Like many things in life, project management is an art form as well as a science. It's a delicate dance, a blend where intuition meets precision. While some may possess a natural flair for orchestrating chaos into order, the true mastery of this craft lies in understanding its scientific backbone. Fortunately, you don’t need to... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
If your scope is pointed the wrong way, you're not going to hit the target! In fact, ineffective project control is one of the biggest sources of project distress. For this reason, one of the most important aspects of a project manager's job is controlling the boundaries of the project, that is, the tasks that... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Project success is often distilled into simple metrics like meeting budget or schedule, a single pass/fail criteria measured at a single point in time. But these outcomes are rarely fixed targets. In fact, they are often in fail territory for long periods of time prior to entering pass territory for the critical moment. Indeed, there... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Want to unlock the secret to delivering projects on time and within budget? Earned Value Management (EVM) might just be your key. This powerful project control technique gives project managers a clear, data-driven snapshot of where a project stands—tracking both budget and schedule performance in real time. But more than that, it forecasts how those... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Project management can feel like navigating a maze—tight budgets, shifting timelines, and endless variables vying for your attention. How do you know if you’re truly on track? Earned Value Analysis (EVA) is a powerful method that blends cost, schedule, and performance into a clear picture of project health. Whether you’re a seasoned PM or just... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
If there's one most important skill for a project manager, it would be staying within budget and schedule. It is not an understatement to say that if you master this one thing, most other things will likely fall into place. And the magic ingredient to doing this well is called earned value management (EVM). EVM is... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Earned Value is a method used by project managers to calculate the current project status and predict future project performance. In this post we will outline each earned value formula. Planned Value (PV) Earned Value (EV) Actual Cost (AC) Schedule Variance (SV) Schedule Performance Index (SPI) Cost Variance (CV) Cost Performance Index (CPI) Budget at... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
In this day and age, project success is no longer a matter of luck. So long as the project schedule and budget are realistic and achievable, project management fundamentals provide more than enough tools for the project manager to implement project controls that provide sufficient early warning of variances that require action. Projects, by their... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Putting out fires is practically part of the job description for some project managers. Every project has changes throughout its life span, sure, but how do you control them, or better yet, how do you stop them from popping up? Project controls are where the project manager earns their wages. Assigning work is relatively easy,... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
It's amazing how many projects do not know their true status until near the end, when there is little that can be done to ensure they finish on time or budget. The proper time to rigorously track project status is at the beginning, not at the end. This is when project risk can be managed... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer
Putting out fires is rarely a good project management strategy. Project controls are where the project manager earns their wages. Assigning work to someone is relatively easy, but how do you ensure the quality of the work is acceptable, or that the deadlines will be met? Fortunately, project management theory contains techniques which are used... [Read More]| ProjectEngineer