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THE MEASURABLE NEWS
The Quarterly Magazine of the College of Performance Management 2016.02
mycpm.org
INSIDE 07 17 25 31 Making EVM Work in Implementing Project On the Use of Empirical EVM and Agile THIS Agile Development Controls: Preparing for or Artificial Project Data Development Projects the Establishment of the Collaboration for a ISSUE Integrated (Cost and By Mario Vanhoucke Purpose By Ray W. Stratton Schedule) Performance Measurement Baseline By Matthew Strain
By Matthew T. Gonzales THE MEASURABLE NEWS
The Quarterly Magazine of the College of Performance Management 2016.02
2016 ISSUE 02 CONTENTS
05 In This Issue... Matthew Gonzalez
07 Making EVM Work in Agile Development Projects Ray W. Stratton, PMP, EVP
17 Implementing Project Controls: Preparing for the Establishment of the Integrated (Cost and Schedule) Performance Measurement Baseline Matthew T. Gonzales
25 On the Use of Empirical or Artificial Project Data Mario Vanhoucke
31 EVM and Agile Development Collaboration for a Purpose Matthew Strain
35 CPM Washington DC (CPMWDC) NEWS
36 CPM Tennessee Valley (CPMTV) Chapter Special Event – February 16, 2016 Norman Dean
37 CPM Tennessee Valley (CPMTV) Chapter Quarterly Meeting – March 1, 2016 Norman Dean mycpm.org 38 College of Performance Management Tennessee Valley (CPMTV) Chapter Meeting
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THE MEASURABLE NEWS 2016.02
IN THIS ISSUE... By Matthew Gonzalez
In this issue of The Measurable News we continue the Agile EVM conversation with an in-depth article on how to adapt the EVM system to accommodate non-traditional EVM tenets associated with Agile development. Another article provides updates on Agile and EVM guidance from PARCA. Also included in this issue is a brief overview of the artificial and empirical project data generated and collected by the researchers from the Operations Research and Scheduling (OR&S) group from Ghent University in Belgium. Moving from the erudite to the pragmatic, a ‘how-to’ article on setting up a successful performance measurement baseline walks the reader through all aspects of planning the successful PMB.
‘Making EVM Work in Agile Development Projects’ by Ray W. Stratton, provides a detailed look at how to plan and manage an Agile development project and still be EIA 748 compliant. In this article, the reader is challenged to look at some of the EVM hard and fast rules of a performance baseline that reflects a fixed scope of work and where completion of work that does not produce an SPI of 1.0. Mr. Stratton offers a detailed example on how the tenets of Agile can be planned and managed in a traditional EIA 748 construct and how to analyze the metrics. We are treated to an example of the adaptability of the EVM system to accommodate a different approach to managing work scope, while still providing valuable metrics that allow visibility into work-in-progress performance.
‘EVM and Agile Development Collaboration for a Purpose’, by Matthew Strain, provides some updates on the Agile conversation from a working group looking at how to apply agile methods to improve acquisitions. This informative article updates the reader on the white paper issued by PARCA, titled “Agile and Earned Value Management: A Program Manager’s Desk Guide” which focuses on recommended practices for planning, controlling, and forecasting agile software development projects. The release culminates a year’s worth of effort on the part of Government and industry participants.
‘We live in a world where the words “big data” have become the buzzwords to refer to the increasing importance of the availability of data and the powerful methodologies to analyze these huge amounts of data for improved decision making. The paper ‘On the Use of Empirical or Artificial Project Data' by Mario Vanhoucke, is a brief overview of the artificial and empirical project data generated and collected by the researchers from the Operations Research and Scheduling (OR&S) group from Ghent University in Belgium. Artificial data are generated by project network generators under a strict design to control both the network structure and the resource constraints, while the empirical project data are collected over a time horizon of multiple years, using a standardized collection and classification method.
‘Failing to prepare, is preparing to fail’. John Wooden. The article ‘Implementing Project Control: Preparing the Performance Measurement Baseline’, by M.T. Gonzales, offers the reader an anatomy of how to put together an integrated cost and schedule baseline in an EVM environment. The focus of the paper is preparing to succeed by looking at the planning phase as a discrete manageable effort with tangible products and developing a plan to lead a team of planners to successful completion of an integrated cost and schedule baseline.
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Attending EVM World 2016 in Naples, FL? Stop by booth #10 & 11 or join us during one of our sessions:
Wednesday, June 1 2:30 – 3:15 PM: The Project Management Easy Button 3:45 – 4:30 PM: Data Driven Metrics: Deltek Acumen & wInsight Analytics Thursday, June 2 2:30 – 3:15 PM: Embrace the Ghosts of Projects Past THE MEASURABLE NEWS 2016.02
MAKING EVM WORK IN AGILE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS By Ray W. Stratton, PMP, EVP
How to make EVM work in agile development? That subject has been a major attendees’ interest at CPM’s EVM conferences (EVM World, IPMC, and IPMW) since spring 2012. Conference workshops and practice symposiums have presented various approaches in applying EVM concepts to agile development efforts while still meeting the guidelines of EIA 748. Why the challenge?
This article will review the challenges and propose a method to meet EIA 748 while applying EIA 748 principles and producing useful EVM data. Since this article was first written PARCA has released “Agile and Earned Value Management, A Program Manager’s Desk Guide”. The concepts presented in this article describe how to establish a Performance Measurement Baseline within a Control Account and are believed to be consistent with the PARCA guidance. The author is not aware of any regulatory or agency policy defining how EVM is to be implemented in agile development projects. The method illustrated in this article is how the author would apply EVM to an agile development with the intention of meeting EIA 748. Other methods may also meet the requirements of EIA 748 and the PARCA guidance. The example shown was presented at the fall 2015 IPMW to a packed room of over 100 attendees. This article’s intention is to share the concepts presented to a wider audience and those who could not attend the session.
BACKGROUND Why is it so hard to address agile development and EVM at the same time? The major challenge is rethinking the project’s key priority. Traditionally the scope (SOW) has been fixed as the priority of the project. The contractor is expected to meet and deliver all the scope. This leaves the cost and schedule sides of the “triple constraint” to be of lower priority. All three elements, scope, cost, and schedule cannot all be inflexible. In other words the message was “Deliver everything I want, and spend the time and budget needed to do so.” In implementing EVM the scope is therefore fixed and the cost and schedule performance metrics tell us what might be the final cost and completion date.
Here is a very simplified explanation why agile development is different from our traditional development above. Agile development allows for prioritization and assignment of requirements (features) to successive software releases (sprints) determined by the development team and stakeholders. The team is generally a fixed resource (fixed size) operating to a fixed budget. As development proceeds some of the requirements may need more resources than planned. When the fixed budget is exhausted the work stops. Some requirements may never be completed (think “bucket list”), but since the prioritization of features implemented involved the stakeholders, the most valuable requirements were delivered. Maximum utility was achieved for the time and budget spent. The cost is contained. Therefore the challenge in applying EVM is that all the scope may never be completed when the budget (or time/schedule) is exhausted. The project is done when the money is gone, not when the scope is completed.
That changes everything.
RETHINKING EVM Using agile development and using EVM requires some changes in how we think about EVM. Long standing “cultural rules” need to be revisited, not the EIA 748 guidelines, just the informal “cultural rules”. Table 1 shows how some common EVM expectations change in agile development where scope is not fixed, budget is.
The Quarterly Magazine of the College of Performance Management | mycpm.org 07 Traditional Development Agile Development Done means cumulative BCWP = BAC Done means cumulative ACWP = BAC Final cumulative BCWP equals final Final cumulative BCWP does not equal final cumulative BCWS cumulative BCWS Final SPI = 1 Final SPI ≠ 1
Table 1, Traditional Versus Agile EVM "rules"
None of the agile cultural rules conflict with EIA 748 guidelines. They are simply a consequence of realizing that not all scope will be completed. (Of course, if at the project’s end the scope is “adjusted” to match the actually completed work then the traditional rules will apply.)
EVM AND AGILE - MOVING TOWARD CONSENSUS Over time various papers, speakers, and concepts have been presented about applying EVM in agile development. There seems to be a consensus developing around concepts that appear to work in implementing EVM in agile development.
1. Do not base BCWS or BCWP on the periodic schedule of sprints or releases. They are fixed and will occur anyway, often in two to six weeks, fixed, uniform, periods. There will be no schedule variance likely or useful.
2. Stories (requirements) are not all equal. There are complex stories and simple stories requiring more or less effort to complete. “Story points” is a method to show the complexity of one story relative to another, however, no standard metric for a story point exists. Each sprint team will determine how to assign story points to stories. Generally a story with two story points may be twice as hard to complete as a story assigned one story point. (Story point values are often based upon Fibonacci series: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13…)
3. Because each sprint team defines their story point there is no universal mapping of story points to staff hours or budget. A team’s story point unit value may simply be set by the simplest story within their assigned scope, with all other stories estimated effort relative to this story.
4. A sprint team has the capacity to complete a finite number of story points per sprint, and in total, based upon their skills, experience, staff size, budget, and other productivity factors. Story points therefore can, at any time, be the basis of comparing a planned percent of story points to be completed with the percent of story points actually completed. {Alternatively, stories may form the basis of determining BCWS and BCWP but all stories are not equal and therefore need to be weighted by their assigned story points (difficulty)}.
5. The number of story points planned and the number completed should be the basis of BCWS (BCWS = percent * BAC) and BCWP (BCWP = percent * BAC) since this represents accomplishment.
6. Sprint teams form the basis of control accounts because story point values are unique to each sprint team. It is not possible to add story point values across all sprint teams due to each team’s valuation of a story point. As control accounts each team’s plan and progress will be converted to BCWS and BCWP and can then be added with other teams’ control accounts as we sum totals moving up the OBS or WBS.
7. A sprint team’s sprints can easily become their control account’s work packages. Due to the short nature of sprints, often two weeks in duration, it is not useful nor necessary to collect costs by sprint (work package) and it is not required by EIA 748. (See EIA 748 paragraph 3.5.10. where ACWP is only required at control accounts.) However, a budget must be assigned to each sprint to meet EIA-748 guidelines. The budgets will be equal since the team size is fixed and so is the duration and pace of sprints. If and how this budget is used in determining BCWS and BCWP will be discussed shortly.
8. Because of the agility of agile development, the detailed planning of sprints/releases should not go beyond the next few sprints. Planning packages are appropriate for downstream sprints.
9. It’s likely that not all planned story points or stories will be completed at the end of the project. The planned scope may have exceeded the budget (perform best effort), some stories were more difficult to complete than planned (underestimated scope), or added stories (scope) did not remove sufficient prior scope or add enough budget.
08 The Measurable News 2016.02 | mycpm.org One of the values of agile development is the ability to respond to emerging requirements (features). Given a fixed budget and team size, the new requirements are introduced and replace one or more previous requirements (features). The new features and their stories are added to list of work to be performed and are allocated to future sprints during sprint planning.
SPRINT TEAM WORK PACKAGE EVM MEASUREMENT EIA-748 requires us to assign all control account budget to the account’s work packages. Why? In general not all work packages are of equal value or measured in the same way. Work package budgets are a metric for us to know the significance of each work package toward completing the control account scope. By multiplying the work package percent planned or percent complete by the work package budget we obtain a dollarized value of its contribution to the control account’s progress. After adding all the work packages’ BCWS and BCWP, we then include control account ACWP to create our EVM metrics for analysis and reporting.
But all sprints are of uniform duration and effort and therefore equal budgets. So all story points are of equal dollar value across all sprints within a control account. We don’t need work package budgets to learn the significance of each work package (but we need budgets to meet EAI-748). Therefore we can just add all the story points planned and completed across all the sprint work packages to create a percent planned and completed at the control account level. Which is what we were after in the first place. Analysis is not done, nor required by 748, at the work package level.
