What is the S-Curve in Project Management? In project management glossary, an s-curve is a mathematical graph that illustrates relevant cumulative data for a project; such as cost or man-hours—plotted against time. The reason it’s called an s-curve is that the shape of the graph commonly float a loose, shallow “S.” (The shape depends on the type of project, though, so other formations are possible.)An s-curve in project management is typically used to track the progress of a project. In today’s fast-moving business climate, ensuring that a project is on schedule and on-budget is paramount to its success. Why an “S”? The s-curve often forms the shape of an “s” because the growth of the project in the beginning stages is usually slow: The balls are just beginning to roll; team members are either researching the industry or just starting to engage in the first phase of execution, which can take longer at first, before they get the hang of it or before there are kinks to work out. The...