If a project adds holes to a golf course, which analysis should be used to compare post-project performance?

If a project adds holes to a golf course, which analysis should be used to compare post-project performance?

• A. Trend analysis
• B. Break-even analysis
• C. Portfolio analysis
• D. Base year analysis

Answer: (D)

Focus on a fixed starting point to measure change. Base year analysis uses a year (or period) before the project to establish baseline metrics—things like rounds played, total revenue, utilization, and operating costs. Then you compare post-project performance to that baseline, often as percentage changes. This anchors the measurement so you can see the true impact of adding holes, isolating it from broader trends or seasonality. Why this fits best here: it provides a consistent reference point, letting you quantify how much performance has shifted since the project was completed. Other methods aren’t as well suited for isolating the project’s effect: trend analysis shows direction over time but not the change from a specific baseline; break-even analysis focuses on the volume needed to cover costs rather than measuring post-project performance against a point in time; portfolio analysis looks at multiple projects together rather than isolating one project’s impact.

Focus on a fixed starting point to measure change. Base year analysis uses a year (or period) before the project to establish baseline metrics—things like rounds played, total revenue, utilization, and operating costs. Then you compare post-project performance to that baseline, often as percentage changes. This anchors the measurement so you can see the true impact of adding holes, isolating it from broader trends or seasonality.

Why this fits best here: it provides a consistent reference point, letting you quantify how much performance has shifted since the project was completed. Other methods aren’t as well suited for isolating the project’s effect: trend analysis shows direction over time but not the change from a specific baseline; break-even analysis focuses on the volume needed to cover costs rather than measuring post-project performance against a point in time; portfolio analysis looks at multiple projects together rather than isolating one project’s impact.