QSO 420 ( week 6)

Jamie Roshia posted Jun 7, 2023 8:16 PM to Group 1

6‐2 Group Discussion: EVM Application

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Module Six Discussion

QSO‐420‐H5938 Integrated Cost/Sched Control 23EW5 MA

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In regard to my opinion, I had about EVM in module 1, it has not changed. At that

point, I understood the value of EVM analysis as an important project

management tool/technique. It is valuable in helping understand how a project is

progressing in budget and schedule. I have learned along the way, that there are

several EVM acronyms, that I have had to bookmark a website to ensure I have

access and an understanding of all. The other area that I became more aware

about is the implementation of (CAPS), and how they need to be planned and

implemented during the scheduling phase and building of the Gantt chart, as a

controlled auditing tool on schedule and budget. It is an excellent monitoring tool

for complex, long term, or large budget projects.

Based on your interpretation of the EVM statistics, do you think integrated cost

and schedule control improved the performance of the project in the case study?

Why or why not?

Although, there was an understanding of the value of EVM for the case study, it

did not improve the performance of the project. The EVM analysis was able to be

completed on a month‐to‐month basis. If the project was properly monitored and

assessed, red flags would have been raised in the month of June on both CPI and

SPI for technical infrastructure, due to being behind schedule and over budget.

6-2 Group Discussion: EVM Application - QSO-420-H5938 Integrated Cost/Sched Control 23EW5 https://learn.snhu.edu/d2l/le/content/1315920/viewContent/24602291/View

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The underperformance of both CPI and SPI continued through the month of

October with fluctuations, some with improvement from previous months.

Regardless, the technical infrastructure portion of the project was never on

schedule or on budget. The PM along with key stakeholders should have

identified this, assessed on how to improve the values, and put contingencies in

place to get the project back on track. The entire project combined with both

software customization and technical infrastructure were close to being on, or just

a little bit better on schedule and budget. However, the technical infrastructure

ineffectiveness should have been addressed.

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Peter Panneri June 8 at 11:11 AM

HI Jamie,

I'm curious if the case study did actually employ EVM, as the results seem to

suggest otherwise. The fact that they are a month away from expected launch and

are questioning why they can't deploy the project tells me they either did not use

EVM at all, did not have a robust WBS that drove the correct CAPs, or did not

review any of the EVM data. In looking through the case study, I see a scope is

outlined, a budget is outlined, a project timeline given, and a project organization

given, but I do not see a WBS. One could infer that they used the earned value

analysis template on page 15, but then how did the fact they can't deploy be a

surprise (Jeffery, M. & Norton, J., 2006)? To your point, "If the project was

properly monitored and assessed, red flags would have been raised in the month

of June on both CPI and SPI for technical infrastructure, due to being behind

schedule and over budget." I do not think they demonstrated integrated cost and

schedule control. The only thing I could think is that they only looked at the

combined projects, did not take action when June showed both CPI and SPI less

than 1, and felt relief that July and beyond showed SPI and CPI above 1, ignoring

6-2 Group Discussion: EVM Application - QSO-420-H5938 Integrated Cost/Sched Control 23EW5 https://learn.snhu.edu/d2l/le/content/1315920/viewContent/24602291/View

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the issue because they did not have the appropriate CAPs or amount of CAPs in

place.

Regards,

Pete

References

Jeffery, M. & Norton, J. (2006). Ariba Implementation at MED‐X: Managing

Earned Value. Kellogg School of Management.

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Mohammed Alshaghathirah June 11 at 1:15 PM

Jamie highlights the value of EVM analysis as an important project management

tool for understanding project progress in terms of budget and schedule. They

also mention the importance of implementing Control Account Plans (CAPs)

during the scheduling phase to enhance monitoring and control. Jamie also

expresses the opinion about his analysis on case study that integrated cost and

schedule control did not improve the project's performance. They point out that

the EVM analysis conducted on a month‐to‐month basis should have raised red

flags about the project's underperformance in terms of cost performance index

(CPI) and schedule performance index (SPI), particularly for the technical

infrastructure portion of the project. But there is one thing to consider is the

potential factors that may have contributed to the project's underperformance,

despite the use of EVM and its metrics. It is possible that there were other

project‐related challenges or external factors that impacted the project's

performance, such as unforeseen technical issues, resource constraints, or

changes in project requirements. EVM analysis provides valuable insights, but it

does not guarantee the resolution of all project challenges.

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Matt Frank June 11 at 5:05 PM

6-2 Group Discussion: EVM Application - QSO-420-H5938 Integrated Cost/Sched Control 23EW5 https://learn.snhu.edu/d2l/le/content/1315920/viewContent/24602291/View

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Hello Jamie,

Thanks for your post. Before you read down through, I want to say one thing about the Ariba case study. In my original post I agreed that the Ariba case study did integrate cost and schedule. I still believe this to be true in some case but also while thinking about it I believe I was looking at it as a combined project instead of two separate pieces of the puzzle. Failure on one is still failure on one.

I completely agree with your viewpoint on EVM from Module One. You recognized its value as a crucial tool in project management, specifically in tracking project progress within budget and schedule. It's great that your opinion on EVM has remained consistent.

I can understand that along the way, you had to delve into various EVM acronyms and even bookmarked a website to ensure you had access to all the necessary information. EVM can be quite complex, with different components and concepts to grasp for effective implementation. It's commendable that you also became more aware of the importance of Control Accounts and Planning Packages (CAPS) during the scheduling phase, as they serve as valuable tools for auditing and controlling both the schedule and budget. This shows your growing understanding of the practical aspects of EVM in project management.

Looking at the case study and whether integrated cost and schedule control, as reflected by EVM statistics, improved the project's performance. Here, I respectfully disagree with your assessment. Although EVM analysis was carried out monthly, it's clear that the technical infrastructure component consistently underperformed, as indicated by the CPI (Cost Performance Index) and SPI (Schedule Performance Index) values. These red flags should have been raised as early as June, signaling that the project was falling behind schedule and going over budget in that aspect.

While there may have been fluctuations in CPI and SPI in the following months, the technical infrastructure component never achieved the desired targets in terms of schedule and budget. This indicates a failure in properly monitoring and assessing the project's progress. It's evident that the project manager, along with key stakeholders, should have recognized this issue and taken steps to improve these values, implementing appropriate contingency plans to bring the project back on track. Although the overall project, including software customization and other aspects, may have been close to meeting or slightly surpassing the schedule and budget goals, the persistent ineffectiveness of the technical infrastructure should have been promptly addressed.

Therefore, based on the interpretation of the EVM statistics in the case study, it can be concluded that integrated cost and schedule control did not effectively improve the project's performance. The project manager and stakeholders missed the opportunity to identify and rectify the deficiencies in the technical infrastructure component, ultimately impacting the overall success of the project.

Regards,

Matt

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6-2 Group Discussion: EVM Application - QSO-420-H5938 Integrated Cost/Sched Control 23EW5 https://learn.snhu.edu/d2l/le/content/1315920/viewContent/24602291/View

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