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You use a constraints, assumptions, risks, issues, and changes tracker (CARIC tracker) to track a project's constraints, assumptions, risks, issues, and changes throughout the project. Creating a CARIC tracker early in the project helps you to identify and respond to constraints, assumptions, risks, issues, and changes throughout the project.
You set up a CARIC tracker based on the information from the project charter, stakeholder register, team charter, scope baseline, schedule baseline, and cost estimates. Next, at the project kickoff meetings, and throughout the project lifecycle, you collect input from the project team and client stakeholders to update, monitor, and maintain the CARIC tracker regularly.
Access our CARIC Tracker Template (including examples)!
Steps for How to Create a CARIC Tracker
Keep reading to learn about how to create a CARIC tracker:
- Constraints and Assumptions
- Risks and Issues
- Changes
Constraints and Assumptions
You should track project assumptions and constraints in your CARIC tracker. According to the PMBOK® Guide (2021), a project assumption is “a factor that is considered to be true, real, or certain, without proof or demonstration,” and a project constraint is “a factor that limits the options for managing a project, program, portfolio or process.”
Assumptions and constraints may be around any factor of the project, such as the scope, schedule, budget, resources, processes, etc.
Examples of project assumptions
- Stakeholder engagement: Stakeholders will provide timely feedback.
- Supplier performance: Suppliers will deliver materials on time.
- Regulatory compliance: Project will adhere to industry regulations.
- Technology compatibility: New tools will work with existing systems.
- Market conditions: Market preferences will remain stable.
Examples of project constraints
- Time limit: Project must finish by a specific date.
- Budget cap: Available funds are fixed.
- Scope boundaries: Only specific features will be included.
- Quality standards: Project must meet certain quality levels.
- Geographical factors: Location-related challenges.
It is important to describe any assumptions and constraints made prior to starting a project, and to confirm them to be true, so that the project stakeholders can successfully plan for the project and reference them, as well as any new assumptions or constraints that develop, throughout the project.
Ask these questions to confirm a project’s constraints
- Are there any specific time constraints or deadlines that we must meet?
- Are there any budgetary constraints or financial limitations?
- Are there any resource constraints, such as limited availability of personnel or equipment?
- Are there any regulatory or compliance constraints that we need to consider?
- Are there any technological or infrastructure constraints?
- Are there any organizational or contractual constraints?
Ask these questions to confirm a project’s assumptions
- Are there any assumptions about the project's scope, requirements, or dependencies?
- Are there any assumptions about the availability or capability of resources?
- Are there any assumptions about external factors, market conditions, or customer preferences?
- Are there any assumptions about the project's timeline or schedule?
- Are there any assumptions about the project's budget or funding?
Risks and Issues
Next, you should document project risks that occur during the project lifecycle in your CARIC tracker. Project risks are potential events or situations that, if they occur, could have a negative or positive impact on the scope, schedule, budget, resources, processes, or quality. These events are uncertain and may or may not happen. Risks can stem from various sources, such as external factors, internal challenges, or uncertainties in the project environment.
Examples of project risks
- Budget overruns due to unexpected expenses.
- Delays caused by unforeseen technical issues.
- Key team members leaving the project unexpectedly.
- Vendor or supplier-related issues affecting the supply chain.
- Regulatory changes that impact project compliance.
You should also document project issues that occur during the project lifecycle in your CARIC tracker. Project issues, on the other hand, are problems or challenges that have already occurred and are currently affecting the project's scope, schedule, budget, resources, processes, or quality. Unlike risks, issues are certain and are actively influencing the project in a negative way. Issues can also stem from various sources, such as external factors, internal challenges, or uncertainties in the project environment.
Examples of project issues
- Technical glitches causing system crashes.
- Unresolved conflicts among team members.
- Resource shortages leading to bottlenecks.
- Unexpected scope changes requested by stakeholders.
- Quality control failures affecting product performance.
Identifying a project's risks and issues equips the project team with the insights and tools needed to proactively manage challenges, make informed decisions, and steer the project toward successful outcomes. It's an essential part of the project management process that contributes to effective planning, execution, and overall project success.
Ask these questions to identify a project’s risks
- What are the potential risks or uncertainties that could impact the project's success?
- Are there any known risks related to technology, resources, or dependencies?
- What are the potential risks associated with stakeholders, such as resistance to change or lack of engagement?
- Are there any external risks, such as market volatility or regulatory changes, that could affect the project?
- Are there any risks related to project deliverables, quality, or performance?
- Are there any risks related to project communication or coordination?
Ask these questions to identify a project’s issues
- Are there any current or ongoing issues we need to address within the project?
- Are there any issues related to project scope, requirements, or expectations?
- Are there any issues with resource allocation or availability?
- Are there any issues with project scheduling or task dependencies?
- Are there any issues with stakeholder management or communication?
- Are there any issues with project budgeting or fiscal management?
Check out How to Manage Risks for Your Project (coming soon) for more information on how to manage risks and issues throughout your project.
Changes
Finally, you also should document all approved changes that occur during the project lifecycle in your CARIC tracker. Changes to a project can include approved alterations, modifications, or adjustments made to the original scope, requirements, schedule, budget, resources, or any other aspect of a project.
Examples of project changes
- Scope adjustments: Adding or removing deliverables.
- Schedule shifts: Extending the project timeline.
- Budget modifications: Increasing the project budget.
- Resource reallocation: Removing or adding new team members.
- External factors: Responding to unforeseen events.
Documenting a project's approved changes helps the project team understand what modifications are happening, adjust plans, accordingly, manage resources effectively, communicate changes with stakeholders, and ensure that the project remains aligned with its goals and objectives.
Ask these questions to identify changes for a project
- Are there any requested changes to the project scope, requirements, or deliverables?
- Have there been any changes to the project timeline or schedule?
- Are there any changes in resource availability or allocation?
- Have there been any changes in stakeholder expectations or requirements?
- Are there any external changes, such as market shifts or regulatory updates, that could impact the project?
Check out How to Manage Change for Your Project (coming soon) for more information on how to manage changes throughout your project.
What’s Next?
After you create a CARIC tracker for your project, you are ready to create the rest of the planning documents and execute the work for your project.
Check out How to Plan Your Project for more information on how to plan your project.
Source:
Project Management Institute. (2017). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th ed.). https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/PMBOK.