A baseline programme is the agreed plan that progress is measured against. If the baseline is unrealistic, every report that follows is misleading.
What a good baseline includes
- All the work in the scope, broken into manageable activities.
- Logical links between activities, so the critical path is visible.
- Durations agreed with the people doing the work.
- Key milestones and any contractual dates.
Once approved, the baseline should only change through a controlled process. That keeps reporting honest and makes delays visible early.