Milestone Trend Analysis

Correct Answer: Actual milestone dates precede forecast dates by a consistent margin

In MTA (Milestone Trend Analysis) graphs, the most favorable project progress is indicated when actual milestone dates occur earlier than forecast dates by a consistent margin. This indicates that: - The project is ahead of schedule consistently - There is positive schedule variance - The team is performing better than planned - Risk of delays is minimized Parallel patterns between forecast and actual dates suggest no schedule improvement. Following forecast dates with minimal deviation indicates just meeting expectations, not exceeding them. Gradual convergence toward completion could indicate schedule recovery but does not represent optimal performance. The best scenario is when actual completion dates consistently beat the forecast dates, showing superior performance and creating schedule buffers for potential future challenges.

Correct Answer: A deviation of more than 10% from the baseline plan over two consecutive reporting periods

A 10% deviation over two consecutive reporting periods is the industry standard threshold for statistical significance in MTA milestone analysis. This threshold provides the optimal balance between being responsive to potential issues while avoiding overreaction to normal project variations. Two consecutive periods of deviation help confirm a genuine trend rather than an isolated anomaly. The other suggested thresholds have issues: 15% across three sequential points is too permissive and would allow problems to develop too far. 5% in a single cycle is too restrictive and would trigger many false alarms due to normal project fluctuations. 20% cumulative deviation is too high as a threshold and waiting for such a large variance could seriously impact project outcomes. The 10% threshold over two periods enables project managers to identify genuine issues early enough for effective corrective action while filtering out routine variations.

Correct Answer: Calculate the change in vertical distance between trend lines at each reporting date

In Milestone Trend Analysis (MTA), calculating the change in vertical distance between trend lines at each reporting date is the most accurate method to determine performance variance. This method provides: 1. Precise measurement of schedule deviation at specific points in time 2. Clear indication of whether milestones are moving earlier or later 3. Quantifiable variance between planned and actual dates 4. Ability to track progress changes between reporting periods The other options are incorrect because: - Comparing angles of deviation only shows general trends but not specific variances - Summing delayed milestones oversimplifies the analysis and loses valuable timing information - Using standard deviation across all trend lines provides an overall spread but doesn't effectively show period-to-period performance changes