EXAMPLE With the above listed statements and processes in mind, it’s possible to create an EVM example of planning and execution for an agile project. We’ll use a project that everyone can relate to. We are going to implement a state-of-the-art self-serve gas station with Europay, MasterCard, Visa (EMV) ATM capabilities. (EMV, not EVM, a potential source of confusion.) Here is our feature list: • Accept stripe and chip EMV Credit Cards • Accept stripe and chip EMV Debit Cards • Accept Cash (common worldwide currencies) • Dispense Fuel • Dispense Cash (various worldwide currencies)
In order to plan the project we need a budget and schedule and resources: • Costs- Ten Engineers, $123/hour • Schedule – 24 weeks • Budget: $1,180,800 • Pace – Three week sprints, 8 sprints • Estimated Average Throughput – 11 story points per sprint
Our goal is to spend all the time and all the budget, and no more, and deliver the most highly desired features; all of them if possible.
Our sprint team decomposed each of our features into stories:
• Accept Credit Cards • Accept chip cards • Scan mag stripe • Validate card • Accept chip cards • Reject card • Validate card • Pin entry • Reject card • Validate pin • Pin entry • Reject pin • Validate pin • Dispense fuel • Reject pin • Select grade • Accept Cash, various Currencies • Select quantity • Accept bills • Dispense • Accept coins • Pump shutdown • Determine currency • Dispense cash • Determine denominations • Select currency • Scan for counterfeit • Input amount • Accept Debit Cards • Input demonization • Scan mag stripe • Dispense
The Measurable News 2016.02 | mycpm.org 09 Next our sprint team estimates the number of story points per story. For example, table 2 shows how story points are used to estimate the effort for the “Accept Credit Cards” stories, and shows how they are assigned to sprints in order of need or priority:
Continuing through theTable rest of 2, the Stories, stories Story yields Points, eighty -andeight Planned total story Sprint points. This equates to our estimated throughput of eleven story points per sprint and eight sprints over the twenty-four Continuing through the rest of the stories yields eighty-eight total story points. This equates weekContinuing schedu throughle. The numberthe rest of thestory stories points yields per sprint eighty is- eightnot constant total story but points. does average This equates eleven to per to our estimated throughput of eleven story points per sprint and eight sprints over the sprint.our estimated The first throughput sprint is lower of eleven due tostory an expectedpoints per learning sprint and curve. eight Our sprints team overof eleven the twenty engineers-four twenty-four week schedule. The number of story points per sprint is not constant but does willweek spend schedu thele. total The budget number ($1,180,800) of story points over per the sprint scheduled is not time.constant Figure but 1does shows average how eleventhe 88 per average eleven per sprint. The first sprint is lower due to an expected learning curve. Our storysprint. points The first are plannedsprint is tolower be completed due to an expectedover time. learning curve. Our team of eleven engineers team of eleven engineers will spend the total budget ($1,180,800) over the scheduled time. Figurewill 1 showsspend the how total the budget 88 story ($1,180,800) points overare plannedthe scheduled to be time. completed Figure 1 shows over howtime. the 88 story points are planned to be completedTotal over Points time. Planned 100 90 Total Points Planned 10080 7090 6080 5070 4060 Story Points 3050 2040 Story Points 1030 200 0 5 10 15 20 25 10 0 Weeks 0 5 10 15 20 25 Total PointsWeeks Planned
Figure 1, PlannedTotal Story Points Points Planned versus Time
From this planning we can create an EVM PMB using the percent of story points planned to be FigureFigure 1, Planned 1, Planned Story Story Points Points versus versus Time Time completed each sprint as a percent of the total, and convert it to BCWS by multiplying the percent by the BAC. Figure 2 shows the PMB created from computing BCWS via the story point FromFrom this thisplanning planning we we can can create create anan EVM EVM PMB PMB using using the the percent percent of story of storypoints pointsplanned planned to be to be completedplan.completed eacheach sprint sprint as aas percent a percent of the of total, the and total, con andvert itconvert to BCWS it byto multiplyingBCWS by multiplyingthe the percentpercent by by the the BAC. BAC. Figure Figure 2 shows 2 shows the PMB the PMBcreated created from computing from computing BCWS via BCWSthe story via point the storyplan. point plan.
10 The Measurable News 2016.02 | mycpm.org PMB 1200000
1000000
800000
600000
Budget BCWS
400000
200000
0 0 5 10 15 20 25 Weeks
Figure 2,Figure PMB 2, PMBBased Based Upon Upon Story Points Points
So ourSo PMB our isPMB based is based on the on thecompletion completion of of story story points,points, not not LOE LOE or sprintsor sprints.. SPRINT FIVE IS DONE SPRINT FIVE IS DONE SprintsSprints one through one through five five are are done done withwith somesome variation variation from from plan. plan. In some In some cases storiescases werestories not were notcompleted completed as planned as planned and others and substituted. others substituted. Table 3 shows Table which 3 storiesshows were which completed stories and were in completedwhich and sprint. in whichIn some sprint. cases the In storiessome werecases done the before stories or wereafter the done planned before sprint or (replanned) after the . planned sprint (replanned). Table 3 Status at End of Sprint Five
Table 3 Status at End of Sprint Five The real measure of progress is not features or stories completed, but story points. Furthermore, The real measurethe completed of progress stories are partis not of various features features. or Nostories one feature completed, is complete but but somestory points. Furthermore,functionality the completed can be demonstrated. stories areWe trust part that of the various stories were features. selected byNo their one importance feature or is complete the required story precedence. Table 4 shows how the first five sprints progressed on a per sprint basis. The Measurable News 2016.02 | mycpm.org 11
Table 4 Summary of Story Point Planned Vs. Completed at Sprint Five but some functionality can be demonstrated. We trust that the stories were selected by their importance or the required story precedence. Table 4 shows how the first five sprints progressed on a per sprint basis.
Sprint 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Points Planned 8 12 11 13 10 13 10 11 SprintSprint 11 22 33 44 55 66 77 88 Points Completed 8 10 7 10 12 PointsPoints PlannedPlanned 88 1212 1111 1313 1010 1313 1010 1111 Points CompletedTable 4 Summary8 of Story10 Point Planned7 Vs.10 Completed12 at Sprint Five EVMPoints measureCompleted of progress is based8 upon10 the story7 points 10planned and12 completed. For a given sprint team all story points are equal in value so they can be the basis of a percent complete. We EVMEVM EVMmeasure measuremeasure of progressofof progressprogress is isis based basedbased uponuponupon thethe the storystory story pointspoints points plannedplanned planned andand completecomplete and completed.dd.. ForFor aa givengiven For a givencansprint sprint use team cumulative team all story all story story points pointspoints are equal planned are in equal value and completed inso valuethey can so as be athey basisthe basiscan of cumulative beof athe percent basis percent complete. of a percent We sprintcomplete team. Table all story 5 summari points arezes equalthe total in valuestory sopoints they plan can nedbe the and basis completed of a percent through complete. sprint 5. We complete.cancan useuse We cumulativecumulative can use storystory cumulative pointspoints plannedplanned story andand points completedcompleted planned asas aa and basisbasis completed ofof cumulativecumulative as percentpercent a basis of cumulativecompletecomplete percent.. TableTable 55 complete. summarisummariTablezzeses 5Table ,thethe Total totaltotal Number 5 summarizesstorystory of Story pointspoints Points planplan thePlannednedned total andand Completed storycompletedcompleted points throughthrough planned sprintsprint and 5.5. completed through sprint 5. Table 5, Total Number of Story Points Planned and Completed Sprint Table0 5, Total Number1 of Story2 Points Planned3 and4 Completed5 6 7 8 Week 0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 Sprint 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 SprintTotal Points Planned 00 18 202 313 444 545 676 777 888 WeekWeek 00 33 66 99 1212 1515 1818 2121 2424 Total Points Completed 0 8 18 25 35 47 TotalTotal PointsPoints PlannedPlanned 00 88 2020 3131 4444 5454 6767 7777 8888 Total Points Completed 0 8 18 25 35 47 UsingTotal Points the Completed percent planned and0 percent8 complete18 , each25 multiplied35 by the47 control account budget, gives us the cumulativeTable 5, BCWSTotal Number and BCWP. of Story The Pointsorder in Planned which we and complete Completed story points is not UsingUsing thethe percentpercent plannedplanned andand percentpercent completecomplete,, eacheach multipliedmultiplied byby thethe controlcontrol accountaccount budgetbudget,, important,gives us the they cumulative are simply BCWS the means and BCWP. to compute The orderthe percent in which of workwe complete planned story and work points is not Usinggivescompleted the us percent the. Incumulative the planned end we BCWS hopeand thatpercentand allBCWP. 88 complete,story The points order each willin which be multiplied completed, we complete by representing the story control points all theisaccount not budget,important,important, gives theytheyus the areare cumulativesimplysimply thethe meansmeans BCWS toto computecompute and BCWP. thethe percentpercent The order ofof workwork in plannedplannedwhich weandand complete workwork featurescompleted in. theIn thescope end st weatement hope (SOW).that all 88 Table story 6 pointsshows willthe controlbe completed, account representing’s EVM data all for the the storycompletedfirst points five sprints.is. Innot the important, end we hope they that allare 88 simply story points the means will be tocompleted, compute representing the percent all theof work plannedfeaturesfeatures and inin work thethe scopescope completed. ststatementatement In (SOW).(SOW). the end TTableable we 66 hope showsshows that thethe control controlall 88 accountaccountstory points’s’s EVMEVM will datadata be forfor completed, thethe representingfirstfirst fivefive sprints.sprints. all the features inTable the 6, BCWSscope and BCWPstatement Determined (SOW). By Story Points Table 6 shows the control account’s EVM data for the firstTable 6five, BCWS asprints.nd BCWP Determined By Story Points Table 6, BCWS and BCWP Determined By Story Points
Readers will note that in our first sprint our control account SV is zero, eight ($107,345) of eight storyReaders points will were note completed.thatTable in our 6, BCWS firstBut spwe rand inthave our BCWP a controlnegative Determined account control SV accountBy is Story zero, CV Points eight of $ ($107,345)40,255. Why? of eightWe Readersplanned willfor a note “fixed” that costin our of first10 engineers sprint our at control $123/hour account for eachSV is three zero, week eight sprint. ($107,345) The average of eight storystory pointspoints werewere completed.completed. ButBut wewe havehave aa negativenegative controlcontrol accountaccount CVCV ofof $$4040,,255.255. Why?Why? WeWe Readersnumber will of note story that points in ourper sprintfirst wassprint planned our control as eleven account. But we anticipatedSV is zero, aeight learning ($107,345) curve so of plannedplanned forfor aa “fixed”“fixed” costcost ofof 1010 engineersengineers atat $123/hour$123/hour forfor eacheach threethree weekweek sprint.sprint. TheThe averageaverage eightwenumber story planned points of story for wereonly points eight completed. per story sprint points was But planned on we our have first as eleven asprint negative., Buandt wecompleted control anticipated account eight. a learning So CV we ofhave curve $40,255. an so Why?numberexpected We planned of negative story forpoints CV a “fixed” dueper sprintto the cost learningwas ofplanned 10 curve engineers as. (Thiseleven is.at Busimilar $123/hourt we anticipatedto an expectedfor each a learning negative three curve weekCV so sprint. wewe plannedplanned forfor onlyonly eighteight storystory pointspoints onon ourour firstfirst sprintsprint,, andand completedcompleted eight.eight. SoSo wewe havehave aann The averagewhenexpected it’s number negativethe first monthCVof story due of to apoints the0/100% learning per work sprint curve package .was (This whenplanned is similar budget as to waseleven. an expectedspent, But work negativewe was anticipated done, CV but a learningexpectednot completed.) curve negative so we It CV’planneds easier due to to forthe just onlylearning explain eight curvethe story variance. (This points isor similar better on our yetto an havefirst expected thesprint, variance negative and thresholdscompleted CV whenwhen it’sit’s thethe firstfirst monthmonth ofof aa 0/100%0/100% workwork packagepackage whenwhen budgetbudget waswas spent,spent, workwork waswas done,done, butbut eight.setnot So highcompleted.) we enough have an toIt ’expectednots easier make to this justnegative tempor explain arCV ythe CV due variance “significant” to the or learningbetter. yet curve.have the (This variance is similar thresholds to an expectednot completed.) negative CVIt’s wheneasier toit’s just the explain first themonth variance of a or0/100% better yet work have package the variance when thresholds budget was Ssetince high our enough sprint teamto not is make of fixed this sizetempor andar sety CV rates “significant” the ACWP. grows uniformly each sprint. The spent,set work high enoughwas done, to not but make not this completed.) temporary CV It’s “significant” easier to just. explain the variance or better yet only variables are the number of stories points planned each sprint and the number completed. haveS Stheinceince variance ourour sprintsprint thresholds teamteam isis ofof fixedfixed set highsizesize andand enough setset ratesrates to thethenot ACWPACWP make growsgrowsthis temporary uniformlyuniformly each eachCV “significant”. sprint.sprint. TheThe onlyByonly sprint variablevariable fivess we’veareare thethe spent numbernumber $738,000, ofof storiesstories planned pointspoints for plannedplanned $724 , each582each worth sprintsprint o andandf story thethe points,numbernumber and completed.completed. completed Since our sprint team is of fixed size and set rates the ACWP grows uniformly each sprint. The $630,655By sprint fiveworth we’ve of story spent points. $738,000, So we planned have cumulative for $724,582 cost worth and cumulative of story points, schedule and problemscompleted only Byvariablesas shownsprint fivein are the we’ve the follow number spenting PMB$738,000, of storieschart ,planned Figure points 3for. planned $724,582 each worth sprint of story and points, the number and completed completed. $630,655$630,655 worthworth ofof storystory points.points. SoSo wewe havehave cumulativecumulative costcost andand cumulativecumulative scheduleschedule problemsproblems By sprintasas shownshown five inin thethewe’ve followfollow spentinging PMBPMB$738,000, chartchart,, Figure Figureplanned 33.. for $724,582 worth of story points, and completed $630,655 worth of story points. So we have cumulative cost and cumulative schedule problems as shown in the following PMB chart, Figure 3.
