After all of the work and planning, it is time to draw your line in the sand. This is called creating a baseline. A baseline is the simple recording of your current plan so that when the project begins, you can measure your progress against what you planned your progress to be. A project is measured in time and cost, so actual performance compared against planned performance (baseline) is the determining factor.

When tasks complete early or late or are completed for more or less money, the actual figures get recorded. Then you compare those against your baseline to see if you are ahead of schedule or behind, over budget or under budget, and how efficient your team is.

Creating a baseline is like drawing a line in the sand because a baseline can be changed based on a change request or significant event, but it must be agreed upon by the team. Remember the old Bugs Bunny cartoons where one character draws a line in the sand and says, “Cross this line, and you are in trouble.” The other character crosses the line, and the first character quickly draws a new line and says, “Now, cross this line, and you are in trouble.” This scenario goes on and on. Creating your baseline may feel like this, but you have to measure against something!