---
title: "Monitoring, evaluation, controlling and life cycle"
subject: "Project Engineering"
chapter: 1
key: "semester_7/project_engineering:monitoring-evaluation-controlling-life-cycle"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/project_engineering/monitoring-evaluation-controlling-life-cycle
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Monitoring, evaluation, controlling and life cycle

Project Engineering · Chapter 1: Introduction of Project and Project Management

- Asked in: 2065 Shrawan (old course), 8 marks
- Video: [Monitoring and Evaluation in Developing Projects | Sociology ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJdutzXh35c) — Sociologylearners
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/project_engineering/monitoring-evaluation-controlling-life-cycle
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/project_engineering/chapter-1

## Question

Explain monitoring, evaluation and controlling and the project life cycle.

## Short answer

The project life cycle has four phases: initiation, planning, implementation, and termination, with effort peaking during execution. Monitoring continuously tracks progress, cost and quality. Evaluation periodically judges relevance, efficiency and impact. Controlling compares actuals to plans and corrects variances. Monitoring and controlling are intense in implementation; evaluation occurs at milestones and closure.

## Answer

#### Project life cycle
The **project life cycle** is the series of phases a project passes through from its start to its end. Each phase ends with a review (gate) before the next begins. The common four-phase model is:

```text
 Initiation -> Planning -> Implementation -> Termination
 (Concept)    (Definition)  (Execution)       (Closure)

 Effort
   ^        ___
   |      /    \___
   |   __/         \__
   |__/               \___
   +--------------------------> Time
```

| Phase | Main work |
|---|---|
| Initiation / concept | Identify need, pre-feasibility, objectives, preliminary cost, go or no-go decision |
| Planning / definition | Detailed design, WBS, schedule, budget, resource and risk plans, contracts |
| Implementation / execution | Mobilisation, procurement, construction or manufacturing, monitoring and control |
| Termination / closure | Testing, handover, final payment, documentation, lessons learned, release of resources |

#### Monitoring
Monitoring is the continuous collection and checking of information on progress, cost, quality and resource use while the project runs, to know whether activities follow the plan.

#### Evaluation
Evaluation is the periodic and systematic judgement of the project's relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability against its objectives. It may be done at mid-term, at completion (ex-post) and later.

#### Controlling
Controlling compares actual performance with the plan, finds variances and takes corrective action to bring the project back on track (or revises the plan).

```text
Plan -> Execute -> Monitor -> Compare -> Correct
  ^                                        |
  +----------------------------------------+
```

#### Relation to the life cycle
- Initiation: feasibility evaluation (ex-ante).
- Planning: baseline set for control.
- Implementation: monitoring and control are most intense.
- Termination: final evaluation and lessons learned.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. What is monitoring?
   A. Correcting variances
   B. Setting objectives
   C. Continuous collection and checking of information on progress, cost, quality and resources while the project runs
   D. A final judgement at completion only
   Answer: C. Monitoring is continuous information collection to see whether activities follow plan. (Key point: Monitoring)

2. Evaluation judges the project against which criteria?
   A. Only schedule
   B. Only cost
   C. Colour and size
   D. Relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability
   Answer: D. Evaluation is a periodic, systematic judgement against objectives on these criteria. (Key point: Evaluation)

3. What does controlling add beyond monitoring?
   A. Only closes project
   B. Finds variances and takes corrective action or revises the plan
   C. Only collects data
   D. Only judges impact
   Answer: B. Controlling compares actual with plan and corrects. (Key point: Controlling)

4. Which is the control cycle?
   A. Monitor, forget, correct
   B. Compare, plan, correct, close
   C. Plan, execute, monitor, compare, correct
   D. Execute, close, plan
   Answer: C. The loop returns to the plan after correction. (Key point: Control loop)

5. In which phase are monitoring and control most intense?
   A. Before feasibility
   B. Termination
   C. Initiation
   D. Implementation
   Answer: D. Planning sets the baseline; implementation is where control is most intense. (Key point: Intensity)

## Related in Project Engineering

- [Short note: Monitoring, evaluation, controlling](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Amonitoring-evaluation-controlling-note) — Project Engineering, chapter 4
- [Monitoring, evaluation, control; control cycle](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Adefine-monitoring-evaluation-control-cycle) — Project Engineering, chapter 4, asked 4×
- [Monitoring vs controlling; EVA concept](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Amonitoring-vs-controlling-eva-concept) — Project Engineering, chapter 4
- [Project life cycle phases and activities](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Alife-cycle-phases-activities) — Project Engineering, chapter 1, asked 5×
- [Monitoring, evaluation, control must; PMIS](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Amonitoring-evaluation-control-must-pmis) — Project Engineering, chapter 4
- [Monitoring vs evaluation; quality control tools](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Amonitoring-vs-evaluation-quality-tools) — Project Engineering, chapter 4

## Related in other subjects

- [Scope of CM and project life cycle phases](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fconstruction_management%3Ascope-lifecycle-phases) — Construction Management, chapter 1, asked 4×
- [Project development life cycle phases](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aproject-development-life-cycle) — ICT Project Management, chapter 1
- [Product versus project life cycle](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aproduct-vs-project-life-cycle) — ICT Project Management, chapter 4
- [Test life cycle in quality control](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Atest-life-cycle) — ICT Project Management, chapter 10