BIZOMAT Tools · Projects
Project Health Check
How healthy is this project right now?
Combines schedule and cost variance with scope, risk and resource ratings into a project health score, and points to the weakest area.
Open the calculatorRuns in your browser. No account needed.
How this tool works
Inputs, units and where to find them
| Input | Unit | Typical source |
|---|---|---|
| Schedule variance | % | Schedule variance % from the baseline schedule or earned value (positive = behind) |
| Cost variance | % | Cost variance % against the approved budget (positive = over) |
| Scope stability | 1–5 score | Rating of scope stability from the change log (1 unstable, 5 stable) |
| Risk exposure | 1–5 score | Rating from the risk register (1 low, 5 very high) |
| Resource adequacy | 1–5 score | Rating of resource adequacy (1 inadequate, 5 adequate) |
What each input means
Open an input to see what it is, its units, the worked example and the common mistakes, with a small diagram.
What this means: Schedule variance
- What it is
- How far the project is behind or ahead of its baseline schedule, as a percentage. Positive means behind plan, negative means ahead.
- Units and format
- Enter a number in %: percent: the number is read as a percentage, so type 8 for 8 %. The form accepts -100% to 100%.
- Example
- The form opens with 5% as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- Each 1 % behind removes 2 points from the schedule signal; above 10 % flags REVIEW and above 20 % FAIL.
- Get it right
- Watch the sign: a project 10 % behind is entered as 10, not −10. Being ahead earns no extra points.
What this means: Cost variance
- What it is
- How far forecast or actual cost is over or under the approved budget, as a percentage. Positive means over budget, negative means under.
- Units and format
- Enter a number in %: percent: the number is read as a percentage, so type 8 for 8 %. The form accepts -100% to 100%.
- Example
- The form opens with 3% as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- Each 1 % over budget removes 2 points from the cost signal; above 10 % flags REVIEW and above 20 % FAIL.
- Get it right
- Use controlled figures, such as earned value or the latest cost report, not an estimate from memory.
What this means: Scope stability
- What it is
- How settled the project scope is, judged from the change log, rated 1 (constantly changing) to 5 (stable and agreed).
- Units and format
- Move the slider to a score from 1 (low) to 5 (high).
- Example
- The form opens with 4 as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- Each point adds 4 points to the health score; 2 or less raises a warning.
- Get it right
- Base it on the number and size of recent change requests, not on how the team feels.
What this means: Risk exposure
- What it is
- The overall level of open risk on the project, from the risk register, rated 1 (low) to 5 (very high). A higher rating means more exposure.
- Units and format
- Move the slider to a score from 1 (low) to 5 (high).
- Example
- The form opens with 3 as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- Each step up removes 4 points from the health score.
- Get it right
- The scale runs the other way from the others: a 5 here is bad.
What this means: Resource adequacy
- What it is
- Whether the project has the people, skills and equipment it needs right now, rated 1 (inadequate) to 5 (adequate).
- Units and format
- Move the slider to a score from 1 (low) to 5 (high).
- Example
- The form opens with 4 as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- Each point adds 4 points to the health score; 2 or less raises a warning.
- Get it right
- Count only people actually available to the project, not those named on the plan but busy elsewhere.
Method and formulas
- Schedule and cost signals = 100 − 2 × positive variance % (minimum 0)
- Score = 0.2 × schedule + 0.2 × cost + 20 × scope ÷ 5 + 20 × (6 − risk) ÷ 5 + 20 × resources ÷ 5
- Variance REVIEW above 10%, FAIL above 20%
Limitations
- Favourable variances are not rewarded
- Fixed weights
- Ratings are subjective
Typical uses
- Monthly project reporting
- Portfolio reviews
- Deciding where to focus a recovery
Who it is for
- Project managers
- Sponsors and PMOs
What you get
- HEALTHY, AT RISK or CRITICAL
- Health score and weakest area
- Variance checks
Interpreting the result
- Act on the weakest area first
- Track the score over several periods; the trend matters more than one value
References
- PMI, Practice Standard for Earned Value Management
BIZOMAT tools are screening and decision-support utilities. Verify important financial, engineering, safety, legal or operational decisions using appropriate professional standards and your organisation’s approved data.