12 The Measurable News 2016.02 | mycpm.org
Figure 3, Cost and ScheduleFigure 5, Final Performance Project EVM Record Based on Story Points
Clearly,At theat thefinal present data point rate the ofBCWS spending and ACWP and accomplishmentare equal. All the budget we will was not spent. be Theable to complete all storyuncompleted points when scope theis shown budget as BCWP and time less thanruns BCWS. out. In agile development we’ll continue to prioritize the remaining stories based on their “utility”, but realize now that all features, CONCLUSION stories, and their story points will not be completed. At this point some functionality of AcceptThis Credit example Cards, has illustrated Accept Cash,a means and to implement Accept Debit EVM Cardson agile has development been completed. programs using(The agile developmentstory points term’s as a means “velocity” of setting is used BCWS to and measure determining the rateprogress at which (BCWP). story The points story points are being are completed,used as abut unit is of independent work planned ofand the completed cost involved.) to derive a percent planned and a percent completed on a work package (sprint) basis. These values may be multiplied by the work EMERGENTpackage (sprint) REQUIREMENT! budget but can also just be summed for the whole control account since all story We havepoints just are learnedof equal valuethat ourwithin major a control competitor account. has announced a new feature in their self-serve Gas Pump/ATM. Customers will be able to review their last ten debit/credit card transactions.In our example We need, the total to include of story pointsthis feature planned if and we completed are to be were competitive. summed to the control Agileaccount development to create allowsa percent us complete to provide at the redirection control account so that level. new These features percents can are beconverted to implementeddollarized inBCWS the remainingand BCWP bysprints. multiplication But to dowith so, the we control need account to remove budget. some ACWP existing is featuresrecorded (scope). at the control account level. This example has also shown how an emergent requirement can be incorporated into the One wayplanning to implement and the final this product change by substituting is to estimate it for equivalentthe number scope of and story then points replanning in the as new featureneeded. and remove the same number from the existing project. We can do this by zeroing the story points for the deleted stories and adding in the new features and their stories and storyWhile points. some Some long previousestablished features “rules” of may EVM have have only been been cast aside, partially such completedas SPI = 1 at project’sbut there is someend, functionality the author believes provided. that EIAOnce 748 again, Guideline the spriority have been is tomet. provide the most value (utility) for the budget spent, and not necessarily completing all functionality initially stated. Table 7 shows the zeroed stories, added stories and story point changes, and planned sprints.
The Measurable News 2016.02 | mycpm.org 13 Table 7,, RevisedRevised StoriesStories andand StoryStory PointsPoints Table 7, Revised Stories and Story Points Table 7, Revised Stories and Story Points
Table 7, Revised Stories and Story Points We have zeroed the stories related to multiple currencies. This has freed five story points, which isWe the have teams’ zeroed estimate the stories for the related story pointsto multiple related currencies. to the new This feature has freed of recalling five story ten points,recent which We havetransactions.isWe the have zeroed teams’ zeroed Theseestimate the the stories stories stories for the are relatedrelated story assigned topoints to multiple multipleto relatedsprints currencies. tocurrencies.7 andthe new8 asThis featureshown Thishas freed in ofhas Tablerecalling fivefreed 8. story tenfive points, recent story which points, whichtransactions.is isthe the teams’ teams’ Theseestimate estimate stories for the are for story assigned the points story to related sprints points to7 andrelatedthe new8 as featureshownto the in ofnew Tablerecalling feature 8. ten ofrecent recalling ten recentOurtransactions. transactions. revised status These Theseis: stories stories are assigned are assigned to sprints 7to and sprints 8 as shown 7 and in 8 Table as shown 8. in Table 8. Our revisedOur revised status status is: is: Our revised status is: Table 8,, ReplanningReplanning HasHas RemovedRemoved SomeSome PlannedPlanned WorkWork inin SprintSprint FiveFive Table 8, Replanning Has Removed Some Planned Work in Sprint Five Table 8, Replanning Has Removed Some Planned Work in Sprint Five
Table 8, Replanning Has Removed Some Planned Work in Sprint Five This revises our EVM BCWS and BCWP as shown in Table 9: This revises our EVM BCWS and BCWP as shown in Table 9: This revisesThis revises our ourEVM EVM BCWS BCWS andTable and BCWP 9 ,BCWP, RevisedRevised as Plan Planas shown shownChangesChanges inthethein Table BCWSBCWSTable andand 9 :9: BCWPBCWP Table 9, Revised Plan Changes the BCWS and BCWP Table 9, Revised Plan Changes the BCWS and BCWP
Compared to our original plan in Table 10: Compared to our Tableoriginal 9, plan Revised in Table Plan 10: Changes the BCWS and BCWP Compared to our original plan in TableTable 1010,, :OriginalOriginal PlanPlan andand ProgressProgress Compared to our original plan in TableTable 10 10:, Original Plan and Progress Table 10, Original Plan and Progress
Table 10, Original Plan and Progress
This has removed $40,255 of previously planned but uncompleted work (54 versus 51 story points) in sprint 5, and redistributed some work in sprints 6 and 7. The BCWP remains unchanged since the removed story points had not yet been completed. Otherwise an adjustment to BCWP would be needed as well. Or course the ACWP remains unchanged.
We now have a new PMB, as shown in Figure 4, however the endpoint is still based upon the original 88 story points, our budget, and eight sprints.
14 The Measurable News 2016.02 | mycpm.org
Figure 4, RevisedFigure PMB 5, Final and Project Status EVM RecordThrough Sprint Five
ENDAt OF the finalPROJECT data point the BCWS and ACWP are equal. All the budget was spent. The We wereuncompleted able to scopecomplete is shown 80 asof BCWP the 88 less story than points BCWS. before the budget and time ran out. The oneCONCLUSION uncompleted story was “Scan for Counterfeit” planned for sprint 6 but never completed. The team and customers’ involvement in planning the sprint deferred this and ultimatelyThis example it did not has getillustrated addressed. a means to implement EVM on agile development programs using story points as a means of setting BCWS and determining progress (BCWP). The story points are The customerused as a unit did of get work their planned most and highly completed desired to derive features a percent and plannedwas able and to a implementpercent the abilitycompleted to recall on the a work ten mostpackage recent (sprint) ATM basis transactions.. These values Themay beproject multiplied completed by the work on budget and schedule,package (sprint) with budgetsome unaddressedbut can also just features be summed the for customer the whole deemedcontrol account “minor” since scope. all story (A modificationpoints are ofto equalthe contractvalue within and a controladditional account. time and budget could address this if needed.) The final PMB is shown in Figure 5: In our example, the total of story points planned and completed were summed to the control account to create a percent complete at the control account level. These percents are converted to dollarized BCWS and BCWP by multiplication with the control account budget. ACWP is recorded at the control account level. This example has also shown how an emergent requirement can be incorporated into the planning and the final product by substituting it for equivalent scope and then replanning as needed. While some long established “rules” of EVM have been cast aside, such as SPI = 1 at project’s end, the author believes that EIA 748 Guidelines have been met.
Figure Figure5, Final 5, Final Project Project EVM EVM Record Record
At theAt final the final data data point point the the BCWSBCWS andand ACWP ACWP are are equal. equal. All theAll budgetthe budget was spent. was Thespent. The uncompleteduncompleted scope scope is is shown shown as BCWPBCWP less less than than BCWS. BCWS. CONCLUSION
The Measurable News 2016.02 | mycpm.orgThis example has illustrated a means to implement EVM on agile development programs using 15 story points as a means of setting BCWS and determining progress (BCWP). The story points are used as a unit of work planned and completed to derive a percent planned and a percent completed on a work package (sprint) basis. These values may be multiplied by the work package (sprint) budget but can also just be summed for the whole control account since all story points are of equal value within a control account. In our example, the total of story points planned and completed were summed to the control account to create a percent complete at the control account level. These percents are converted to dollarized BCWS and BCWP by multiplication with the control account budget. ACWP is recorded at the control account level. This example has also shown how an emergent requirement can be incorporated into the planning and the final product by substituting it for equivalent scope and then replanning as needed. While some long established “rules” of EVM have been cast aside, such as SPI = 1 at project’s end, the author believes that EIA 748 Guidelines have been met. CONCLUSION This example has illustrated a means to implement EVM on agile development programs using story points as a means of setting BCWS and determining progress (BCWP). The story points are used as a unit of work planned and completed to derive a percent planned and a percent completed on a work package (sprint) basis. These values may be multiplied by the work package (sprint) budget but can also just be summed for the whole control account since all story points are of equal value within a control account.
In our example, the total of story points planned and completed were summed to the control account to create a percent complete at the control account level. These percents are converted to dollarized BCWS and BCWP by multiplication with the control account budget. ACWP is recorded at the control account level.
This example has also shown how an emergent requirement can be incorporated into the planning and the final product by substituting it for equivalent scope and then replanning as needed.
While some long established “rules” of EVM have been cast aside, such as SPI = 1 at project’s end, the author believes that EIA 748 Guidelines have been met. An open mind toward the use of EVM and the use of agile development, where all scope might not be completed, is needed to allow EVM to work in agile development. The benefit is the power of agile development and the power of EVM are brought together.
