk Performance
Here, you will see the effectiveness of your risk management plan.
For example, you will see how many risks have occurred versus your identified risks, how effective your risk response plan was, etc.
Procurement Performance
Here, you will compare the seller’s actual performance against the planned performance.
The Difference Between Work Performance Information and Work Performance Measurements
The difference between work performance information and work performance measurements is as follows:
- Work performance information is the ‘as of now’ status of the deliverables, while work performance measurements compare actual and planned status.
- Work performance measurements are developed with the help of work performance information.
- Examples of work performance information include the time elapsed and money spent, while cost variance and schedule variance, cost performance index and schedule performance index, and more are examples of work performance measurements.
Summary
Work performance information and work performance measurements help in earned value management and forecasting. They help you prepare the performance report that you can send to your stakeholders. Based on this performance report, management decides how to proceed further.
I hope you now have a better understanding of work performance information and work performance measurements.
Now you can move on to the next blog post, which is on the performance report.
I am Mohammad Fahad Usmani, B.E. PMP, PMI-RMP. I have been blogging on project management topics since 2011. To date, thousands of professionals have passed the PMP exam using my resources.
Hi Fahad,
Please update your explanation as you said you will be updating the blog, In the 5th version of the PMBOK Guide, Work Performance Measurement has been deleted and a new term Work Performance Date is added.
Your expert guidance is very helpful to me.
Already updated.
Here is the updated post:
https://pmstudycircle.com/2013/10/work-performance-data-wpd-and-work-performance-information-wpi/
Hi Fahad,
Thanks for the explanation. But, in the PMBOK- Fifth edition, they have Work Performance data, Work Performance Information and Work Performance Reports……it doesn’t have Work Performance Measurements…..even the output of the “direct and manage project work” process is “work performance data” in 5th edition and “work performance information” in 4th edition…..i’m getting really confused….please help
Hello Abhisek, I was about to update this blog to reflect the current status.
In the 5th version of the PMBOK Guide, Work Performance Measurement has been deleted and a new term Work Performance Date is added.
I am going to update this blog post very soon.
Here is the link for the updated blog post:
https://pmstudycircle.com/2013/10/work-performance-data-wpd-and-work-performance-information-wpi/
Cleared the Confusion.
Thanks Fahad Bhai
You’re welcome Saurabh.
In the ‘In Brief” summary, should the first bullet point say WPM instead of WPI?
Thanks for the article!
Why? Any explanation?
Hi, i appreciate if you could explain the following
Q : Which of the following is not done as part of Performance Measurements?
1.Calculating Planned Value
2.Calculating Earned Value
3.Calculating ETC
4.Calculating Cost Variance
they say the correct answer is – Calculating Earned Value. Can you explain why is EV is not part of performance measurements?
Thanks!
Malika
I think because it is a part of Performance Report.
Please refer the following post-
https://pmstudycircle.com/2012/03/performance-report-in-project-management/
Let me know if you any other thoughts…
Would you say that WPM is simply the result of the variance analysis?
Variance Analysis is a Tool & Technique of Control Scope Process and Work Performance Measurement (WPM) is an output of this process.
In short, answer to your question is – Yes.
Thanks a lot
Thank you; I really appreciate your explanations.
You are welcome Deidra.
dear
i ‘d like to exprees my apperciation about your help and attention
ali hussien
Thank you.
Have to disagree a bit here. Work performance data is the raw data. Work performance information is that data contextualized and put into a form that can be reported to stakeholders in a way they'll understand.
Yes, you're right and I'm agree with you. Where is the disagreement?
WPI is about gathering the information of the project and WPM is about analysing the information.
Yes, you're right.