Bring the Progress Report Into Your Daily Scrum Standup

Progress reports are a vital part of any Daily Scrum Standup. They help keep everyone on track and ensure that everyone has the most recent information about what’s been accomplished and what still needs to be done.

A project manager can keep stakeholders informed via reporting, primarily through a progress report. The progress report should be straightforward - it's essentially a status report on the project. A progress report's framework, on the other hand, makes or breaks it.

In this article, we’ve outlined a few tips for creating effective progress reports that will help your team stay productive and organized. 

What is a Project Progress Report?

A project progress report is a document that summarizes the status of a project and outlines what has been completed, what still needs to be done, and any potential risks or issues that may impact the project’s timeline. 

The objective of a progress report is to persuade your clients that the project is sound and progressing as planned. This is accomplished by displaying the work-in-progress and allowing stakeholders to submit any modification requests.

These ideas may then be handled and worked out to avoid any detrimental effects on the project's scope. Project managers may also utilize progress reports to address difficulties that arise and, as a result, create more realistic expectations for all team members.

Why Are Project Progress Reports Useful?

They Provide Valuable Insights  

A progress report is a valuable tool that can be used to gauge the health of a project. By providing insights into what has been accomplished, what remains to be done, and any potential risks or issues, progress reports help project managers keep track of a project’s overall status.

Teams can then use this information to make necessary adjustments to the project plan to ensure that the project remains on track.

They Hold Everyone Accountable 

Progress reports also help hold everyone involved in a project accountable for their respective tasks. By documenting what has been completed and what still needs to be done, progress reports give team members a clear understanding of their individual scrum roles and responsibilities. 

This level of transparency helps ensure that everyone is on the same page, which can improve collaboration, communication, and, most importantly, productivity.

They Help Establish Realistic Expectations 

Project progress reports help project managers set the expectations of their stakeholders. By outlining the project's current progress, they can set more realistic expectations that are based on actual data rather than assumptions.

Overall, a well-designed progress report is an essential tool for any project manager looking to keep their team organized and on track. With the right approach and framework in place, you can create effective progress reports that will help ensure that your projects remain successful and productive.

Project Progress Report Templates

Status Progress Report Template

As you can see from the above template, you should include specific contents in your progress report:

Project Information

This section should include information about the project, such as its name, reporting period, reporting date, and project sponsor. Reporting period means the date range of your progress report, while the reporting date is the date on which you generated your progress report.

Project Status

This section should include a high-level overview of the project's status. This section includes the following:

• Key Accomplishments - A brief summary of the major project milestones that have been achieved
• Completed Work - A detailed list of all the work that has been completed and ready to hand off to the next phase
• Planned Work - A list of tasks or initiatives that have yet to be completed, along with any potential issues or risks that may impact their completion
• Project Milestones - Any key project milestones that are expected to be reached during the reporting period, as well as their estimated completion dates
• Project Deliverables - A list of the project's various deliverables, along with their expected completion dates
• Action Items - A list of any outstanding action items from previous reports that have yet to be completed

Project Health

This section provides an in-depth analysis of the overall health and status of the project. This may include things like budget, scope, timeline, human resources, quality assurance, and more.

Risk Management Overview

This section should provide an overview of the project's risk management status. This may include a list of any new risks that have been identified, as well as any mitigation plans that have been put in place.

Conclusion

This section should provide a brief summary of the progress made during the reporting period, as well as any remaining challenges or issues that need to be addressed.

Weekly Progress Report for Teams Template

This template is divided into three categories: Plans, Progress, and Problems.

You can include as many team members as you want in this report. It will help you track your team’s progress and spot any potential issues that need to be addressed.

1. Plans - In this section, you will list the plans for the week. This may include things like upcoming deadlines, new initiatives, or anything else relevant to the project.

2. Progress - This section will detail the progress that has been made during the week. This may include things like completed tasks, deliverables, or milestones.

3. Problems - This section is for listing any problems or issues that have arisen during the week. This may include things like risks, roadblocks, or anything else that has impeded progress.

Weekly Progress Report Template – Calendar View

This template provides a more visual overview of your team's progress over the course of the week. It includes a weekly calendar, which you can use to track tasks and deadlines, as well as ongoing discussions and communications. You can also include additional details in each day's entry, such as notes or screenshots of key conversations.

Make sure to keep examining and comparing your weeks as they pass. Take note of your successes and failures, and look for areas where you could improve or even take on additional responsibilities.

Overall, this template gives you a clear picture of how your team has progressed throughout the week so that you can identify any potential issues or areas for improvement moving forward.

Project Progress Report Examples

Before we head on to our examples, you must first understand the basic how-tos of making a project progress report:

1. Set the stage for your progress report with a clear and concise introduction.

2. Detail what you have accomplished since the last progress report.

3. Summarize what is planned for the next reporting period.

4. Identify any risks or issues that may impact the project's success.

5. Offer a conclusion that summarizes the overall status of the project.

Now, let's take a look at a few examples of progress reports to better understand how they are structured and what information they typically include.

Example 1:

Example 2:

Example 3:

How Can GoRetro Help?

GoRetro is a flexible tool you can use for a variety of purposes, including retrospectives, daily stand-ups, and progress reports.

If you need help managing your team's progress or want to improve the way you document and analyze your weekly progress report, consider using GoRetro for your next project. With customizable templates, communication tools, and real-time analytics, it's easy to stay on top of your team's performance — even when they're working remotely.

After a project or a working Sprint is done, teams can use retrospective templates to organize positive and negative comments. With retrospective templates, teams can examine existing challenges and goals, generate new ideas, and define what actions are necessary to achieve progress during retrospectives.

This is where progress reports come in. A progress report template brings together all the key information about your project and team in one easy-to-use format so that you can quickly assess your current situation and take action to improve.

With GoRetro, it's easier than ever to track and analyze your progress, helping you stay on top of things and make better decisions for your team and projects.

Final Thoughts

Whether you're managing a large team or just a few key projects, progress reports are an essential tool for tracking your team's performance and maintaining momentum. It's crucial as a project manager, Scrum Master, or team leader to be able to quickly assess your team's progress and identify any potential issues or areas for improvement.

With GoRetro, retrospectives and progress reports are easy to set up and use. Our customizable templates make it simple to track your team's progress, pinpoint any risks or issues, and take action to improve your team's performance. With our real-time analytics, you can always be sure that you're making the best decisions for your team.