As Gary Bliss, Director of PARCA, said last spring, “If we don’t figure out how to apply EVM to agile development, we don’t have a tool to manage agile development.” The author hopes this paper and example has shown one way to gain the value of using EVM while also gaining the value of agile development. Your comments and ideas are welcome.
About the Author Ray W. Stratton, EVP, PMP is the president and founder of Management Technologies. His firm provides EVM process engineering, third party certification, EVP exam preparation products and workshops, and EIA-748 EVMS solutions, specializing in wickedly challenged EIA-748 EVM implementation. Ray is the author of the Earned Value Management Maturity Model, “Ray Stratton’s EVP Exam Study Guide”, and is the editor of The EVM Newsletter. He served on the College of Performance Measurement governing board for almost ten years. Ray can be reached at raystratton@ mgmt-technologies.com.
16 The Measurable News 2016.02 | mycpm.org THE MEASURABLE NEWS 2016.02
IMPLEMENTING PROJECT CONTROLS: PREPARING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INTEGRATED (COST AND SCHEDULE) PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT BASELINE By Matthew T. Gonzales
Failing to prepare, is preparing to fail’. John Wooden
‘John Robert Wooden was an American basketball player and coach. Nicknamed the "Wizard of Westwood," as head coach at UCLA he won ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period, including a record seven in a row.’ Wikipedia.
His 29-year college head coaching career resulted in a 664-162 record and an amazing .804 winning percentage, as well as a record 10 national championships.
John Wooden was an English teacher first and coach second. As a teacher/coach, he developed, over many years, a teaching approach that evolved into a systematic, repeatable process, which would make W. Edward Deming proud. The concept of statistical process controls was many years ahead, as was ‘big data’ and ‘Sabermetric’s’ concepts, thus winning percentage was his metric of success.
But he never taught to win. Rather, he taught the execution of the process; winning would be a by-product. Opponent teams would comment ‘it was as if we weren’t even on the court, they just executed their game plan’.
So he taught his process. That process started at the first practice of each season. Every season, before the start of the first practice, all players (seniors to freshmen) are told to remove their shoes and socks. He then instructed the players the appropriate way to put on their socks and then their shoes. He did this because he knew the importance of a sound foundation. For a basketball player, the foundation is the feet. He knew performance would be impacted negatively if the player were to experience blisters or other foot maladies due to poor ‘planning’ of putting on their shoes incorrectly (details matter).
For a project, the sound foundation is the project integrated cost and schedule baseline. Effort and attention need to be applied to the development of the project plan the same way effort and attention are applied to putting on one’s socks and shoes correctly.
The analogy is that the start of any project is similar to the start of a new season. A project team needs to go through the process of establishing a sound foundation by assessing all aspects of developing a sound, robust project integrated cost and schedule baseline plan.
This article is about ‘preparing to succeed’ by putting your socks and shoes on correctly. Doing the due diligence of looking at all parts of the planning process that ensure a sound and realistic project cost and schedule baseline plan is put in place at the start of the project.
PREAMBLE The conversation of planning and preparing for the development of the integrated cost and schedule baseline started with an assignment to participate in a NASA agency level Earned Value Management System (EVMS) implementation on a project at Johnson Space Center. At the time, EVMS as an agency core competency was still a work in progress. On this particular project the earned value implementation was the responsibility of a contractor hired to meet the NASA requirement that projects above a certain dollar threshold do earned value. His struggles were many, but what was evident at the first engagement was that the core EVMS planning products were coming together in an ‘ad hoc’ fashion. Having come from over 20 years of DoD EVMS project planning experience, and having implemented performance measurement baselines on at least a dozen projects, it was clear that this important phase of planning was missing. This paper was a response to that experience, and therefore is a bit NASA centric, but the core tenets of project planning described here should be considered universal to all projects requiring an EVMS Performance Measurement Baseline.
The Quarterly Magazine of the College of Performance Management | mycpm.org 17 INTRODUCTION The establishment of the Integrated (Cost and Schedule) Performance Measurement Baseline is the result of a systematic approach that steps the project through each phase of the planning process, with each phase resulting in a set of tangible products. Each subsequent phase builds on the previous phase such that at the end of the planning cycle, all required documents are completed and integrated.
The responsibility of leading the project team through the planning of a project usually falls on the Project Business Manager, a task delegated by the Project Manager (PM). The approach is documented in Project Planning Guidelines (also referred to as Project Directives), a project specific document that describes programmatic, cost and schedule assumptions, constraints and planning guidelines. Guidelines are developed as early as possible in planning and issued to the project team. Conducting a briefing to the entire team outlining the approach is highly recommended for best results.
STARTING WITH THE BASICS: WHAT IS? Providing context is important when communicating and leading a group of project control account managers and other project leadership. Also, it is not uncommon for project team members to have diverse backgrounds. Starting with basic level sets the team, provides a common language and reduces miscommunications. Assume nothing.
What is Project Management: The discipline of planning, organizing, and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives.
What areWha Projectt are ProjectControls Controls (Cost (Costand Schedule):and Schedule): Consists Consists of thoseof those processes processes performed to observe performedproject execution to observe so project that potential execution problems so that potential can be problemsidentified can in be a identifiedtimely manner and correctivein a timely action manner can andbe taken. corrective action can be taken. Projects employ the Triple Constraint model, where the goals of the planning are to Projectsachieve employ balance the Triple between Constraint cost, schedule model, andwhere scope. the goals Once achieved,of the planning during theare to achieve balance executionbetween andcost, control schedule phase, and the scope. goal is Once to maintain achieved, that balanceduring theas each execution constraint and control phase, thein the goal model is to is maintain pulling and that pushing balance in differentas each constraintdirections whilein the also model reacting is pulling to the and pushing impactsin different from externaldirections influences. while also reacting to the impacts from external influences.
Scope
Quality
Cost Schedule
The Project Management Triangle (Triple Constraint model)
The ProjectThe Controls Project Control functions function is constantly is constantly asking: asking:Where are we relative to our plan? Where should weWhere be? Can are wewe relativeget on track?to our Ifplan? so, how? Where What should is the we impactbe? Can to we cost get and on track schedule? If reserves? so, how? What is the impact to cost and schedule reserves? BUDGETING IS NOT FUNDING Project controlsBudgeting focus is NOT on Fundingthe planning of budgets (costs) that fall within project funding constraints.Project The controls difference focus betweenon the planning the project of budgets cost (costs)plan and that the fall projectwithin projectfunding limits is the availablefunding cost constraints. reserves. TheWhen difference developing between the theproject project cost cost baseline, plan and analysis the project needs to be conductedfunding to assure limits thatis the at available no time cost budgets reserves. exceed When available developing funds the andproject that cost sufficient cost reservesbaseline, are always analysis available. needs to be conducted to assure that at no time budgets exceed available funds and that sufficient cost reserves are always available. Budgeting is the time-phased planning of the total resources required to satisfy the project’s contractualBudgeting requirements. is the time-phased planning of the total resources required to satisfy the project’s contractual requirements.
18 The Measurable News 2016.02 | mycpm.org ‘If you can't describe what you are doing as a process, you don't know what you're doing.’ W. Edward Deming
The End-to-End Planning Process ‘If you can't describe what you are doing as a process, you don't know what you're doing.’ W. Edward Deming The Project Business Manager usually develops the overall process and obtains THE END-TO-END PLANNING PROCESS Theconcurrence from Project Business Managerthe Project usuallyManager. develops The documented process the overall process and obtainsis a key concurrence fromcommunication vehicle to the entire project team. the Project Manager. The documented process is a key communication vehicle to the entire project team. • Keep it simple ThreeThree rules to follow when developing the planning process: rules to follow when developing the planning process: • Keep• Keep it serial it simple. The . processThe process is the road is the road map frommap from Authorization to Proceed Authorization to Proceed, to , to establishmentestablishment of a performance measurement baseline. of a performance measurement baseline. • Keep it serial. The . The recipe is simple when each the phase is executed in the recipe is simple when each the phase is executed in the correct order. Modifying• Keep it realcorrect order. Modifying the sequence will result in “redo’s” or a non the sequence will result in “redo’s” or a non integrated baseline. integrated baseline • Keep it real. Although each project is unique, the process to develop a baseline is not. Adapt the core serial. Although each project is unique, the process to develop a process to your specific application. baseline is not. Adapt the core serial process to your specific application. Following are two samples of documenting the process in simple flow diagrams. Benefits of documenting your process are many, but the key benefits are organization and communications.Following are two samples of documenting the process in simple flow diagrams. Benefits of documenting your process are many, but the key benefits are organization and communications
Figure 1. Project that employed Integrated Product Teams and Integration Master Plans and Integrated Master Schedules Figure 2. Project that employed tradition matrix approach
THE PLANNING PROCESS TheThe Planning Process process for developing an integrated Performance Measurement Baseline has been distilled into nine discrete steps. Each step looks at a specific planning process and the resulting planning product. Each product demonstrates the due diligence of the planning and is an auditable document. The process for developing an integrated Performance Measurement Baseline has Planningbeen distilled into nine discrete steps. Ea is an iterative process, so during planning,ch step looks at a specific planning it is expected to have to revise and revisit products of the plan and adjust based on project dynamics and project management direction.process and the resulting planning product. Each product demon Just go back to the appropriate step and continue through the nextstrates the due sequence of processdiligence of the planning and steps. is an auditable document.
Planning is an iterative process, so during planning, it is expected to have to revise and revisit products of the plan and adjust based on project dynamics and project The Measurable News 2016.02 | management direction. Just go back to the appropriate step and mycpm.org continue through 19 the next sequence of process steps. Major planning phase/emphasis Product
1. Scope of the project Statement of Work Integrated Management Plan
2. Development Approach Integrated Product Team (IPT) Organization Breakdown Structure
3. Organize the work Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) WBS Dictionary
4. Assign the Work Responsibility Assignment Matrix
5. Schedule the Work Integrated Critical Path Networks Integrated Master Schedule Key Interfaces (Receivables/Deliverables)
6. Identify Resources Work Packages/Planning Packages Labor, Material, ODC, Subcontract,
7. Estimate the Cost the Work Current forward pricing rates, Time-phased (monthly) cost profile
8. Negotiate and approve plan Control Account Plan concurred by Project Control Account Manager (PCAM), Project Manager and Line Manager (or IPT lead)
9. Develop Earning Methodology BCWP ‘algorithmic earning’ consistent with BCWS profile
TheThe Planning Planning ProcessProcess
Comment omment on step on 9, step Developing e elopin Earning arnin Methodology. et o olo When planning en plannin a work a package or pac a e or control or control account, account earned earne value alue technique tec nique is is a a consideration during theconsi eration planning process. urin t e Depending plannin process on the Elements epen in of on Cost t e lements(Labor, ODC, o ost Matl, Subcontracts) a or certain atl earning u contracts techniques certain are earnin preferred, tec niques for example, are pre erre in-house or labor scope is best trackede ample through in ouse schedule la or scope performance, is est trac e where t rou subcontract sc e ule effort per ormance may use ere CPR reports, or paymentsu contract milestones. e ort Therefore, ma use keep reports the earning or pa ment approach milestones in your ere ore mind as eep the planningt e proceeds.earnin approac in our min as t e plannin procee s is step is at t e en ecause re ar less o t e earne alue tec nique t e earnin This stepplan is at as the to end e consistent because it regardless t e u et of the plan earned value e technique, test or t is the is i earning t e plan has to besc e ule consistent is procee in with the tobudget plan t e plan earn (BCWS).e alue The s oul test re lect for this t is is it if the a eroschedule is proceedingcumulati to plan,e c e ule the earned ariance value sshould t e reflect is lui this urin with aplannin zero cumulative it is est toSchedule Variance. ait As orthe t e BCWS is to fluid e appro e during planning,an t en e elopit is best t e to earnin wait for approac the BCWS on ato static be approvedtar et and then develop the earning approach on a static target.
