A project can be perfectly planned and still drift off course within weeks — not because the plan was wrong, but because nobody defined clear, measurable control objectives to check progress against. Deadlines slip, budgets creep, and by the time anyone notices, the corrective options left are limited and expensive.

This training course from the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy focuses on that gap: how to translate a project's goals into concrete control objectives, track them using recognised techniques such as KPIs and Earned Value Management, and act on deviations before they become failures. Participants leave with a working toolkit for keeping any project — large or small — measurably on track.

Who Should Attend?

• Project managers and coordinators.
• Business analysts and team leaders.
• Anyone responsible for tracking project performance against objectives.

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Define clear, measurable project control objectives using the SMART framework.
• Distinguish project control from general project management and locate its key checkpoints across the project life cycle.
• Apply planning and scheduling tools, including Gantt charts and the Critical Path Method.
• Track performance using KPIs and Earned Value Management.
• Manage change requests and project risks without losing sight of the original objectives.

Module 1: What Makes a Good Project Control Objective

• Project control vs. project management: the practical difference.
• Control checkpoints across the project life cycle.
• Setting SMART, measurable control objectives.

Module 2: Planning and Scheduling as a Control Baseline

• Building project plans, schedules, and budgets.
• Gantt charts and the Critical Path Method.
• Resource allocation as part of the control baseline.

Module 3: Tracking Performance — KPIs and Earned Value Management

• Choosing the right KPIs for project control.
• Earned Value Management fundamentals.
• Reading progress and performance signals early.

Module 4: Managing Change Without Losing Control

• The impact of change on project objectives.
• Change control processes and procedures.
• Practical strategies for structured change management.

Module 5: Risk and Technology in Project Control

• Identifying and analysing risks that threaten control objectives.
• Contingency planning and risk mitigation tools.
• Project control software: MS Project, Primavera, and beyond.