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Project management KPIs
Knowledge Train19 Feb 2026

Copied!Key takeaways
Well-chosen KPIs turn project delivery into measurable, controllable performance.KPIs are the few critical metrics that directly indicate progress towards project objectives.
Use SMART, time-bound KPIs that are measurable, relevant to stakeholders, and aligned to goals.Track a balanced set across budget, schedule, quality, customer outcomes, and resource use.
Limit KPIs to a manageable number to avoid noise and keep decision-making focused.Use dashboards, consistent data collection, and regular reviews to spot trends and act early.

Build buy-in by positioning KPIs as improvement tools, not punishment, and validating data quality.

Contents
Contents		Introduction
	Understanding project management KPIs

FAQs

Infographic

IntroductionKey Performance Indicators, often referred to as KPIs, are a project management metric set that can help project teams to measure the success of their projects. KPIs are quantitative metrics that can provide

project managers

with essential insights into the health and progress of a project. Project managers who set and implement effective KPIs can keep track of project performance in an objective way, pinpoint problem areas, take timely corrective action, make well-informed decisions, and also report on their progress to stakeholders.

In this article, we are going to discuss the importance of KPIs for

project management

. We will also show you how to select the right KPIs for your project, how to successfully implement them in your work processes, and how to use them effectively. We will also take a closer look at the types of KPIs you can use in project management, KPI characteristics, and other tips and best practices.

If you are a project manager or a professional in the field of project management, then KPIs are something you should familiarise yourself with in order to successfully complete projects.

Introduction project management certificationsSelf-paced online training courses (e-learning) include:Select your preferred training course below:

so you can choose the best one for you.Certification exam(s) where applicable

Types of project management qualificationsAccredited training course materialsIT QUALIFICATIONSThere are 2 types of project management qualifications: knowledge-based and competency-based.Support from expert, experienced trainersSelect your preferred qualification.Knowledge-based qualificationsLatest educational technology.

Knowledge-based qualifications require a candidate to show their knowledge of ITIL COURSESproject managementBUSINESS SOLUTIONSSelect your preferred training course below: – mainly by passing an examination.

Knowledge-based qualifications are suited for people seeking entry to the project manager profession because they usually do not require any prior project management experience. LEARNING LIBRARIES

Competency-based qualificationsTO HELP ORGANISATIONS IMPROVESelect your preferred training course topic.

Competency-based qualifications require a candidate to show their abilities across a range of project manager competencies. This is done by observing a candidate working alone, working in a group and by interview.We offer solutions to help improve team performance including: They often require prior project management experience. They are suited to people who want to benchmark their skills against other project managers in the profession.Consultancy servicesAI QUALIFICATIONS & WORKSHOPSThe rest of this article will only consider knowledge-based Staff developmentSelect your preferred qualification or workshop.

project management certificationCompliance training

The human side of change: strategies for effective change leadership

Project management qualification levelsCustom e-Learning developmentSelect your preferred training course below:

Entry-level qualifications BCS AI COURSES

Find out moreSelect your preferred training course below:

These teach students about project management concepts and terminology. Higher-level qualifications AIPGF COURSES

Select your preferred training course below:

These teach students to apply project management concepts and methods.

Enhance your skills with our expert-led courses AI WORKSHOPS CONTACT USSelect your preferred workshop below:

Knowledge Train is a PRINCE2 Accredited Training Organization.

How APMG Change Management qualifications can help your career

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Characteristics of effective project management KPIs

PhoneKPIs have specific characteristics which make them better suited to project management . Here is a quick run down on some of the features that you want to see in your performance indicators.

How can we help?SMART criteria for KPI development

is an acronym commonly used when referring to best practice in developing KPIs. This means that each performance indicator should be: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based. To develop the best KPIs, you should focus on these five characteristics.

The first characteristic is that good KPIs are focused on the central goals of the project. In other words, if your project has specific

primary objectives

OUR VALUES that you are trying to reach, your KPIs should measure how close you are to reaching these. This way, you know that when you reach your KPIs, you are making progress on your projects overall.Our 6 core values are everything we do. They include:Measurability and quantifiability

IntegrityPerformance indicators that are

DiversityquantitativeKnowledge Train is an MSP Accredited Training Organization.

Fairness have a major advantage over those that are qualitative. This is because numbers and figures are simple to collect, track, and share. QualityMost quantitative measures are also easy to compare. This is because numbers have a simple natural order from largest to smallest, allowing you to easily see progress or regress in each of your indicators.Knowledge Train is a PRINCE2 Accredited Training Organization.InnovationRelevance to stakeholders

Social responsibilityThe value of a performance indicator is mostly related to how informative it is to those managing a project. In other words, if a KPI does not tell project managers anything they need to know, it is not very useful.Knowledge Train is an AgilePM Accredited Training Organization.

Is Change Management the course for you?

PRINCE2 Agile PractitionerSOCIAL RESPONSIBILITYmeaningfulKnowledge Train is a PRINCE2 Agile Accredited Training Organization.

Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ) Time-bound natureKnowledge Train is a Better Business Cases Accredited Training Organization.

Project Management Qualification (PMQ) A KPI should also have a

APM Group (APMG) and Agile Business Consortium set timeKnowledge Train is an AgilePM Accredited Training Organization.AgilePM Foundation for which it will be measured and by which it will be achieved. The time factor gives room to track progress and make necessary adjustments to the project.

AgilePM Practitioner Addition of the above characteristics will help Knowledge Train is a PRINCE2 Agile Accredited Training Organization.

Project Management Institute project managers

®AWARDS create KPIs that will give you the most realistic and actionable insight. Meaningful indicators of this kind are a strong weapon to lead your Knowledge Train is a Lean Six Sigma Accredited Training Organization. (PMIWe don’t go seeking awards, but here are two of the awards we have received for our training.project ® to success.BCS accredited training partner for Business Analysis.

) Essential project management KPIs

Guiding your team through change using the Satir change model

® project

Simon Buehring® Budget-related KPIs Specialist: DSV

23 Feb 2026UK project management qualifications Cost performance index (CPI)AXELOS Peoplecert accredited training organisation for ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library).

: The CPIAXELOS Peoplecert accredited training organisation for ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library).

is an indicator of how much you are under or over budget in a project. It is measured by dividing the planned cost of work performed by the actual cost. If it is more than one, the project is under budget, and if it is lower than one, it is over budget.

Budget varianceKnowledge Train is an AIPGF Accredited Training Organization.

: This KPI calculates the difference between the actual spend and the planned spend. It allows you to detect quickly if you are under or over the budget and when to make financial changes.Schedule-related KPIsSchedule performance index (SPI)

: The

is a measure of how on track you are for meeting the timeline set for the project. The SPI value of 1 indicates that the actual work progress meets the work planned. The SPI is a value greater or less than 1 if the project is ahead or behind the

, respectively.

On-time completion rate

: The on-time completion rate KPI helps you monitor the rate at which tasks or milestones are completed by the due date. This gives you the overview of the project’s timeline adherence and helps you to catch potential delays.

Characteristics of effective KPIs

FAQs

Infographic

project managers

In this article, we are going to discuss the importance of KPIs for