‘In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.’ Dwight D. Eisenhower
SCHEDULE THE PROCESS A critical planning and communication document is the end-to-end schedule for the planning phase. Develop an end-to-end schedule for the planning cycle with interdependencies between planning phases and phase products. Determine appropriate periods of performance for the phases based on customer requirements such as the first submittal of performance reports, an Integrated Baseline Review (IBR) date, etc.
First and foremost, the schedule is a communication vehicle that clearly delineates responsibilities, identifies due dates and includes data review and approval cycle in the planning process.
20 The Measurable News 2016.02 | mycpm.org ‘In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.’ wight . isenhower
Schedule the Process critical plannin an communication ocument is t e en to en sc e ule or t e plannin p ase e elop an en to en sc e ule or t e plannin c cle it inter epen encies et een plannin p ases an p ase pro ucts etermine appropriate perio s o per ormance or t e p ases ase on customer requirements suc as t e irst su mittal o per ormance reports an nte rate aseline e ie ate etc
irst an oremost t e sc e ule is a communication e icle t at clearl elineates responsi ilities i enti ies ue ates an inclu es ata re ie an appro al c cle in t e plannin process
‘Waterfall’ Planning Schedule
‘Waterfall’ Planning Schedule e plannin process is iterati e an eac p ase in t e plannin process is iterati e The planning llo processsu icient is time iterative in eac and p ase each to phasere ie in iterate the planning an appro e process e is inte rate iterative. Allow sufficientmaster time sc e ule in each e elopment phase to review, usuall iterate ta es t eand lon est approve. time The an integrated as t e i est master schedule development e ree usually o cross takes project the coor ination longest time, llo and ample has the time highest to e elop degree a qualit of cross project coordination. Allow ample time to develop a quality schedule with all major hand-offs between project teams agreed upon and approved before embarking on the resource and cost planning. A well-vetted, approved, schedule will facilitate the subsequent phases of the planning process.
‘Always start out with a larger pot than what you think you need.’ Julia Child.
THE PLANNING INFRASTRUCTURE (ASSUME NOTHING) Project Management: The discipline of planning, organizing, and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives. This definition applies to the planning process. The resources managed or applied in the planning phase are three fold:
• People • Process • Tools
A project cannot be planned without the people. The leadership, the control account managers, or the project controls business staff. Processes and guidelines for scheduling, resource planning and costing are required to ensure a consistent integrated project plan and a coordinated set of planning tools need to be put in place to leverage state of the art information systems and facilitate data integration.
Large organizations set up to execute projects may have many of the processes and tools in place. Verify and validate that tools and processes are consistent with project goals and objectives. This is done before ‘the first day of practice’. What resources are available, or what resources need to be obtained, should be assessed as early as possible, and reviewed and adapted as appropriate. CAM training on the planning process or planning tools needs to take place prior to the start of the planning effort.
The project team needs to be in place prior to developing the Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB)
The Measurable News 2016.02 | mycpm.org 21 The People
The Players Roles and Responsibility Project Manager • Approve project plan • Proactive leadership during planning • Review and approve PMB Project Business Manager • Develop planning process • Brief and obtain PM approval • Responsible for all planning products for Integrated Baseline Project Control Analyst • Develop and maintain project integrated cost database • Work with Control Account Managers in developing integrated baseline data • Produce integrated baseline cost reports • Produce cost performance reports Project Schedule Analyst • Develop and maintain the project’s integrated schedule database • Develop and report project critical path • Work with Project Control Account Managers in the development of an integrated project schedule. Including REC/DELs Acquisitions/Subcontracts • Ensures contracts contain DRDs for submittal of integrated baseline • Negotiate deliverables to support project baseline requirements. Control Account Manager (CAM) • Responsible for the technical, cost and schedule plans for control account • Develop and submit integrated schedule and cost plans (with project control and project schedule analyst support • Ensure plan is realistic and achievable • Identify cost and schedule risks IPT or Line/Resource Management • Review plan resource requirements • Work with CAM to develop an achievable resource plan • Demonstrated approval of plan
THE PROCESSES The core EVMS processes are utilized during the life cycle of the project. These are the processes that the business team needs to lead the project team through. If the organization works under a validated EVMS System Description, review the corporate command media and ensure project planning approach is compliant.
1.0 Organization 2.0 Scheduling 3.0 Work/Budget Authorization 4.0 Accounting 5.0 Indirect Management 6-1.0 Managerial Analysis 6-2.0 Comprehensive Estimate-at-Completion 7-1.0 Change Management (External) 7-2.0 Change Management (Internal) 8.0 Material Management 9.0 Contract Management
As with the planning process, these processes should be implemented serially. Key decisions in the Organizing phase, such are WBS structure and depth, will flow into and affect the schedule and budgeting process. How the organization and project want to collect actual cost should be considered early on. Non-recurring versus recurring cost, development hardware versus flight hardware, mechanical engineering labor versus electrical engineering labor, are examples of considerations the project team needs to look at when developing the charge number structure. Also another consideration is how to map the charge number
22 The Measurable News 2016.02 | mycpm.org structure to the WBS and control account structure for Cost Variance analysis.
Managerial Analysis happens after the baseline has been put in place, but how you want to manage (what output formats, level of detail, analysis frequency) needs to be ‘planned into’ the project phase. ‘Quality built in’. In other words, design the inputs so that the outputs meet analysis needs. This holds true for the EAC, Change Management, Material Management and Contract Management processes. Consider those process executed in the ‘Control Phase’ of the project and plan accordingly in the planning phase.
THE TOOLS The basic planning and management tools need to be in place prior to developing the Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB). The tools should be ‘architected’ into a cohesive information management system.
The Tool Function Scheduling Control Module • Repository for projects integrated schedule • Reports project critical path • Stores and reports REC/DELs • Support CPM requirements Cost Control Module • Repository for projects integrated cost • Baseline, ACWP, ETC, EAC • Calculates BCWP • Produce integrated baseline cost reports • Produce cost performance reports Accounting System • Official book of accounts • Captures all actual costs by project
Additional planning and management tools needed to be in place prior to developing the Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB) The Tool Function Quantifiable Back-up Data • Derive EV % complete (QBD) • Used when schedule is not used to derive % • Under baseline control Front End Planning Aides • Budgetary planning tools that act as a feeder cost control system module Risk Management Tool • Repository for project risks • Used in developing Management Reserve position for the project
Standard ‘global files’ should be in place prior to developing the Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB)
The Tool Function Resource Breakdown • Resource structure from line Structure (RBS) organization or IPTs • Standard resource classifications • Standard direct rates Indirect Rate Structure • Standard/approved forward pricing rates/factors Appropriate burdening scenarios (overhead/G&A) Organization Breakdown • Line Management Structure or IPTs • Structure (OBS) • Skill centers and service centers Accounting Calendar • Common monthly calendar for Account System and Cost Control Module
‘I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it is.’ Wayne Gretzky Where is the puck going? What to expect?
Project leadership should always be forward looking and the following is a nominal look at a 15 Month Timeline. The Planning Phase culminates in a fully integrated cost and schedule, Performance Measurement, baseline. Configuration and baseline controls are now exercised.
The Measurable News 2016.02 | mycpm.org 23
‘I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it is.’ a ne ret k
ere is t e puc oin at to e pect ‘I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it is.’ a ne ret k ere is t e puc oin at to e pect roject lea ers ip s oul al a s e or ar loo in an t e ollo in is a nominal
loo at a ont imeline e lannin ase culminates in a ull inte rate roject lea ers ip s oul al a s e or ar loo in an t e ollo in is a nominal cost an sc e ule er ormance easurement aseline on i uration an aseline loo at a ont imeline e lannin ase culminates in a ull inte rate controls are no e ercise cost an sc e ule er ormance easurement aseline on i uration an aseline
controls are no e ercise lt ou e ort is e pen e anal in t e plan an c ec s are ma e to ensure an
accurate plan in aria l issues sur ace e usuall sur ace it in t e irst lt ou e ort is e pen e anal in t e plan an c ec s are ma e to ensure an quarter of the project. Expect it, plan for it. Don’t start o icial customer reportin accurate plan in aria l issues sur ace e usuall sur ace it in t e irst until t e secon quarter to allo t e project to i enti an correct plannin quarterAlthough of the effort project. is expended Expect it,analyzing plan for the it. plan Don’t and startchecks o icialare made customer to ensure reportin an accurate anomalies plan, arne invariably alue issues eri at surface.ion They tec niques usually surface an assumptions within the first an quarter correct of the project. until t e secon quarter to allo t e project to i enti an correct plannin mappin Expect o c ar e it, plan num ers for it. Don’t to start official elements customer are t o reporting e amples until o the anomalies second quarter t at to anomalies allow the arne project alueto identify eri at and ioncorrect tec niques planning anomalies.an assumptions Earned value an derivation correct ecome e i ent en mont l per ormance reports are enerate an anal e mappin techniques o c ar e and assumptions, num ers to and correct elements mapping are of t o charge e amples numbers o toanomalies WBS elements t at are two examples of anomalies that become evident when monthly performance reports are ecomegenerated e i ent and en analyzed. mont l per ormance reports are enerate an anal e
All corrections are made in the current ll corrections are ma e in t e Total Project reporting period, not retroactively. This may Earned Value Performance Trends 1.05
current reportin perio not 1.00 $224M result in wide swings of metrics. Document Cost Performance Index (CPI) 0.95 Performance Trend Total Project $233M IEAC ll corrections are ma e in t e 0.90 0.91 0.87 $253M CPI Goal at Project 0.85Earned Value Performance Trends retroacti el changes is to bema explained result inlater i e in a future IBR Replan 0.80 1.05 0.75 current reportin perio not CPI Goal at 100% of 1.00 Cost $224M or surveillance review. Reserve ConsumptCosiont P0.er70formance Index (CPI) 0.95 Performance Trend Performance $233M IEAC s in s o metrics ocument c an es 0.65 0.90 Index0. 91(CPI) 0.60 0.60 0.87 $253M CPI Goal at Project 0.85 retroacti el is ma result in i e Replan0.55 Jun-S06PI 0.TR80JuAl-CK06INGAu - gSTA-06RTSeINGp- 0J6U '0O6lYct-06 Nov-06 Dec-06 Jan-07 to e e plaine later in a uture or 1.10 0.75 CPI Goal at 100% of Cost Reserve Consumption 0.70 1.00 Performance s in s o metrics ocument c an es Schedule 0.65 Performance Index 0.96 (SPI) Performance Index (CPI) 0.60 0.94 Trend 0.60 sur eillance re ie 0.90 0.55 Jun-S06PI TRJuAl-CK06INGAu - gSTA-06RTSeINGp- 0J6U '0O6lYct-06 Nov-06 Dec-06 Jan-07 0.82 to e e plaine later in a uture or 0.80 1.10 SPI Goal at Project Replan 0.70 Schedule Schedule 1.00 Performance Index 0.96 (SPI) Performance 0.94Performance Trend sur eillance re ie 0.60 0.90 Index (SPI)
0.82 0.50 0.80 Jun-06 Jul-06 Aug-06 Sep-06 Oct-06 Nov-06 Dec-06 Jan-07 SPI Goal at Project Replan 0.70 Schedule Performance 0.60 Index (SPI)
0.50 ‘Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction’.Jun-06 Jul-06 Aug-06 Sep-06 Oct-06 Nov-06 Dec-06 Jan-07 John F. Kennedy
Establishing the purpose and direction is key to leading a team through the development of the Performance Measurement Baseline. This is not a trivial task on large complex government procurements involving dozens of CAMs, hundreds of work package/control account plans, multiple layers of stakeholders and customer expectations.
