What is a Project Baseline? And Project Baselining?

A new Project Plan needs a Baseline. It's how we keep ourselves honest, as Project Managers. But, what is a Project Baseline? A baseline is the final, approved version of the project plan, its schedule, budget, and scope statement. It is the version against which you will measure all progress and evolution of your project. Of the many formal definitions, I like best those from: PMBOK 7 ‘The approved version of a work product used a basis for comparison to actual results.’ PRINCE2 ‘Reference against which an entity is monitored and controlled.’ A Baseline is created at the start of a project or a stage in a project, to provide a basis for monitor and control. After a significant disruption or unexpected outcome, we may also re-baseline our project. Recommended Videos Carefully curated video recommendations for you: 🎬 Project Planning Process - How to Build Effective Project Plans https://youtu.be/9G_LwG8ozpo 🎬 Building a Project Plan - Conversation with Kristina Kushner https://youtu.be/HwWvg7bm9hY 🎬 How to Anticipate Future Budget Challenges to Your Project https://youtu.be/yaKS5AJKhWc 🎬 What to do When you get Pressure to Reduce Your Project Budget https://youtu.be/tqy4i2dKx3Q A while back, I asked Project Managers in a couple of forums what material things you need to have, to do your job as a Project Manager. They responded magnificently. I compiled their answers into a Kit list. https://kit.co/MikeClayton/what-a-project-manager-needs Note that the links are affiliated. For more great Project Management videos, please subscribe to this channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMZfp1_wquyegVY9SoER0Nw?sub_confirmation=1 For all our great Project Management articles and resources, please check out the OnlinePMCourses website: https://onlinepmcourses.com/ For basic Management Courses - free training hosted on YouTube, with 2 new management lessons a week, check out our sister channel, Management Courses: http://youtube.com/c/managementcourses For more of our Project Management videos in themed collections, join our Free Academy of Project Management: https://onlinepmcourses.com/free-academy-of-project-management/ Chapter Markers... 00:00 - Start 00:10 - My description of baseline 00:37 - Formal definitions of baseline 00:52 - PMBOK 7 definition of baseline 01:09 - PRINCE2 definition of baseline 01:21 - Why we create a baseline 01:33 - Re-baselining 02:43 - Baselining and PM software 03:36 - ‘A baseline’ and ‘to baseline’ 03:48 - What we usually baseline 04:47 - Other thing we can baseline 07:17 - My final definition of a baseline #Project #ProjectManagement #MikeClayton