A useful project update should make decisions easier

A status report is not a diary

Stakeholders usually do not need every task that moved yesterday. They need enough information to understand whether the project is moving toward its outcome and where their attention is required.

The format I find most useful

• Progress: what was completed or materially advanced.
• Next: the next meaningful milestone.
• Risks: uncertain events that could affect objectives.
• Issues: problems already affecting the work.
• Decisions: the owner, decision required and date.

The point is not to make the project look green. The point is to make the real situation understandable early enough that people can act.