Organization and communication are keys to ‘Planning to Succeed’. The purpose is to provide the project team and customer with an accurate and achievable baseline plan. The direction is to use this as a benchmark the entire team will work toward to achieve project success.
24 The Measurable News 2016.02 | mycpm.org THE MEASURABLE NEWS 2016.02
ON THE USE OF EMPIRICAL OR ARTIFICIAL PROJECT DATA By Mario Vanhoucke
ABSTRACT This paper gives a brief overview of the artificial and empirical project data generated and collected by the researchers from the Operations Research and Scheduling (OR&S) group from Ghent University in Belgium. Artificial data are generated by project network generators under a strict design to control both the network structure and the resource constraints, while the empirical project data are collected over a time horizon of multiple years, using a standardized collection and classification method. All data are publicly available on the OR&S website (www.projectmanagement.ugent. be/research/data) and can be used anywhere for academic purposes. More detailed information on the network and resource parameters used to generate the artificial data and the classification process for the collection of empirical data is available in a paper published in the Journal of Modern Project Management (Vanhoucke et al., 2016).
1 INTRODUCTION We live in a world where the words big data have become the buzzwords to refer to the increasing importance of the availability of data and the powerful methodologies to analyse these huge amounts of data for improved decision making. The presence of data has always been important for decision making in most management disciplines, and therefore also for improving the decision making process in project management and control. In the last decades, researchers have proposed various ways to generate artificial project data that is freely available at various places on the internet. While the generation of artificial data has some advantages compared to the use of real project data, researchers often had no choice but to generate artificial data due to the lack of publicly available empirical project data.
During the past years, the OR&S group has presented a standard method for collecting empirical project data, based on discussions with academics and professionals from the project management field. This novel classification and collection method has been integrated with the experience of generating artificial data, and has resulted in an overview article on the use of data in project management. More precisely, in the recent article entitled “An overview of project data for integrated project management and control" (Vanhoucke et al., 2016), an overview is given on the use of artificial and empirical project data for academic research purposes. The article shows how the available project data is used in the research field known as “Dynamic Scheduling" (Uyttewaal, 2005; Vanhoucke, 2012) or “Integrated Project Management and Control" (Vanhoucke, 2014) which is used to refer to the integration between baseline scheduling, schedule risk analysis and project monitoring and control. The article gives an overall overview of the wide variety of project data that are available and are used in various research publications. It shows how the combination of artificial data and empirical data leads to improved knowledge on and deeper insights into the structure and characteristics of projects useful for academic research and professional use. The current manuscript gives a brief overview of this study and gives references to various interesting sources for obtained project data.
In the next sections of this paper, an overview is given on the project data that are available in the Project Management literature. Section 2 gives a brief overview on the carefully
controlled generation process of artificial project data using network and resource Ghent University, Tweekerkenstraat 2, 9000 Gent (Belgium) parameters as it is done in the literature. Section 3 briefly reviews the classification methods Vlerick Business School, Reep 1, used for collecting empirical project data. In section 4, references are given to the publicly 9000 Gent (Belgium) available websites and a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the databases UCL School of Management, is given. Section 5 mentions the freely available material that can be downloaded to support University College London, Gower future project management research using the available data. Street, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom)
The Quarterly Magazine of the College of Performance Management | mycpm.org 25 2 ARTIFICIAL DATA The widespread use of artificial data for research purposes lies not only in the ease of the generation process, but also in the ability to generate the data with parameters relevant for the research study. The major aim of academic research is to develop new methodologies and test their performance on a wide range of problem instances in search for drivers of good or bad performance. Rather than presenting a methodology that can solve a problem for a specific project, the contribution of the research often lies in showing why the new methodology performs well in some cases, but fails to compete with alternative methodologies in other cases. This search for drivers that determine the performance of the new methodologies is crucial for academic research to provide insights into the characteristics of the newly presented ideas. These findings stimulate further developments and add additional improvement steps that can be tested and validated in future research studies. For these reasons, researchers generate the data according to the specific needs of the research study, and often do not feel the need to use real company-specific project data.
The generation of artificial data has been the topic of academic research for decades, and has resulted in project data generators to design the look and feel of the generated data using network and resource metrics. The design of an artificial dataset is then mostly done with one of the data generators under a controlled design using predefined parameters for the topological structure of the project network and the scarceness of resources used by the activities. The OR&S group has been very active in this field, and has developed a random network generator known as RanGen1 (Demeulemeester et al., 2003) and further extended to RanGen2 (Vanhoucke et al., 2008) which makes use of various metrics for the network topology and resource scarceness, as briefly summarized along the following lines:
• Network topology: The topological structure is defined by the specific assembly of project activities and precedence relations between these activities. The way the activities are connected to each other using the precedence relations results in a project structure that varies between a complete serial network to a complete parallel network. Metrics such as the Order Strength (OS), the Serial/Parallel indicator (SP) and the Coefficient of Network Complexity (CNC) have been used in the academic literature and has resulted in various insights. As an example, in previous articles in the Measurable News, it has been shown that Earned Value/Schedule indicators are more reliable for forecasting when the topological structure of the project network, measured by the SP indicator, is more serial than parallel (Vanhoucke and Vandevoorde, 2007, 2008, 2009; Vanhoucke, 2010).
• Resource scarceness: Modelling the demand for resources by activities as well as the limited availability of the project resources has resulted in various resource parameters to model so-called resource-constrained project scheduling problems. These parameters have been used to model and generate both renewable resources and nonrenewable (or consumable) resources, and typically quantify the relation between the activities and resources using metrics such as the Resource Scarceness (RC), the Resource Strength (RS) and the Resource Use (RU).
For a complete overview of most commonly used network topology and resource scarceness metrics, their formulas and their use for the generation of artificial data, the reader is referred to the paper by Vanhoucke et al. (2016).
3 EMPIRICAL DATA The major reason why empirical data must be used in research is to validate academic results for practical use, showing the relevance in a real-life setting that often differs either slightly or sometimes dramatically from the well-designed artificial data. As a professional, the availability of data allows testing ideas on company-specific data to fine-tune existing or new methodologies to the unique and specific aspects and settings of the company culture, personal wishes and particular needs of the project manager. Rather than providing insights into drivers for good or bad performance of the newly presented methodologies, the focus often lies on adapting and modifying the methodology in order to optimize its performance for a specific setting. Without real project data, this translation process from theory (academic research with artificial data) to practice (professional experience with empirical data) remains a theoretical exercise with little to no value.
Despite the fragmentary availability of empirical project data, little to no work has been proposed to share the data between professionals and researchers to carry out research, nor to propose a standardized way to further expand the current databases. As far as the author knows, much of the work presented in articles using empirical project data was done on real
26 The Measurable News 2016.02 | mycpm.org projects that could not be shared with other researchers due to confidentiality reasons, due to the lack of a clear structure in the data or maybe due to the absence of a general format that could be used for sharing. Therefore, only recently, the OR&S group has presented a construction and evaluation framework for a real-life project database in Batselier and Vanhoucke (2015) using a standardized approach for collecting data and a uniform format to present the data for further use and sharing between researchers.
While the artificial databases in literature focus solely on the design of the project network and resources constraints, the collection of empirical project data is often done from a totally different point of view, focusing more on the completeness of the data for integrated project management and control, and on the authenticity of the data that assesses their value in real-life.
• Completeness: The completeness is defined as the extent to which each of the three dynamic scheduling dimensions (baseline scheduling, schedule risk analysis and project control) was covered by the project data, and is expressed by a three-level color code which is based on the traffic light approach proposed by Anbari (2003). A green, yellow and orange color respectively indicates full, mediocre and rather poor completeness of data.
• Authenticity: The concept of authenticity is used to indicate the source of the data and the degree of assumptions that had been made while collecting the data. A distinction has been made between project authenticity that is used for the parameters defining the project network and resource constraints (as done for the artificial data) and the tracking authenticity that is relevant for the dynamic data parameters that define the project progress. The latter parameters use the well-known Earned Value Management parameters to measure the periodic performance of the projects in progress.
4 PROS AND CONS It is tempting to favour the use of empirical data over the use of artificial using arguments that focus on the realism of empirical data and on the restrictions inherent to generated artificial data. This argument is often stated by professionals who correctly argue that research should support the real needs of project managers, and not vice versa. While most researchers agree with the latter statement, it should be recognized that the use of artificial data has some important advantages compared to empirical data. Figure 1 shows the main advantages and disadvantages of artificial and empirical data, and a brief discussion is given along the following lines.
One of the main advantages of artificial data is the ability to generate the data according to the specific needs of the research study. The use of artificial data is crucial for researchers to provide insights into the project drivers that determine the quality and accuracy of project schedules, risk metrics and control methodologies. It is therefore the personal belief of the author that the first and main focus of academic research should lie on using artificial project data based on a so-called controlled and full-factorial design. Thanks to the controlled generation process, the researchers have full control over all the project (network and resource) parameters in order to obtain and present general results that are applicable for a wide variety of projects. Through the use of simulated computer experiments, new relations between the generated project drivers and the computer output can be found and can provide insights into the behaviour of scheduling and control techniques.
However, it is sometimes extremely hard and a waste-of-time to convince professionals about the relevance and advantages of artificial project data. The straightforward advantage of using empirical data is that they better reflect the real project management world compared to the artificial data, and therefore it is often concluded that empirical data should be favoured above artificial data use. However, the use of empirical project data is not without danger. It must not be forgotten that the ultimate goal of research on integrated project management and control is to improve the decision-making process during project progress. Research focuses on evaluating current methods and presenting novel techniques for project control that should be used as triggers for corrective actions to bring projects in danger back on track. These triggers should be used in a careful way and should enable the project manager to take only actions when really necessary. Therefore, the control methodologies should only provide warning signals when the project has a high probability of running out of control, and no warning signals for every little change in the project with a low impact on the project objectives. The main purpose of many of the research studies is to contribute, directly or indirectly, to this challenging goal of presenting methodologies to better control projects in progress and improve corrective actions. The major and inherent weakness of empirical data lies in the fact that these empirical data include many of these corrective actions.
The Measurable News 2016.02 | mycpm.org 27 Without an explicit distinction between data and actions, computer experiments cannot test the accuracy and quality of the warning signals of control methods, and can therefore not provide any insights into the relation between project drivers and the performance of these methodologies.
Artificial data Empirical data
+ + Controlled design Realism - - Realism Hidden variables
Use Use Computer experiments Validation of research
Inspiration for generating artificial data Validation of research results
Figure 1: Artificial and empirical project data
Despite the major advantage of using artificial data in a research setting, researchers should also Despite the major advantage of using artificial data in a research setting, researchers should consider the use of empirical real project data in their research endeavours. The use of an also consider the use of empirical real project data in their research endeavours. The use of empirical set during research increases the likelihood to carry out relevant research and reduces an empiricalthe risk setof generating during research artificial data increases that have the little likelihood to no practical to value.carry Moreover,out relevant new researchresearch and reducesresults the riskobtained of generating from the experim artificialents on datathe artificial that havedatasets little should to no be practicalvalidated onvalue. empirical Moreover, new researchprojects toresults assess obtained their realism from and the their experiments potential use onin practice, the artificial and should datasets ideally shouldlead to be validatedpractical on empirical guidelines andprojects insights to relevant assess for their real projects. realism Hence, and their the main potential advantage use of inemp practice,irical and shoulddata for ideally research lead lies to in practicalthe validation guidelines of existing and research insights results relevant rather than for inreal the projects.creation of Hence, the mainnew advantage research insights. of empirical data for research lies in the validation of existing research results rather than in the creation of new research insights. While research aims at presenting general results, and professionals aim at obtaining specific While researchadded value aims for theirat presenting business, both general should results, aim at tighteningand professionals the gap between aim at the obtaining theory and specific practice to support better decisions for projects. Research should certainly be translated into added practicalvalue for relevance their business, and not only both stay should in the papers aim at written tightening by academics, the gap but betweenempirical e thevidence theory and practicefrom professionals to support should better also decisions provide an forimpetus projects. for new Research academic research.should certainly When academics be translated into practicaland professionals relevance work and in perfectnot only harmony, stay in researchers the papers can written focus on by general academics, studies with but some empirical evidenceadditional from professionalsempirical validation, should after alsowhich provide professionals an impetus can take for over new in order academic to extend research. these When academicsnew methodologiesand professionals to sector work-specific in perfectsoftware harmony,tools and techniques, researchers which can should focus be on- although general studiesvery with relevant some - keptadditional outside theempirical academic validation, environment. after which professionals can take over in order to extend these new methodologies to sector-specific software tools and techniques, which should5 Conclusion be - although very relevant - kept outside the academic environment.
