What should a project manager analyze to understand project variances that need communication?

• A. Project management plan
• B. Work performance information
• C. Project documents
• D. Organizational process assets

Answer: (C)

To understand project variances that necessitate communication, a project manager should focus on work performance information. This involves analyzing the data generated during project execution, which reflects the actual performance compared to the planned performance. Work performance information provides insight into various metrics, such as progress against the schedule, cost performance, and quality levels. Through this analysis, a project manager can identify deviations from the plan, assess the severity of these variances, and determine the necessary communications to stakeholders regarding overall project health and any required corrective actions.

The project management plan, while essential for establishing how the project will be executed and controlled, may not directly indicate variances without being compared against real-time performance data. Project documents can provide context and details about project requirements and previous decisions but do not directly reflect the present performance levels. Organizational process assets, such as lessons learned and historical data, can offer valuable information for future projects but may not specifically address current variances in performance.