Hard data collection should be routine, easy, and not too time-consuming. On most projects, people are so busy that if collecting hard status information is not simple, it will not get done. At a minimum, collect: Schedule data, such as activities completed and activities scheduled but not completed, milestones completed or missed, actual activity start and finish dates, and duration remaining for incomplete activities Resource data, including actual effort consumed, cost data, remaining effort for incomplete work, and missing resources Data regarding issues, problems, and specification changes Kendrick, Tom. Identifying and Managing Project Risk: Essential Tools for Failure-Proofing Your Project (p. 303). AMACOM. Kindle Edition