5 CONCLUSIONThis article is a summary of the more complete article published in the Journal of Modern Project This articleManagement is a summary and gives of an the overview more of complete the use of artificial article and published empirical projectin the dataJournal used ofby andModern Projectshared Management between researchersand gives anand overview professionals. of the All useproject of artificialdata can beand downloaded empirical fromproject data usedwww.projectmanagement.ugent.be/research/data. by and shared between researchers andThis professionals.website contains All a fullproject overview data of canthe be downloadeddata generated from www.projectmanagement.ugent.be/research/data. and collected by the OR&S group which can be summarized as Thisfollows: website contains
a full overview of the data generated and collected by the OR&S group which can be The previously mentioned paper “An overview of project data for integrated project summarized asmanagement follows: and control" can be freely downloaded from this website. The paper
• The previously mentioned paper “An overview of project data for integrated project management and control" can be freely downloaded from this website. The paper contains a full overview of all metrics used for the generation of artificial data and the collection of empirical data. The website also contains a download link to the RanGen generator and references to other generation software tools.
• An MS Excel overview of the data generation process, including references to the data generator and the values for the network and resource metrics, is available for each single project instance of each dataset.
• All data can be downloaded from the website, and currently consists of 10 artificial sets (with thousands of projects) and one empirical set with 100 projects in January 2016 (and growing). Details on the format used to represent the data in Computer Les
28 The Measurable News 2016.02 | mycpm.org is available, and a converter to transform the empirical sets to MS Excel is available for download.
6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We acknowledge the support provided by the “Bijzonder Onderzoeksfonds" (BOF) for the project with contract number BOF12GOA021, by the “Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek" (FWO) for the project with contract number G015711N and by the National Bank of Belgium (NBB).
References Anbari, F. (2003). Earned value project management Control: First comes the theory, then the practice. method and extensions. Project Management Journal, Management for Professionals. Springer. 34(4):12-23. Vanhoucke, M., Coelho, J., and Batselier, J. (2016). An Batselier, J. and Vanhoucke, M. (2015). Construction and overview of project data for integrated project evaluation framework for a real-life project database. management and control. Journal of Modern Project International Journal of Project Management, 33:697- Management, 3(2):6-21. 710. Vanhoucke, M., Coelho, J., Debels, D., Maenhout, B., and Demeulemeester, E., Vanhoucke, M., and Herroelen, W. Tavares, L. (2008). An evaluation of the adequacy (2003). RanGen: A random network generator for of project network generators with systematically activity-on-the-node networks. Journal of Scheduling, sampled networks. European Journal of Operational 6:17-38. Research, 187:511-524.
Uyttewaal, E. (2005). Dynamic Scheduling With Vanhoucke, M. and Vandevoorde, S. (2007). Measuring Microsoft Office Project 2003: The book by and the accuracy of earned value/earned schedule for professionals. Co-published with International forecasting predictors. The Measurable News, Institute for Learning, Inc. Winter:26-30.
Vanhoucke, M. (2010). Measuring time: An earned value Vanhoucke, M. and Vandevoorde, S. (2008). Earned performance management study. The Measurable value forecast accuracy and activity criticality. The News, 1:10-14. Measurable News, Summer:13-16.
Vanhoucke, M. (2012). Project Management with Dynamic Vanhoucke, M. and Vandevoorde, S. (2009). Forecasting Scheduling: Baseline Scheduling, Risk Analysis and a project's duration under various topological Project Control, volume XVIII. Springer. structures. The Measurable News, Spring:26-30.
Vanhoucke, M. (2014). Integrated Project Management and
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1 1 THE MEASURABLE NEWS 2016.02
EVM AND AGILE DEVELOPMENT COLLABORATION FOR A PURPOSE By Matthew Strain
Over the past few years in the earned value space and beyond one of the driving topics has been how to apply agile methods to improve acquisitions. As part of this, many government agencies began issuing internal mandates to look for opportunities to apply these principles to improve their organizational activities. One such effort recently culminated in the release of a Department of Defense (DoD) white paper from the directorate in charge of all policy, guidance, and competency relating to EVM – Performance Assessments and Root Cause Analyses (PARCA), within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition. The white paper was generated using an agile method that brought together a diverse set of government and industry contributors. The paper, titled Agile and Earned Value Management: A Program Manager’s Desk Guide was released March 3rd, 20161, and focuses on recommended practices for planning, controlling, and forecasting agile software development projects. The release culminates a year’s worth of effort on the part of Government and industry participants.
Inside the guide, PARCA explains the genesis of their effort to expand the domain knowledge of successful agile application on government acquisitions employing earned value management. “In July of 2014, PARCA met with representatives from various DoD Services and Agencies to discuss the implementation of both EVM Agile development practices together on DoD programs. As a result, PARCA launched an initiative to explore the joint applicability of the two methodologies with stakeholders from the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), the Services, the Intelligence Community (IC), Defense Acquisition University (DAU), and the National Defense University (NDU). This initiative included an action to examine issues, synergies, challenges, and best practices in the utilization of both Agile and EVM in industry.”2
As part of this mandate, PARCA soon hosted its first session related to Agile software development within DoD and earned value management through an open session in February 2015 which worked to build a common understanding of the agile software development landscape.3 During the summer and through the end of 2015, the working group met on several occasions throughout the Northern Virginia region to cover deeper level training topics, as well as to conduct workshops focused on redressing concerns related to compliance under EVM’s 32-guidelines. Additional topical meetings were also held related to application of agile principles throughout the larger acquisition lifecycle.4 The industry contributors were organized by Ronald Terbush (LM).
I would like to thank all of the government participants and recognize all of the industry participants who were heavily involved from the start of the effort. Having been a part of this effort it was a powerful example of positive collaboration between government and industry, and it is my belief that the stage has been set for future efforts to follow the example set by this group. How PARCA intends to keep the momentum going, as well as other questions related to their paper, will be asked at an upcoming CPM Washington DC meeting in May 2016 where we host John S. McGregor, Deputy Director of Earned Value Management for PARCA. Event details will follow through the CPM website and e-mail distribution, so please sign up to stay informed.
The industry working group participants contributing throughout the lifecycle of the effort were as follows: L3 Andrew Rymaruk GD Matt Strain L3 Evan Francis LM Ron Terbush 1) http://www.acq.osd.mil/evm/docs/ PARCA%20Agile%20and%20EVM%20 NG Suzette Johnson LM Robin Yeman PM%20Desk%20Guide.pdf NG Carol Lazio LM Rob Eisenberg 2) OSD PARCA, 16-S-1407, March, 3 2016. NG Nathan Olligmueller LM Cherilyn (CJ) Jones 3) http://www.acq.osd.mil/evm/ resources/EVM-Agile%20Meeting.html RTN Jim Duffy 4) http://www.acq.osd.mil/evm/ RTN Scott Rummel resources/DoDAgileSep2015.html
The Quarterly Magazine of the College of Performance Management | mycpm.org 31 The “New” College of Performance Management (CPM) – JOIN NOW!
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Humphreys & Associates offers a complete range of Proposal Support Humphreys & Associates offers a complete range of Proposal Support EVMSEVMS consultingconsulting services services. From. Fromproposal proposal preparation preparation Humphreysandand management & Associates system system gap offers gapanalysis analysis ato completemock to mock range of Proposal Support EVMS consultingcompliancecompliance reviewsservicesreviews or . or contractorFrom contractor proposal self- preparationself- EVMS Staff EVMS Staff EVMS Requirements EVMS Requirements Augmentation or Gap Analysis and managementsurveillancesurveillance systemand and third third gapparty party analysisvalidations, validations, to H&A mock is H&A is Augmentation or Gap Analysis the authority in EVMS. compliancethe authorityreviews in EVMS.or contractor self- EVMS Staff EVMS Requirements As the industry recognized leader in AugmHenutmatiponhreys & Associates or Gap Analysis surveillance and third party validations, H&A is EVMS Compliance EVMS Design and AsEVMS the trainingindustry, H&A recognized offers regularly leader in Review Preparation Humphreys & ADsoscuomecnitatiotnes the authority in EVMS. EVMS Compliance EVMS EVMS Design and EVMSscheduled training Earned , ValueH&A Managementoffers regularly Review PrepaCraotinonsulting Services EVMS Documentation scheduledSystem, Project Earned Scheduling, Value andManagement Advanced Consulting Services As the industry recognized leader in Integrated Baseline Humphreys & Associates Earned Value Management Techniques public EVMS Compliance EVMS EVMS Design and System, Project Scheduling, and Advanced Review (IBR) EVMS trainingworkshops. , H&A offers regularly Review Preparation EVMImSplementation Documentation Preparation Integrated Baseline Earned Value Management Techniques public EVMS scheduled Earned Value Management Review (IBR) H&A now offers a Control Account Consulting Services Implementation workshops. PreparatioEnVMS and System, ManagerProject (CAM)Scheduling, Certification and ProgramAdvanced – ideal for Project Management H&anyoneA lookingnow tooffers improve a their Control EVM expertise Account and distinguish Integ rated Baseline Training Earned Value Management Techniques public EVMS Review (IBR) EVMS and Managerthemselves with (CAM) a professional Certification certification. Program – ideal for Implementation workshops. Preparation Project Management anyone looking to improve their EVM expertise and distinguish Training Interested in learning more? H&A nowthemselves offers with a a professionalControl certification.Account Visit our web site at www.humphreys-assoc.com or call us today at (714)EV M685S a-n1730d Manager (CAM) Certification Program – ideal for Project Management anyone looking to improve their EVM expertiseInterested and distinguish in learning more? Training themselves with aVisit professional our web site certification. at www.humphreys -assoc.com or call us today at (714) 685-1730
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website: www.CBTWorkshop.com phone: 888•644•5613 THE MEASURABLE NEWS 2016.02
CPM WASHINGTON DC (CPMWDC) NEWS
CPMWDC is delighted to announce the results of our election. Please offer your congratulations to the 2016-2018 Chapter Executive Council (CEC).
• President – Barbara Phillips • VP of Administration – Eva Walter • VP of Finance – Kathy Evans • VP of Sponsorships – Ryan Smith • VP of Volunteer Coordination – Michael Marcell • VP of Membership and Communication – Melissa Nino • VP of Programs – Laura Ayres • VP of Website Marketing – Matt Strain
The CPMWDC meeting held on February 25 in Washington, DC hosted Michael Marcell of K2 Project Controls Systems as our speaker. He treated the chummy crowd of attendees with experiences of using Oracle P6 and Microsoft Project on various projects over his career. With no slide show, the attendees were able to concentrate on discussion and make it a questions/answer session. The 15+ attendees were active participants.
