Introduction
- Discussion of workshop approach.
- Review of notebook contents.
Introduction to the Earned Value Concept
- Problems with comparing plan versus actual to ascertain performance.
- Earned Value - An essential parameter.
The Brick Wall
- An illustrative example of Earned Value methods.
Introduction to Earned Value Management Systems (EVMS)
- The essential features of a disciplined Earned Value Management System.
- Objectives and policies of customer-implemented requirements.
- What are the benefits to the customer?
- Why should the seller implement an Earned Value Management System?
- Who uses Earned Value?
- The evolution of Earned Value Management.
Organization and Work Definition
- WBS defined.
- Purposes of a WBS.
- Developing a WBS for standard and non-standard systems.
- Trade-off assessments on determining the number of levels in the WBS.
- Negotiating the WBS with the customer.
- Purpose and importance of defining WBS elements.
Work Breakdown Structure Case Study #1 (Walk Through)
A concise exercise in developing a WBS considering conflicting purposes, alternative orientations and varying levels of detail.
Responsibility Assignment
- Matrixing the organization structure with the WBS.
- Essential features of a Control Account.
- Guidance in the identification of Control Account levels and contents.
- Why the Control Account is the driving factor in system cost and how to minimize this cost.
- Integrating management subsystems around the WBS and Control Accounts.
Control Account Definition Case Study #2 (Walk Through)
An exercise involving relating the WBS developed previously to the organization structure, taking into consideration the trade-offs between detailed or summary Control Accounts.
Planning, Scheduling and Budgeting
- Planning, Scheduling and Budgeting - A three-stage iterative process.
- Proper design of a scheduling system.
- Integrating cost and schedule.
- Management philosophies on Management Reserve and Undistributed Budgets.
Measuring Accomplishment
- Description of Work Measurement classifications.
- Work Packages defined.
- Discrete Work Measurement techniques.
- Milestone Characteristics.
- Rolling Wave - How far in the future must you plan?
- Summary Planning Packages and their use.
Integrated Baseline Review (IBR)
- What to expect during the IBR process.
Control Account Plan Case Study #3
A comprehensive, but concise, exercise involving selecting appropriate Earned Value methodologies and calculating the budget and Earned Value for a sample Control Account.
Accounting
- Why Actual Cost for Work Performed (ACWP) is different from "Actual Costs".
- Structuring an effective cost control code for accumulating Actual Costs of Work Performed.
- Common problems and solutions to accumulating material costs for performance measurement.
- "Enlightened" customer requirements on material costs.
- How to identify meaningful material variances.
Analysis
- Identifying cost and schedule variances.
- Methods of portraying variances.
Variance Calculation Case Study #4 (Walk Through)
A simplistic exercise in the calculation of Cost and Schedule Variances.
Earned Value Methods Case Study #5 (Walk Through)
An exercise involving the determination of BCWS and BCWP based on selected Earned Value Methods.
Variance Analysis
- Interpreting Cost and Schedule Variance.
- What constitutes a significant variance?
- Writing useful variance analysis reports.
- Comparing past and future efficiency factors.
Variance Analysis Report Case Study #6 (Walk Through)
A comparison and evaluation of alternative Variance Analysis Reports.
Estimates, Indices and Forecasts
- Developing Estimates at Completion (EAC)
- Utilization of Performance Indices
Performance Efficiency Factors and Estimate at Completion Case Study #7 (Walk Through)
A simplistic exercise requiring the calculation of past and future efficiency factors and an Estimate At Completion forecast.
Reporting
- What type of financial reports are required and what is their purpose?
- How to prepare and interpret the various reports.
- Reconciling funds reports with performance reports - An accuracy check.
- Differences in reporting requirements.
Highway Case Study #8 (Walk Through) (Scheduling and Cost)
A reinforcement of variance calculation, performance indices, and EAC analysis.
Revisions and Baseline Maintenance
- The importance of Baseline Management.
- Obtaining a balance between a firm baseline and the requirement for replanning flexibility.
- How the baseline is affected by various changes.
- Acceptable reasons for retroactive changes to the baseline.
Top Management Use of Earned Value Data
- How Congress measures Federal acquisitions.
System Development
- How to implement an EVM System.
- Cost factors to develop and operate an EVM System.
- Common problems and solutions.
The Validation Process
- What to expect during the Validation Process.
The Use of Performance Measurement Data
- Review of course to date
Appendix
Course Evaluation Sheet and Discussion