Why You Should Analyze the Latest 3 Months Separately

When it comes to evaluating project performance, most reports focus on cumulative progress since day one. But sometimes, this long-term view hides valuable short-term trends. That’s why I always recommend doing a dedicated analysis for the latest three months—especially before publishing your latest update.

So, why take the extra step?

The main reason is to uncover the recent behavior of the project. By zooming in on the past three months, you get a clearer view of the current momentum, detached from early-stage delays or historic fluctuations.

In many projects, a delay may have occurred in the first few months—whether due to late mobilization, design hold-ups, or early coordination issues. These delays continue to impact the cumulative progress chart, making the overall status appear worse than it really is. As a result, project managers and teams may feel discouraged, even though recent performance might be steadily improving.

On the other hand, in cases where a contractor is undergoing a recovery plan, the improvement might be visible in the short-term but still not enough to offset the full variance. That’s where the three-month analysis becomes a key tool: it helps determine whether the recovery actions are heading in the right direction, even if they haven’t closed the gap yet.

In both scenarios, this focused view can help the team and stakeholders shift perspective—from focusing only on past delays to recognizing current efforts and trends. It can bring motivation, better decision-making, and a more realistic narrative around the project’s true status.

A simple chart, a short timeframe, and a big impact. Sometimes, three months are all you need to see the full picture—clearly and fairly.