The meeting was generously sponsored and hosted by MCR, LLC at their downtown Washington, DC location near the US Capitol. Special thanks for Kathy Evans of MCR, LLC for making the evening a success. The meeting was also sponsored by CPMWDC corporate sponsor PwC.
CPMWDC has two (2) meetings scheduled in the coming months. Please go to http://mycpm. org/cpmwdc for registration information.
• On April 21, 2016, SGT Inc in Greenbelt, MD will host Steve Shinn, Deputy Director for Planning and BusinessManagement at NASA GSFC on the topic: How Project Facing Organizations Use EVM.
• In June 16, 2016, SAIC in McLean, VA will host Dale Gillam, Program Manager and the Earned Value Management (EVM) and Scheduling Focal Point for SAIC on the topic: What you need to know now: EVM in 2016 and Beyond
CPMWDC is always looking for meeting topics and locations. Please reach out to any of our CEC members with your ideas! We can be reached at [email protected]
The Quarterly Magazine of the College of Performance Management | mycpm.org 35 THE MEASURABLE NEWS 2016.02
CPM TENNESSEE VALLEY (CPMTV) CHAPTER SPECIAL EVENT – FEBRUARY 16, 2016 By Norman Dean
The CPMTV chapter held a special meeting on February 16 in Huntsville, Alabama with Mr. John McGregor, Acting Deputy Director for Earned Value Management (EVM) in the Department of Defense (DoD) Performance and Root Cause Analyses (PARCA) organization, as the main speaker. Even though it was a rainy day, the meeting was well attended as over 50 people from industry, government and education joined in to listen to Mr. McGregor. Refreshments were graciously provided by meeting sponsor BCF Solutions, and the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) Alumni Association kindly hosted by providing the meeting space at their training facility. The meeting was emceed by Bob Wasser of BCF Solutions with the bulk of the time being reserved for the Deputy Director’s presentation.
Bob Wasser kicked off the meeting and Judd Fussell, DAU Professor of Earned Value, welcomed everyone to the facility and made some administrative remarks. Mr. Wasser then thanked DAU and BCF Solutions for sponsoring the meeting, and he discussed CPMTV becoming a full-fledged chapter, reminded everyone of the regularly scheduled CPM quarterly meetings, introduced the CPMTV officers that had been elected, and asked for future meeting sponsors and presenters. He concluded by introducing the main speaker.
Mr. McGregor opened by discussing the current EVM Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations Supplement (DFARS) case. He noted that the case codified the $100M threshold requirement for EVM system validation and it proposed four criteria for EVM applicability— contract type, value, duration, and scope.
The Deputy Director continued his talk with a presentation regarding an initiative to combine the Cost and Software Data Report (CSDR) and EVM reporting plans. This was an informative session that covered all areas of the co-planning process including the updated DD Form 2794, a shared Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), and automated data streaming.
Mr. McGregor concluded with an enlightening discussion which touched on many areas of interest to the EVM community. Topics covered included the Earned Value Management System Interpretation Guide (EVMSIG), the Integrated Program Management Report (IPMR) Implementation Guide, EVM application and tailoring, guidance for Agile development projects, reciprocity of EVMS compliance between federal agencies, and the future of the EVM Central Repository (CR). He closed by encouraging attendees to look into the Government Acquisition Exchange Program for a chance to work a rotational assignment at PARCA.
Bob Wasser closed the meeting by thanking Mr. McGregor for graciously providing a wonderful presentation, BCF Solutions for sponsoring the meeting, and DAU for hosting.
36 The Quarterly Magazine of the College of Performance Management | mycpm.org THE MEASURABLE NEWS 2016.02
CPM TENNESSEE VALLEY (CPMTV) CHAPTER QUARTERLY MEETING – MARCH 1, 2016 By Norman Dean
The CPMTV chapter held its spring quarterly meeting on Tuesday, March 1 in Huntsville, Alabama. With good representation from industry and government, over 30 individuals attended the meeting. The meeting was graciously hosted by Deltek and SAIC with Deltek providing speakers and refreshments and SAIC providing the meeting space at their Odyssey Drive facility. The meeting was emceed by Bob Wasser of BCF Solutions with presentations by Tom Polen and Dan Demangos.
Bob Wasser kicked things off by thanking SAIC and Deltek for sponsoring the meeting, and he discussed CPMTV becoming a full-fledged chapter. He continued by asking for sponsors and speakers for future meetings and for officers to serve on the CPMTV board. Mr. Wasser then noted Encore and ClearPlan will sponsor the June 7th and September 6th quarterly meetings, respectively. Mr. Wasser concluded his opening remarks by welcoming Deltek guests Tom Polen, Dan Demangos, and Sara Segrist.
Tom Polen, Solution Engineer at Deltek, opened the presentations by discussing schedule quality. It was a very informative discussion as Mr. Polen was able to draw upon his years of experience to share useful methods to analyze the quality and usefulness of a schedule. His talk included a discussion on useful schedule analytic metrics and a presentation of Deltek’s Acumen software.
Dan Demangos, Solution Engineer at Deltek, then presented an interesting overview of PM Compass, Deltek’s command center software. Mr. Demangos explained that PM Compass is designed to sit on top of Deltek’s other products such as Open Plan, Acumen, Cobra, and wInsight and present program managers with useful, integrated dashboard views of the underlying data. Mr. Demangos concluded by showing examples of many of the powerful features of PM Compass.
Bob Wasser closed the meeting by thanking the presenters, SAIC, and Deltek. He also invited everyone in attendance to the post-meeting reception.
The next CPMTV quarterly meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 7 from 3:00-5:00. More details will follow.
The Quarterly Magazine of the College of Performance Management | mycpm.org 37 THE MEASURABLE NEWS 2016.02
COLLEGE OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT TENNESSEE VALLEY (CPMTV) CHAPTER MEETING
Tuesday- June 7, 2016, 3 to 5 Central Time Defense Acquisition University (South) (DAU), 7115 Old Madison Pike Huntsville, AL 35806
If YOU have anything to do with Program Control, don’t miss this meeting! This meeting is being sponsored by Encore Analytics http://encore- analytics.com/ so please make sure you thank them for their generosity.
AGENDA BOB Wasser – Senior PM BCF Solutions • Master of Ceremonies with Introductions Gary Troop - President and CEO of Encore Analytics • Using Empower’s new DCMA EVMS Testing Protocols (DETP) features to support data driven audits • How to engage all levels of management in the proactive use of project performance data • Tips and tricks for collecting narrative analysis with Empower Truman J. Carroll – NASA/SAIC • Over Target Baseline: Lessons Learned from the NASA SLS Booster
The meeting itself will be from 3pm to 5pm central time with speakers, then networking, signup for membership, volunteers for future speakers, and any companies or organizations that would like to host or sponsor a future meeting.
Please respond back to [email protected] if you plan to attend.
he has been an analyst within the NASA Space Launch System Program Planning PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIES & Control office supporting the SLS Booster Element. Prior to this Truman was Gary W. Troop - President Encore Analytics, LLC an IT Project Manager supporting various Marshall Space Flight Center programs [email protected] | 310-365-3876 and projects. Truman and his family also run a homestead farm on 26 beautiful Tennessee acres complete with pigs, sheep, and a milk cow named Maggie. Find us Mr. Troop is the President and CEO of Encore Analytics, a software company that on Facebook at RaisedRightFarmTN. provides browser-based analytical tools for the proactive management of complex projects. Encore’s flagship product, “Empower” was released in late 2012 and has Education: Bachelors & Masters in Management Information Systems (MIS) – enjoyed broad acceptance by both government and industry organizations as the University of Alabama Huntsville (UAH) next step toward integrated program analytics. Mr. Troop has over thirty years of program management experience in projects of all sizes. He has extensive knowledge Bob Wasser – Senior PM BCF Solutions in the application of earned value management systems (EVMS) from a federal government, construction management, software development, and aerospace & [email protected] | 256.656.7600 defense contractor perspective. Mr. Troop started his professional career with the United States Air Force in the NAVSTAR GPS Program Office where he helped Mr. Wasser has 42 years of knowledge and experience in Technical Support, Program validate supplier management systems and analyze the resultant performance Control, and Earned Value Management (EVM). He has supported Military, NASA, management data. After leaving the Air Force, Mr. Troop managed a number of and Commercial projects as a technician, analyst, trainer, and manager. He currently software projects and eventually co-founded C/S Solutions in 1994. Under Mr. supports NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and the Army Aviation and Troop’s direction, C/S Solutions created the wInsight and Risk+ analytical software Missile Command (AMCOM) in implementing EVM on development contracts and tools. These tools became the international “Gold Standard” for virtually every Government in-house applications. He developed training courses to support organization that uses earned value data to proactively manage complex projects. EVM applications such as in-house EV System processes, baseline development Mr. Troop taught and implemented the tool set throughout the United States and and review processes, performance data analyses, and automated analytical tool internationally in countries such as Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Canada, Australia, usage. He was a BCF Solutions, Inc. Director and is a Senior Program Manager for and the United Kingdom. Deltek acquired C/S Solutions, Inc. in 2006. From 2008 to the company’s EVM activities in Huntsville, Alabama and served in this capacity 2011, Mr. Troop was an intermittent professor at the Defense Acquisition University for 10 years. Mr. Wasser was the Engineering and Management Concepts (EMC) (DAU) where he instructed in the area of integrated program management, focusing Director/Senior Program Manager, Huntsville, Alabama operations. He developed on earned value management and integrated master schedules. During this period, and managed the Contract Support task orders for EVM efforts in support of the he also consulted with industry on the implementation of integrated program NASA MSFC, the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), AMCOM, and the Army Corps of management systems and the use of the resultant data. Engineers acquisition mission. Prior to his role as a support contractor, Mr. Wasser spent twenty years as an IBM Program Control Management Advisory Analyst. Mr. Troop is a graduate of Florida State University (Accounting). In his spare time, He supported multiple programs as a Test Engineer; assisted the Navy helicopter he enjoys flying, is an instrument-rated private pilot, and a volunteer pilot with both program as a Lead Financial Analyst; and developed, operated, and maintained the Mercy Flight and the Veteran’s Airlift Command. IBM Cost and Schedule Reporting System for the Space Station Program at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC). Mr. Wasser is a certified wInsight instructor (EVM analysis tool) providing more than 500 hours of wInsight users’ instruction. He is Truman J. Carroll – NASA/SAIC also the past President of the wInsight Users’ Group (WUG), the President of the [email protected] | 256-529-8612 Huntsville Earned Value Working Group PMA, and held executive offices in many other social, sports, educational, and community organizations. He is a member of Truman J. Carroll serves as the Executive Vice President for the College of the College of Performance Management and serves as the President of the College Performance Management Tennessee Valley Chapter (CPMTV). For the past 7 years of Performance Management Tennessee Valley.
List of current CPMTV officers: Bob Wasser- President Bill Smart- Vice President of Finance Truman Carroll- Executive Vice President Reuben Russell- Vice President of Certifications Norman Dean- Vice President of Administration
Please bring an office mate, employee, boss, customer, or contractor.
38 The Quarterly Magazine of the College of Performance Management | mycpm.org THE MEASURABLE NEWS 2016.02
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11902-ClearPlan_BC_0115_V1-Versions.indd 25 2/11/15 10:39 AM Get Involved In CPM: Become A Volunteer
Most people agree that the value of membership in any organization is greatly impacted by one’s involvement in that organization. CPM has many opportunities for you to become engaged in your organization.
You can help with our certificate program, become a leader in our two conferences each year or other volunteer opportunities as they appear on the website. Take the time to read each of the job descriptions and ask questions of the point of contact for each if you are not sure what is expected. PDU’s are available for volunteering in CPM.
These opportunities are listed on our website: www.mycpm.org./ABOUT US/VOLUNTEERS THE MEASURABLE NEWS
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