Project Status Report Skill
Produces a clear, structured project status report — the weekly communication that keeps stakeholders informed without requiring a meeting.
Required Inputs
- Project name
- Reporting period
- Current RAG status (Red / Amber / Green)
- Key milestones (due, delivered, coming)
- Issues or blockers
- Decisions needed from stakeholders
- Budget status (if tracked)
- Audience (steering committee / sponsor / PMO / full team)
Output Structure
Project Status Report: [Project Name]
Period: [Date range] | Author: [PM] | Next report: [Date]
Overall Status
| Dimension | Status | Last period | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | Red / Amber / Green | [Last] | Improving / Stable / Declining |
| Schedule | |||
| Budget | |||
| Scope | |||
| Risks |
RAG definitions:
- Green: On track. No significant issues.
- Amber: At risk. Issues identified but mitigations in place.
- Red: Off track. Escalation or decisions required to recover.
Executive Summary
[3-5 sentences. Headline story. If it is Red, say so immediately and why. Never bury bad news after good news.]
Milestone Progress
| Milestone | Due date | Status | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Milestone] | [Date] | Complete / At risk / Delayed / On track | [One line] |
Completed this period: [What was delivered] Due next period: [What is expected]
Issues and Blockers
[Issue title] — Critical / High / Low
- Description: [What the issue is]
- Impact: [What happens if unresolved]
- Owner: [Who is resolving]
- Action: [What is being done]
- Resolution date: [When it will be closed]
Risks
| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Risk] | H/M/L | H/M/L | [Action] | [Name] |
Decisions Required
| Decision | Background | Options | Recommendation | Needed by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Decision] | [Context] | [Options] | [Recommendation] | [Date] |
Budget Summary
| Budget | Actual to date | Forecast | Variance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | £ | £ | £ | £ F/A |
Next Period Plan
[3-5 specific bullet points — what will happen next period]
Writing Rules
- Never soften a Red status
- Milestones are binary: complete or not complete
- Decisions must be genuinely actionable
- Keep to one page where possible
Quality Checks
- Red status is stated immediately (not buried after positives)
- Every issue has a named owner and a resolution date
- Decisions required are genuinely actionable by the audience
- Milestones are binary (complete or not complete — no "85% done")
- Executive summary can stand alone for a stakeholder who reads nothing else
Anti-Patterns
- Do not rate project health as Green while listing unresolved critical blockers
- Do not report milestone progress as a percentage — milestones are binary: complete or not complete
- Do not bury risks at the bottom — if something is high risk, it belongs in the executive summary
- Do not leave decisions required without specifying who must decide and by when
- Do not write an executive summary that requires reading the full report to understand — it must stand alone
Example Trigger Phrases
- "Write a project status report for [project]"
- "Generate a RAG status update for [project]"
- "Write the steering committee report for [project]"