Project Health Dashboard

At SaaS Agency, we use the Project Health Dashboard as part of our Reliable MVP Implementation phase to provide a clear, real-time overview of the health of our software development projects. With a traffic-light system, we track critical metrics like timeline adherence, budget status, and quality, ensuring that potential risks and issues are identified early.

We’ve also developed the Project Health Index (PHI), a numeric score that gives a quick snapshot of the overall health of each project. The PHI helps us quantify project performance and prioritize actions, ensuring every project stays on track and aligned with client goals.

Below is an explanation of the key metrics we monitor using the Project Health Dashboard, along with how they contribute to the overall Project Health Index (PHI). These metrics allow us to proactively address challenges, keep projects on schedule, and ensure successful outcomes for our clients.

Key Metrics for Project Health

Here are the key metrics we track in our Project Health Dashboard, each contributing to an accurate and actionable view of project status:

1. Timeline Adherence (Schedule)

• Green: Project is on schedule or ahead of schedule.
• Yellow: Minor delays, but project is still within acceptable limits.
• Red: Major delays; the project is at risk of missing deadlines.
• Metric: % of tasks completed vs. planned for each sprint or milestone.

2. Budget Status

• Green: Project is within the allocated budget.
• Yellow: Slight overrun, but manageable.
• Red: Significant overrun; budget is at risk.
• Metric: % of actual spend vs. budgeted spend.

3. Scope Management

• Green: No scope creep; project is adhering to the defined scope.
• Yellow: Minor scope changes, but manageable.
• Red: Major scope creep; project goals may be compromised.
• Metric: % of change requests or feature additions vs. original scope.

4. Team Morale/Capacity

• Green: Team is operating efficiently with no bottlenecks or overload.
• Yellow: Minor issues or burnout risks, but overall capacity is good.
• Red: Team is overwhelmed; significant capacity issues.
• Metric: Team velocity, sprint completion rates, and average workload per team member.

5. Quality of Deliverables (Defects)

• Green: Few or no critical bugs reported; quality is high.
• Yellow: Some minor defects, but manageable.
• Red: Many critical defects; quality is at risk.
• Metric: Number of bugs or defects reported vs. resolved, defect severity.

6. Stakeholder Satisfaction

• Green: Stakeholders are satisfied with the progress and deliverables.
• Yellow: Some concerns raised, but overall satisfaction is moderate.
• Red: Major concerns; stakeholders are unhappy.
• Metric: Feedback from stakeholders, client NPS (Net Promoter Score).

7. Risk Management

• Green: No significant risks, or all risks are being mitigated.
• Yellow: Some risks are present, but with mitigation plans in place.
• Red: Significant risks without mitigation; project is at risk.
• Metric: Number of active risks vs. mitigated risks, risk severity level.

Project Health Index (PHI)

To calculate the Project Health Index (PHI), we assign a numerical score to each key metric based on its traffic-light status:

• Green = 3 points (indicating optimal performance)
• Yellow = 2 points (indicating minor issues that require attention)
• Red = 1 point (indicating critical risks or concerns)

The overall PHI score for each project is determined by averaging the scores across all metrics. This provides a clear, quantitative measure of project health, helping us quickly assess the current status and identify areas that may need immediate action.

Example PHI Calculation:

• Timeline Adherence: Green (3)
• Budget Status: Yellow (2)
• Scope Management: Green (3)
• Team Morale: Yellow (2)
• Quality: Green (3)
• Stakeholder Satisfaction: Green (3)
• Risk Management: Yellow (2)

PHI = (3 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 3 + 3 + 2) / 7 = 2.57

You can set thresholds for interpreting the PHI:

• 3.0: Excellent Health (All Green)
• 2.5 – 2.9: Good Health (Mostly Green/Yellow)
• 1.5 – 2.4: At Risk (Mostly Yellow/Red)
• <1.5: Critical (Mostly Red)

Additional Elements for the Dashboard

In addition to the traffic-light colors and the PHI, we also include the following:

1. Visual Graphs:

• Burndown charts for Timeline Adherence.
• Pie charts or bar charts for Budget Status.
• A Risk Heatmap to show risk levels and their potential impact.

2. Project Summary Section:

• Quick summary of major milestones.
• Current sprint focus.
• Key blockers or issues.

3. Actionable Insights:

• For any metric in Yellow or Red, list recommended actions to improve the situation (e.g., reallocate resources, revise the schedule, address blockers).

Sample Dashboard Layout:

Metric	Traffic Light	Key Metric Value	Status
Timeline Adherence	🟢 Green	95% tasks completed on time	On track
Budget Status	🟡 Yellow	85% spend vs. 80% projected	Slightly over budget
Scope Management	🟢 Green	1 new feature added	No major scope creep
Team Morale	🟡 Yellow	70% sprint velocity	Minor capacity issues
Quality of Deliverables	🟢 Green	3 minor bugs	High quality
Stakeholder Satisfaction	🟢 Green	Positive feedback received	Satisfied stakeholders
Risk Management	🟡 Yellow	2 high risks with mitigations	Risks under control

Project Health Index (PHI): 2.71 (Good Health)

If you have any questions about our Project Health Dashboard or how we monitor and ensure project success, don’t hesitate to reach out. As experts in SaaS development, we’re committed to helping you bring your vision to life with confidence and clarity. Contact us today!