Question about project reporting and project TASK reporting

Not that significant of a distinction.  I don't know if it matters so much whether tasks are reported yes/no vs. red/amber/green.  In practice, the "task" being reported on may be a 6-week activity so red/amber/green would make sense if it's work in process.  The only time it's a clear yes/no is if it's done or it's late, in which case you could just report as green or red (no amber if it's done or late).  Someone in charge of the project (who is chairing the meeting, for example) may have to attend another meeting where he or she is reporting on the status of the overall project, but in each of these meetings you could safely go exclusively with red/amber/green reporting.

I didn't get the sense from M&M that you have to make a distinction for tasks vs. projects.  The point is, you lead with status, not a story.

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Michael,

BUHLERAR hit the nail on the head.   It’s Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) repackaged.

Providing the status first allows the audience to put the rest of the conversation in context.  The status provides a framework that they can build the picture around.

In addition, the R/A/G ratings can guide the discussion.  It's always great to celebrate the small victories (i.e., finishing a task on time, budget and within scope), but the managers are going to be more interested in discussion the yellow and red categories to understand the risk and your mitigation strategies.

I'm not a fan of the YES/NO system -- projects and tasks are rarely black and white.

You can use either system to report status, either at the project level or at the task level.  It's really a matter of company policy -- or personal preference if there's no formal guidance.

Bill