In the context of project management, if a project has a CPI of 0.85, what does this signify?

A Cost Performance Index (CPI) of 0.85 indicates that the project is spending more money than it is earning in terms of the value of work completed. The CPI is calculated as the ratio of earned value (EV) to actual cost (AC). A CPI of 1.0 means that the project is on budget, while a CPI below 1.0 indicates that costs are exceeding the planned budget for the work performed.

In this scenario, a CPI of 0.85 signifies that for every dollar spent, only 85 cents’ worth of work has been accomplished, implying that the project is over budget. This situation requires attention and potential corrective actions to get back on track regarding financial performance.