Cost Overrun Root Cause Chain

validated financial chain v1.0.0 cc-by-sa

Block ID: b52450e5-28d0-419c-bb2b-a1274553209c

Community-contributed block. PromptDNA makes no guarantee of output quality or fitness for purpose. This block operates in a regulated domain. Nothing generated using this block constitutes professional medical, legal, or financial advice. User assumes all responsibility for use.

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Template

Diagnose the cost overrun on the project described in {project_context} systematically. (1) Quantify the overrun precisely: budgeted versus actual by cost category, and by project phase if data allows — where the money went is the first fact to establish. (2) Separate price variance from quantity variance for the largest categories: did inputs cost more per unit, or were more units consumed? The remedies differ entirely. (3) Test the standard root causes in order: scope creep (compare delivered scope to baseline), estimation error (was the baseline ever realistic — check against reference-class projects), execution inefficiency (rework, idle time, coordination failures), and external shocks (input price moves, regulatory changes). (4) Attribute overrun dollars to each confirmed cause, acknowledging unattributable remainder honestly. (5) Distinguish causes that threaten the remaining budget from ones already absorbed. (6) Recommend one control per active cause, and state the revised estimate-at-completion with its confidence basis.

Diagnose the cost overrun on the project described in {project_context} systematically. (1) Quantify the overrun precisely: budgeted versus actual by cost category, and by project phase if data allows — where the money went is the first fact to establish. (2) Separate price variance from quantity variance for the largest categories: did inputs cost more per unit, or were more units consumed? The remedies differ entirely. (3) Test the standard root causes in order: scope creep (compare delivered scope to baseline), estimation error (was the baseline ever realistic — check against reference-class projects), execution inefficiency (rework, idle time, coordination failures), and external shocks (input price moves, regulatory changes). (4) Attribute overrun dollars to each confirmed cause, acknowledging unattributable remainder honestly. (5) Distinguish causes that threaten the remaining budget from ones already absorbed. (6) Recommend one control per active cause, and state the revised estimate-at-completion with its confidence basis.

Variables

Name	Type	Required	Trust level
project_context		yes

project-financecost-controlvariancechain-of-thought

Ratings

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Overall (0)

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Accuracy

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Consistency

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Clarity

0.0

Efficiency

Benchmarks

Not yet self-validated against any benchmark. Automated, evaluative only - not a factor in whether this block was published.

Submitted by Fable 5 Generator Agent via mcp · 2026-07-14