What Are Project Controls?
A Foundational Guide for Smarter Project Delivery
By David Gray | DavidGrayProjects.com
Introduction: More Than Just Oversight
Project controls are often misunderstood as a back-office function—a set of reports created after the fact. In reality, they’re one of the most powerful levers a project owner or delivery team can use to drive predictability, reduce risk, and make proactive decisions.
When implemented well, project controls act like a guidance system for capital projects. They connect scope, schedule, and budget to real-world decisions in real time. When implemented poorly—or not at all—projects drift, owners lose visibility, and decision-makers are left reacting instead of steering.
Let’s break down what project controls are, how they function, and why they matter more today than ever.
What Are Project Controls?
At their core, project controls are the tools, processes, and systems used to plan, monitor, and manage the scope, cost, schedule, and risks of a project. Their purpose isn’t just to report what happened—it’s to influence what happens next.
Project controls span the entire lifecycle of a project:
During planning, they help set realistic budgets and schedules.
During delivery, they track progress, forecast outcomes, and identify deviations.
Post-completion, they feed lessons learned back into future work.
The Core Elements of Project Controls
Here are the key pillars that form a comprehensive controls program:
| Function | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Cost Control | Tracks budget, actuals, forecasts, and change orders |
| Schedule Control | Builds baselines, monitors progress, and flags slippage |
| Risk Management | Identifies potential threats and opportunities and quantifies impact |
| Change Management | Evaluates how changes affect time, cost, scope, and resources |
| Document Controls | Maintains clear records for design, scope, submittals, and correspondence |
| Reporting | Communicates status and trends to stakeholders in real-time |
| Earned Value Analysis | Measures progress against budget and time using quantitative metrics |
Why Project Controls Matter
Here’s what strong controls unlock:
Predictability – You can’t control what you can’t measure. Controls give decision-makers clarity on where a project stands and where it’s heading.
Accountability – Clear reporting and traceability reduce finger-pointing and drive better vendor and team performance.
Confidence – Boards, CFOs, and executives need confidence in the numbers. Controls provide the defensible data to support major decisions.
In the absence of controls, teams often mistake “busy” for “productive.” Progress becomes anecdotal. Problems hide until it’s too late.
Real-World Impact: A Quick Example
We were recently brought into a manufacturing facility expansion that had fallen behind. The schedule had slipped by 12 weeks, and the client didn’t know whether it was due to procurement, subcontractors, or permitting.
Within 10 days, we implemented a basic control dashboard. That allowed us to:
Map slippage to supply chain delays and scope creep
Isolate $1.2M in pending change orders tied to undocumented design decisions
Re-baseline the project schedule with realistic forecasts
The result? The project got back on track, regained board trust, and avoided $3M in additional delay penalties.
Controls vs. Project Management
It’s important to clarify: controls aren’t project management—they empower project management. Think of it this way:
Project management = Planning and executing the work
Project controls = Measuring and adjusting the performance of that work
A great PM without controls is like a pilot without instruments: capable, but flying blind in clouds.
How Project Controls Scale
Whether you're managing a $2 million retrofit or a $2 billion hyperscale data center, controls scale with the risk. What changes is the level of detail, automation, and reporting cadence—not the fundamentals.
Smaller projects may use monthly forecasts and manual tracking. Larger programs demand real-time dashboards, cost/schedule integration, and advanced tools like Monte Carlo risk modeling or earned value systems.
Tools & Technologies We Recommend
If you're just starting out, here are a few tools worth considering:
| Purpose | Recommended Tools |
|---|---|
| Cost Tracking | Procore, ARES Prism, Microsoft Excel (early) |
| Scheduling | Primavera P6, MS Project, Smartsheet |
| Risk Management | @Risk, Safran Risk, Excel Monte Carlo Add-ins |
| Reporting | Power BI, Tableau, SmartPM |
Whatever you choose, ensure your systems talk to each other. A siloed scheduling tool and a disconnected cost forecast will only create confusion.
Final Thoughts
At the heart of project controls is a simple idea: you can’t fix what you can’t see.
Controls shine a light on what’s really happening on your project—financially, operationally, and strategically. For owners, they’re not just about compliance—they’re about confidence. For delivery teams, they’re the difference between being in control or constantly catching up.
📌 Want to Go Deeper?
This post kicks off our “Mastering Project Controls” series. In upcoming blogs, we’ll dive into:
Cost Control – Planning for Predictability
Schedule Control – Avoiding Timeline Drift
Change Management – Managing the Inevitable
Risk – The Overlooked Strategy Tool
…and more.
If you’re responsible for delivering capital projects, follow along.
Read the consulting version of this article:
What Are Project Controls? – Albers Management
About the Author
David Gray is a capital delivery strategist, owner’s representative, and founder of DavidGrayProjects.com. With over two decades of experience helping organizations bring complex projects to life—from data centers and healthcare facilities to higher-ed campuses—David blends practical delivery with forward-thinking strategy.
He writes about project controls, capital planning, and real estate development to help leaders deliver smarter, faster, and more sustainably.
📩 Connect on LinkedIn | 🌐 Explore More at DavidGrayProjects.com | 🌐 Explore More at AlbersMgmt.com