Milestone Trend Analysis (MTA)

Correct Answer: At each project status reporting cycle to track milestone date variances

An MTA chart should be updated at each project status reporting cycle for these key reasons: 1. Regular Monitoring: Project status reporting cycles provide the ideal frequency to track variances in milestone dates and identify trends early 2. Proactive Management: Frequent updates enable project managers to take corrective actions before delays become significant 3. Stakeholder Communication: Regular updates align with standard project reporting cycles, making it easier to communicate progress to stakeholders 4. Early Warning System: Consistent monitoring helps detect potential schedule slippage patterns Other options are inadequate because: - Updating only for major changes could miss early warning signs and gradual trend developments - Quarterly updates may be too infrequent for effective project control and timely intervention - Updating at phase gates alone provides too few data points for meaningful trend analysis and could miss critical variations between gates

Correct Answer: Use a separate trend line for each revised baseline

Using a separate trend line for each revised baseline is the most effective method for tracking milestone modifications with multiple baseline changes during MTA implementation. This approach provides: - Clear visibility of each baseline change - Ability to compare performance against different baselines - Accurate historical tracking of project evolution - Easier identification of trends and patterns in schedule changes Other approaches are incorrect because: - Merging baselines into a single trend line loses important historical data and makes it difficult to analyze specific changes - Using weighted averages obscures actual baseline changes and creates artificial data points that don't reflect real project conditions - Rolling wave planning is a progressive elaboration technique and isn't appropriate for tracking historical baseline changes, as it focuses on future planning rather than historical tracking

Correct Answer: A sequence of upward-sloping lines across multiple milestones

In Milestone Trend Analysis (MTA), upward-sloping lines are a clear indicator that milestone completion dates are being pushed further into the future, signaling schedule delays. This pattern typically suggests that the project is experiencing delays and schedule slippage, which requires corrective actions to bring the project back on track. The continuous upward trend shows a systematic pattern of delay rather than normal variations. The other options are incorrect because: - Alternating upward and downward slopes actually indicate normal project variability and self-correction - Periodic vertical shifts in milestone dates would indicate planned schedule changes rather than problems requiring correction - A combination of horizontal and diagonal lines suggests normal project progress with some variations, not necessarily requiring intervention