Tree trimming project analysis

Running head: PROJECT 1

Tree Trimming Project Analysis

Jeremy Harlow

University of Phoenix

4/15/2021

PROJECT 2

Tree Trimming Project Analysis

Introduction

Earned value is of great importance in the management and helps one to the measure the

project performance. It is a systematic management process that can be used to find variables in

projects that are based on comparison of the worked performed together with the one that have

been planned. EV is important and widely used by project management to forecast on the project

through determining the schedule control (Association project management, 2020). The project

baselines forms as essential component of the EV and is regarded as the reference point for all the

project management activities in that it helps to provide good quantitative data which is essential

for project decision making.

Thomas Johnson is a timber and Christmas tree farmer that that have attended a project

management class during the last year off season. During the class session they were taught on the

concept of earned value (EV) and wondered if he is utilizing the concept in the proper manner.

Thomas always conducts training and also hire new crew to work in the shear fields of Christmas

trees for the upcoming holiday season. During the training each worker uses a large shear of

branches of the tree to make it a cone shape tree which makes it attractive for the customers.

Thomas Christmas trees that are present in the field are approximated at 24,000. He agrees

with the customer Tom Jones to $30,000 lump sum contract for shearing all the tress present in the

field. Part of the agreement is that Tom receives partial payment about 5 days after starting the

project. He estimated that the total number of the sheared tress to be approximately 6,000. The

actual number of trees is taken as a percent of the total number of trees that have been sheared,

multiplied by the percent completed by the total contact for the partial payment. Putting this in

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contests it means that the amount of money for partial payment = (6,000/24,000) amounting to

25% of the trees trimmed. The total number of amount to be paid for the five days would thus be

(0.25*$30,000) making it a total of $7, 500 for this day.

Do determine whether Thomas is in schedule or below schedule the amount paid will be

used to charge against the amount to be paid expected. Based on the findings Thomas is on

schedule. From the case there are the six thousand tress to be sheared for every five days which is

based on the first week’s total. The project will be completed within a month. The first pay should

be 25% of the total expected prices to be paid (Association project management, 2020).

Earned values is use defined as the total budgeted of work schedule. It is the unique to the

project monitoring analysis considering that it quantifies the current performance of the project.

The earned value is of great importance in this study in that it helps to measure and monitor the

level of work that has to be completed on a project against the plan. It is the quickest way can tell if

they are behind schedule or they are operating on an over budget within a project. To determine the

estimated earned values one can calculate the EV of a project through multiplying the percentage

of complete project by the total project budget. The largest benefits of the earned value results

from completing the cost and the schedule variance

To answer the question whether or not Thomas is using the earned value as he was taught

in the project management course, it would be important to determine is EV. EV= (activity of the

total budget)* (actual % of completion) = (0.25*30,000) =$7,500). In other instances the earned

values is referred to as the budgeted cost of work performed, the total earned value being the

amount of actual work that is completed versus the budgeted cost of the same amount over the

specified time frame. From the calculations provided it is certain that Thomas is using the earned

value as he was taught in his project management course (Association project management, 2020).

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The cost variance is related with the budget of the project. The CV is the difference

between the actual and expected costs. This is arrived at by calculating the difference of the earned

value and the actual cost. When a project is scoped and budget is set up the bids can be requested

so the schedule can be addressed. In order for Thomas to the set up a schedule and cost variance, in

instances where adjustments influences the budget, the updated forecast is derived from the

variation of the actual costs compared to the baseline known as the cost variance (CV). The CV

can be calculated and communicated in the estimate completion.

There are plenty of methods that would suggest for Thomas to use any changes in project

scope, such as the shape of the tree that Tom wants. There is need for Tom to clearly understand

the change, determine how the change would impact on the project, change t out, and just say No

and also use the formal process in handling everything (Association project management, 2020).

The change control is regarded as one of the importance in a project and especially while handling

larger programs or portfolio considering that consequential effects of unmanaged changed could be

far-reaching within the planned change environment and to business-as usual-activities.

If Thomas has been using the traditional method of the project management, there are

various ways that he could use to accelerate the completion of this project that he has contracted

using the Agile methodology. Agile is regarded as a process through which a team can manage a

project through breaking it up into several stages which involves constant collaboration with

stakeholders while continuously improving iteration at every stage. The Agile methodology

usually starts with the client describing the end product and describing the manner in which the

product is going to be used and the kind of problems that it will solve (Association project

management, 2020). This is of great significance in that it clarifies customer’s expectation to the

project team. The moment the work begins, the teams now cycles through planning, executing and

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the evaluating process something that could change the final deliverable in order to fit the

customer’s needs in a better way. Continuous collaboration is key, both among team members

together with the project stakeholders so they could make fully-informed decisions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it can be stated that the EV is of great significance to any project. After

attending the course on EV, he has been able to effectively apply it. It can be seen that his project

is on schedule and thus sheltered for overspending or underspending.

References

Association project management. (2020). Resources. https://www.apm.org.uk/resources/what-is-

project-management/what-is-change%20- control/#:~:text=Change%20control%20is

%20the%20process,then%20approved%2C%20rejecte d%20or%20deferred

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