pjt222 Generate a Project Status Report
Periodic status: read artifacts → metrics → summary (accomplishments, blockers, next) → RAG health (sched/scope/budget/quality).
Use When
- End of sprint/period (wk/bi-wk/mo)
- Stakeholder health req
- Pre steering/governance meeting
- Health change (new blocker/risk)
- Checkpoint vs charter milestones
In
- Required: period (start, end)
- Required: ≥1 artifact (BACKLOG.md, SPRINT-PLAN.md, WBS.md, PROJECT-CHARTER.md)
- Optional: prior reports (trend)
- Optional: budget/resource data
- Optional: risk register updates
Do
Step 1: Read artifacts
Scan proj dir:
- PROJECT-CHARTER.md — milestones, success criteria
- BACKLOG.md — item counts, burn-down
- SPRINT-PLAN.md — goal, committed, task done
- WBS.md — work pkg %
- Prior STATUS-REPORT-*.md — trend
Adapt to what exists.
→ ≥1 read, key metrics extracted.
If err: no artifacts → can't generate. Create charter/backlog first via draft-project-charter or manage-backlog.
Step 2: Metrics
Agile (BACKLOG.md / SPRINT-PLAN.md):
- Velocity: pts this sprint
- Completion: done/committed
- Burn-down: remaining vs prev
- Cycle time: avg days In Progress → Done
Classic (WBS.md):
- % complete: pkgs done / total
- Schedule variance: planned vs actual
- Effort variance: est vs consumed
## Metrics
| Metric | Value | Previous | Trend |
|--------|-------|----------|-------|
| Velocity | [N] pts | [N] pts | ↑/↓/→ |
| Sprint Completion | [N]% | [N]% | ↑/↓/→ |
| Backlog Remaining | [N] pts | [N] pts | ↓ (good) |
| Schedule Variance | [+/-N days] | [+/-N days] | |
→ 3-5 metrics w/ prev comparison.
If err: no historical (first) → omit prev + trend cols. Incomplete → note gaps + track action items.
Step 3: Blockers, risks, issues
## Blockers & Risks
| ID | Type | Description | Severity | Owner | Status | Action Required |
|----|------|------------|----------|-------|--------|----------------|
| R-001 | Risk | [Description] | High | [Name] | Open | [Action] |
| B-001 | Blocker | [Description] | Critical | [Name] | Active | [Action by date] |
| I-001 | Issue | [Description] | Medium | [Name] | Investigating | [Action] |
Cross-ref charter risk register. Flag new.
→ All blockers + top risks w/ owners + actions.
If err: no blockers → explicit "No active blockers", don't leave empty. No owner → escalate to PM.
Step 4: Accomplishments + next plan
## Accomplishments (This Period)
- [Completed item/milestone with evidence]
- [Completed item/milestone with evidence]
- [Completed item/milestone with evidence]
## Planned (Next Period)
- [Planned item/milestone with target]
- [Planned item/milestone with target]
- [Planned item/milestone with target]
→ 3-5 accomplishments w/ evidence, 3-5 planned.
If err: no accomplishments → reason (blocked, replanning, unavail). Next unclear → "Planning session scheduled for [date]".
Step 5: RAG + write
| Dimension | Green | Amber | Red |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule | On track or ahead | 1-2 weeks behind | >2 weeks behind or milestone missed |
| Scope | No uncontrolled changes | Minor scope adjustments | Scope creep affecting deliverables |
| Budget | Within 5% of plan | 5-15% over plan | >15% over plan or untracked |
| Quality | Tests pass, criteria met | Minor quality issues | Critical defects or acceptance failures |
Write:
# Status Report: [Project Name]
## Report Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
## Reporting Period: [Start] to [End]
## Document ID: SR-[PROJECT]-[YYYY-MM-DD]
### Overall Health
| Dimension | Status | Notes |
|-----------|--------|-------|
| Schedule | 🟢/🟡/🔴 | [One-line explanation] |
| Scope | 🟢/🟡/🔴 | [One-line explanation] |
| Budget | 🟢/🟡/🔴 | [One-line explanation] |
| Quality | 🟢/🟡/🔴 | [One-line explanation] |
### Executive Summary
[2-3 sentences: overall status, key achievement, biggest risk]
### Metrics
[From Step 2]
### Accomplishments
[From Step 4]
### Blockers & Risks
[From Step 3]
### Planned Next Period
[From Step 4]
### Decisions Needed
- [Decision 1 — needed by date, from whom]
---
*Report prepared by: [Name/Agent]*
Save STATUS-REPORT-[YYYY-MM-DD].md.
→ Complete report w/ RAG + metrics + narrative.
If err: insufficient for RAG → ⚪ (Grey) "insufficient data" + list data needed next report.
Check
- Report file created, date-stamped
- RAG all 4 dims w/ justify
- ≥3 metrics from artifacts
- Blockers section present (even "No active")
- Accomplishments w/ evidence
- Next plan
- Exec summary 2-3 sentences
- Every blocker/risk has owner + action + deadline
Traps
- No data: evidence-based. Every claim → artifact/metric.
- All green always: no evidence = not honest. Challenge green.
- Blocker w/o owner: no owner → not resolved.
- Metric w/o context: "Velocity=18" meaningless alone. Always prev/target.
- Too long: 2 min scan. 1-2 pages.
- Missing decisions: explicit w/ deadlines.
- Stale data: verify artifact dates match period.
- Missing trends: first-time OK, later must compare.
→
draft-project-charter— milestones + success criteriamanage-backlog— backlog metrics feed reportplan-sprint— sprint results: velocity + completioncreate-work-breakdown-structure— WBS % drives classic metricsconduct-retrospective— report data feeds retro