Project Health Metrics for Executives: What to Track and Why
Sprint velocity. Story points completed. Burn-down charts. These metrics matter to delivery teams—but do they tell you if a project will succeed? For executives, the answer is usually no.
The Metrics Paradox
Modern project management tools generate mountains of data. Dashboards overflow with charts, graphs, and numbers. Yet when executives need to assess project health, they often feel less informed than ever.
Why? Because most metrics are designed for operational management, not strategic oversight. They answer "What happened this sprint?" not "Will this project succeed?"
The Five Pillars of Executive Project Health
After analyzing hundreds of projects, we've identified five health dimensions that actually predict project outcomes:
1. Momentum: Is Progress Consistent?
Momentum isn't about how fast a team moves—it's about consistency. Erratic progress patterns often signal deeper problems.
What to track:
- Documentation frequency — Are updates happening regularly or in sporadic bursts?
- Decision velocity — How quickly are decisions being made and implemented?
- Milestone completion rate — Are milestones being hit on schedule?
Warning signs:
- Long gaps between updates (3+ days silence)
- Milestone dates repeatedly shifting
- Decisions pending for more than a week
2. Blockers: What's Stopping Progress?
Every project has blockers. What matters is how they're handled.
What to track:
- Active blocker count — How many blockers exist right now?
- Blocker age — How long have blockers been unresolved?
- Blocker resolution rate — Are blockers being cleared faster than new ones appear?
- Blocker severity — Are these minor inconveniences or project-threatening issues?
Warning signs:
- Blockers aging beyond 5 days without resolution
- Same blockers reappearing after being "resolved"
- High-severity blockers with no escalation
3. Stakeholder Engagement: Is Everyone Aligned?
Projects rarely fail for technical reasons. They fail because stakeholders disengage, expectations diverge, or communication breaks down.
What to track:
- Client interaction frequency — When did you last hear from the client?
- Feedback incorporation rate — Is client feedback being addressed?
- Escalation patterns — Are issues being escalated appropriately?
Warning signs:
- No client interaction in 2+ weeks
- Feedback acknowledged but not actioned
- Stakeholders surprised by project status
4. Risk Trajectory: Are Risks Increasing or Decreasing?
Static risk registers are useless. What matters is whether the risk profile is improving or deteriorating over time.
What to track:
- Open risk count — Is the number growing or shrinking?
- Risk severity trend — Are high-severity risks being mitigated?
- New risk emergence rate — Are new risks appearing faster than old ones close?
Warning signs:
- Risk register hasn't been updated in 2+ weeks
- High-severity risks without mitigation plans
- Same risks persisting month after month
5. Team Sentiment: What's the Mood?
The most undervalued health indicator. Team sentiment often predicts problems weeks before they surface in metrics.
What to track:
- Language patterns — Is communication becoming terse or frustrated?
- Blocker descriptions — Are they matter-of-fact or emotionally charged?
- Response times — Is the team becoming less responsive?
Warning signs:
- Shift from collaborative to defensive language
- Increased mentions of "frustration," "blocked," "waiting"
- Declining engagement in updates
"We track sprint velocity religiously. But the project that failed us had perfect velocity right up until it collapsed. What we missed was that blockers were aging, client communication had stopped, and the PM's updates had become increasingly terse."
— CTO, Enterprise Software Company
Building Your Executive Health Dashboard
An effective executive dashboard distills these five pillars into actionable signals:
The Traffic Light Model
| Indicator | Green | Yellow | Red |
|---|---|---|---|
| Momentum | Daily updates | 2-3 day gaps | 5+ day silence |
| Blockers | 0-2 active, <3 days old | 3-4 active, aging | 5+ or >7 days old |
| Stakeholders | Weekly contact | 2 week gap | 3+ week gap |
| Risks | Decreasing/stable | Slowly increasing | Rapidly increasing |
| Sentiment | Positive/neutral | Neutral/concerned | Frustrated/disengaged |
The Composite Health Score
Combine these indicators into a single 0-100 health score:
- 90-100: Excellent — Project on track, no intervention needed
- 70-89: Good — Minor issues, monitor closely
- 50-69: At Risk — Intervention recommended
- Below 50: Critical — Immediate attention required
From Metrics to Action
Metrics are only valuable if they drive action. For each health dimension, define:
- Thresholds — At what point does yellow become red?
- Escalation paths — Who gets notified when thresholds are breached?
- Response protocols — What happens next?
Without clear action triggers, even perfect metrics become ignored dashboards.
See Project Health at a Glance
DiaryCraft automatically calculates health scores from daily PM activities.
Start Free TodayKey Takeaways
- Traditional PM metrics (velocity, story points) don't predict project success
- Focus on five health pillars: Momentum, Blockers, Stakeholders, Risks, Sentiment
- Use the traffic light model for quick status assessment
- Create a composite health score (0-100) for portfolio views
- Define action triggers—metrics without responses are useless