Governance · tool 2 of 14
RAG Status Report
RAG Status Report: gives leadership a status they can read in 30 seconds, and the decisions they must take.
Best for: Weekly or bi-weekly reporting · Time: 20 minutes
Domain: Governance · Focus area: Monitoring and Controlling
| Area | Status | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Schedule | Amber | Testing 4 days late, overtime planned |
| Budget | Green | CPI 0.98 |
| Scope | Green | No open change requests |
| Risks | Red | Supplier may miss delivery, decision needed |
| Team | Green | Fully staffed |
How it works
A one-page report that rates the key dimensions — schedule, budget, scope, risks, team — as Red, Amber or Green, with one line of evidence each, plus highlights, next steps and decisions needed.
- Green: on track. Amber: issue the team can recover. Red: needs escalation or a decision.
- Thresholds are agreed in advance (e.g. Amber = up to 10% slippage).
- Trends (↑ ↓) add context to the colours.
How to apply it
- Agree the RAG thresholds with the sponsor at kick-off.
- Each week, rate every dimension with one line of evidence (use SPI/CPI if you have them).
- Give every amber or red line a recovery action and an owner.
- Put “Decisions needed” at the very top.
- Send it on a fixed day so people know when to expect it.
Beware the “watermelon” report — green outside, red inside. Reporting amber early builds more trust than a surprise red.
Use it
- Template: One-Page Status Report (blank), filled example
Quick check
A report that looks green while the project is red inside is called a…
Sources
- PMBOK® Guide, 8th edition, and The Standard for Project Management (PMI, 2025)
Last reviewed 2026-11-02 against the PMBOK® Guide, 8th edition · Practitioner review pending · How this guide is made