VPVI-65: Implementing Project and Resource Planning – A Success Story

Michele Jackson, Gresham Smith Michael Kessler, Full Sail Partners Today’s Agenda

• Introductions

• Why we chose Vision Resource and Project Planning

• Planning for Project Planning Roll-out

• Post Implementation

• Critical Success Factors

• Benefit from having project plans - Earned Value Report in Vision

• Q&A

Gresham Smith is an architecture, engineering and design practice that provides creative solutions while genuinely caring for each other, our clients and our communities. Headquartered in Nashville since 1967, now with 25 additional office locations.

5 Approximately 1,000 Employees Building Value with Our Clients, Our People and the World

6 Our Markets Deltek Products Utilized by Gresham Smith

• Cloud Vision v7.6 • Core • Project and Resource Planning • Payroll Talent • CRM Management • Performance Management Michele Jackson Senior Operations Analyst

• Over 25 years at Gresham Smith • Provide performance analysis and reporting to the Management Team • Liaison between Corporate Services, Operations and the Practice in implementing new and revised processes connected to Vision • Facilitate monthly Vision Team meetings • Managed the Vision Planning implementation project About Full Sail Partners

Full Sail Partners provides client-focused Keep Your Business on Course. technology services and solutions for more than 1,000 professional services’ For more information, please email Full firms nationwide. As a Deltek Partner, Full Sail Partners’ Marketing Communications Sail Partners helps project-based firms Department or visit the Full Sail Partners’ fully integrate their business processes by website at http://www.fullsailpartners.com. connecting their front end and backend systems. We seek to help organizations identify the critical resources needed to create a faster, more efficient, and cohesive business infrastructure.

Full Sail Partners – Michael Kessler, PMP Principal Consultant

• Expert consultant on Deltek Vantagepoint and Vision Finance and Resource Planning modules • Over 30 years A/E industry experience • Past Deltek consultant • FASB ASC 606 expert Implementing Deltek Vision Project Planning Why We Implemented Project Planning

Management called Decision was made to Director of PM had Determined Vision for improved bottom focus on expanding two non-negotiable Project and Resource line by way of and improving PM expectations: Planning would give improved project tools 1. Ability to track PMs ability to predict management Earned Value and better manage project outcomes 2. Scheduling capabilities Selecting the Right Implementation Partner

• Having a trusted partner for implementation was a requirement • Bringing in outside expert helped keep project on track and on schedule • Training was better received – expert provided validation Planning for Project Planning Roll-out Established Project Planning Core Group

Two full-day planning sessions with Operation Accountin representatives from: s g • Management (COO and CFO) Mkt Analysts & Manages billing + • Operations + Asst PMs create term set up and and maintain invoicing • Project Management projects • Accounting • IT • HR (training support) Developing a Rollout Plan

There were four phases: 1. Fact Finding Developing a Rollout Plan

There were four phases: 1. Fact Finding 2. Determining Configuration Requirements and Follow-up Testing • Plan Billing and/or Cost • Custom project planning calendar requirements Configuration • How Generic Resources will be used Considerations • How % complete will be entered/used • Planning to what level • Security access Developing a Rollout Plan

There were four phases: 1. Fact Finding 2. Determining Configuration Requirements and Follow-up Testing

3. Training Decisions and Development 100% 150 user adoption employees required needed training

[ PMs + Assistant PMs + Market Analysts + Market VPs ]

Create a 6 ~25 onsite training attendees Training Plan sessions at each 100% 1 of training materials all-day content developed in-house development session [ PowerPoint, definitions list, hands-on workshop ] 1. Management Introduction 2. Communicate Goals and Objectives 3. Report Overview 4. Project Planning Demonstration • Steps for Plan creation • Module review tab by tab • Order of operations Develop Training Agenda • Plan creation demonstration 5. Planning Workshop – all attendees created a plan from scratch 6. How to create plans from existing projects 7. Closing • Expectations for plan maintenance • Deadline for compliance • How to get help Developing a Rollout Plan

There were four phases: 1. Fact Finding 2. Determining Configuration Requirements and Follow-up Testing

3. Training Decisions and Development 4. Report Development Post Implementation Improvements Since Implementing Project Planning

Estimates to Complete (ETCs) 60% of our projects have % Improved project updated monthly resulting in complete info updated at least communication improved Labor Resource monthly resulting in improved Forecast (Revenue insight into project Projections) performance Areas that Need Improvement

Entering % complete on a Determining who can review Experts still being developed monthly basis needs to be and revise plans at 100% Accuracy of “Billing Balancing needs of Project Amounts” needs to be Management with improved Resource Management Critical Success Factors Critical to a Successful Roll-out

Defining Management steps for plan buy-in and creation (order reinforcement of operations)

Establishing ownership of the plans Steps to Creating a Plan in Vision

1 2 3 4 5 6

Choose a Enter Configure the Enter the Set schedule & Insert resources suitable information on Accordion plan’s work establish task and hours, method in General & Calendar breakdown dependencies expense and creating your Rates tabs of Format structure in Schedule tab consultant new plan the plan (WBS) in the amounts in Labor tab Labor/Exp/Con tabs Order of Operations for Plan Creation Remember to save and save often!

