QSO 420 ( week 3)

Be sure to critique your peers' postings and evaluate whether or not their plans to use EVM are tenable.

Refer to the Discussion Rubric PDF for directions on completing this discussion.

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Moriah Sprink

When determining to use EVM to evaluate the progress of a project, there are some things that need to be considered in terms of scoping, planning, and scheduling. When building the scope for a project, it is important to have a detailed and accurate scope to be used. When using EVM, the scope and work breakdown structure are used to track the progress of the project and its value. The work breakdown is used to outline points at which actual costs are accumulated in projects that use EVM to measure progress. When planning a project that uses EVM to measure progress and value it is important to keep that in mind from the beginning of the planning progress as well. During the planning process, the project manager should determine what parts of the project will incur actual costs that can be used to determine the project progress and value. Additionally, when making the schedule for a project that uses EVM it is important to have a schedule that allows earned value to be determined periodically throughout the project. The schedule should be planned to use the work breakdown structure that is made up of deliverables that incur actual costs to better use EVM tactics. So ultimately yes changes need to be made in terms of scoping, planning, and scheduling a project to accommodate EVM. When developing the scope, plan, and schedule the project manager has to make sure that actual costs are tracked and easily utilizable to determine the progress and value of the project.

References

Fleming, Q. W., & Koppelman, J. M. (2010). Earned Value Project Management. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute, Inc.

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Aaron Holt

I do not think that changes in scope, planning, and scheduling need to be made to accommodate for EVM. EVM is "a system of project controls based on a structured approach to planning, cost control, and schedule performance measurement. EVM is not the objective of project management; it is the outcome of a disciplined and consistent approach to project management" (Terrell, 2012). Earned Value is used to measure the success of the project against a baseline. The metrics produced give the PM an idea of if the project is on schedule and meeting budget criteria. EVM can tell the PM the schedule variance and cost variance so that adjustments can be made to keep the project on track. If EVM is changed to accommodate the project, then it will be inaccurate and will not produce good metrics to measure the success of the project.

Terrell, M. S. & Singleton, C. J. (2012). EVM—a disciplined approach to project management. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2012—North America, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.