project-status-report

name	project-status-report
description	Write a structured project status report for any project. Use when asked to write a project update, status report, RAG report, project dashboard narrative, or weekly project communication. Produces a clear status report with RAG ratings, milestone progress, risks, and decisions needed.

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

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Project Status Report: [Project Name]

Period: [Date range] | Author: [PM] | Next report: [Date]

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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.

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Executive Summary

[3-5 sentences. Headline story. If it is Red, say so immediately and why. Never bury bad news after good news.]

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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]

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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]

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Risks

Risk	Likelihood	Impact	Mitigation	Owner
[Risk]	H/M/L	H/M/L	[Action]	[Name]

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Decisions Required

Decision	Background	Options	Recommendation	Needed by
[Decision]	[Context]	[Options]	[Recommendation]	[Date]

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Budget Summary

	Budget	Actual to date	Forecast	Variance
Total	£	£	£	£ F/A

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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]"