General Tab Rates Tab Security Tab

Enter data in all white fields including Update Labor Billing Rates section and Add the DMs/PPs that are responsible Probability field for active projects enter Billing Multiplier if method is for managing resources and providing (100%) and Target Multiplier Employee Provisional Rate. Attach table budgets, physical % complete, ETCs. if Labor Rate or Labor Category Method • IMPORTANT: enter the project At a minimum provide read-only access. is chosen. manager field prior to entering the Can be given edit access if the DM/PP Start/End Dates. has had project planning training. MVPs, Location Leaders, Market Analysts and APMs automatically have edit rights.

Way to Manage | 30 Order of Operations for Plan Creation Remember to save and save often!

Accordion Calendar Labor Tab Schedule Tab

Establish the Accordion Calendar from Build WBS. Start/Finish Dates will Change Start and Finish dates at the earliest to latest dates (click Options) if default to Start Date. lowest WBS levels known. Can be established after • Use New Row to add WBS Levels Add task dependencies by right clicking Start/Finish dates are determined for all in the calendar grid WBS levels on the Schedule tab. • Use Indent/Outdent to control WBS level) View the schedule Gantt chart format

Add Fee amounts to all WBS levels if known at the time of creation

• IMPORTANT: do not add fee amounts if creating a project from a plan

Way to Manage | 31 Order of Operations for Plan Creation Remember to save and save often!

Labor Tab Expense Tab Consultant Tab

Assign resources and hours based on Enter planned expenses at the Enter planned consultants at the accordion calendar appropriate WBS level appropriate WBS level

• Use Insert to search/add resources Assign Vendors to expense amounts Assign Vendors to consultant amounts (not required) • Enter hours in the Planned hours Forecast consultant amounts field (left side) and hours will spread Forecast expense amounts TIP: Enter entire planned amount for evenly across the defined schedule each expense/consultant in the last cell for that WBS or hours can be added that accommodates the WBS finish date manually in the calendar grid (right and then reduce by the actual side). expense/consultant amounts monthly.

Way to Manage | 32 Order of Operations for Plan Creation Remember to save and save often!

Summary Tab Cost & Billing Analysis Tabs

Review multiplier, compensation, cost Click Actions – Refresh Analysis and billing information Compensation to update Fee amounts from the Labor tab to the Cost Summary tab

Review and revise plan as needed.

Way to Manage | 33 Typical Sequence PM/PP Collaborative Effort

1 2 3 4 5 6

PPs estimate PM inputs PM Uses PPs Develop PM Inputs Plan Updates Physical % Physical % Earned Value Estimate to Estimate to are Complete Complete Complete to to Complete Complete Complete and Calculate Billing Adjusts Earned Value Schedule as Necessary

(Complete by (Complete by (Completed (Complete (Complete (Complete by End of Day of 1st Day of during Last 3 Between the 1st Between the 1st 9th of the 2nd Timesheet) Billing Review) Days of the and 8th of the and 8th of the Month) Month) Month) Month) Critical to a Successful Roll-out

Defining Implementing Management steps for plan multiple ways to buy-in and creation (order review reinforcement of operations) plan data

Showing how plan Establishing maintenance fits ownership of into your the plans monthly processes • Revenue Projections using Labor Resource Forecast

• Project performance Ways to Review • Earned Value Management Plan Data • Project Health • Show Connection to other performance reports

• Net Revenue/Project Profit Reports Breakdown

Edit Master text styles · 37 Reports Breakdown

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Reports Breakdown

Edit Master text styles · 40 Critical to a Successful Roll-out

Defining Implementing Management steps for plan multiple ways to buy-in and creation (order review reinforcement of operations) plan data

Showing how plan Establishing maintenance fits Ongoing ownership of into your training the plans monthly processes • Sent weekly emails enforcing what was learned

• Developed internal experts Ongoing Training • Incorporated into PM boot camp • Instructional videos

• Email account dedicated to Project Planning questions Critical to a Successful Roll-out

Listening Defining Implementing Management to user issues steps for plan multiple ways to buy-in and and quickly creation (order review reinforcement addressing their of operations) plan data problems

Showing how plan Establishing maintenance fits Ongoing ownership of No excuses!! into your training the plans monthly processes Additional Benefit of Project Planning: Earned Value Reporting Earned Value Management

• Provides project managers with the ability to measure project performance

• Systematic project management process used to find variances in project based on comparison of worked performed and work planned

• Great for project forecasting based on costs and schedule The U.S. Government Accountability Office states that if EVM is applied to a project, a firm can accurately forecast total project performance at the 16% - 18% mark of project completion. EAC

VAC Example BAC

Earned Value Graph Progress Progress

Update Date

Time Gresham Smith and EVM

Gresham Smith’s Director of Project Managers were required Project Managers were also Project Management required to attend a project management required to attend Resource EVM be implemented with bootcamp that was mostly Planning that included an EVM Project Planning to produce EV focused on EVM webinar analytics How to Create EVM in Deltek Vision

• Vision can show an EVT chart under the resource planning reporting but only shows labor

• Vision can be configured to show other calculated fields that represent Project Management Institute (PMI) standard analytics Reports Breakdown

Edit Master text styles · 50 Questions?