Defining baselines
As stated earlier, setting a baseline is like taking a snapshot of your original project or highlights throughout the plan. Essentially, it is your project’s “selfie” at its best-dressed moment, taken before the real work begins or at pivotal moments during the project. Before setting up a baseline, it’s important to ensure that your project is thorough and accurate. Before you establish the baseline, you want to make sure that the project is done, comprehensive, and precise to the best of your knowledge.
Ensure that the following steps have been taken at a minimum:
- The project scope is clearly outlined and defined.
- Develop a task schedule.
- Assign resources to all tasks.
- Estimate all costs and apply them to tasks if known.
- Review and optimize the schedule.
These steps are outlined in the previous chapters of this book. Once the project plan is finalized and approved, it’s time to save the baseline...
