Guild of Project Controls: Compendium | Roles | Assessment | Certifications | Membership

Tips on using this forum..

(1) Explain your problem, don't simply post "This isn't working". What were you doing when you faced the problem? What have you tried to resolve - did you look for a solution using "Search" ? Has it happened just once or several times?

(2) It's also good to get feedback when a solution is found, return to the original post to explain how it was resolved so that more people can also use the results.

Improving EVM Indices

5 replies [Last post]
Peter Holroyd
User offline. Last seen 1 week 4 days ago. Offline
Joined: 6 Jun 2005
Posts: 160

To all my EVM friends,

we produce all those EVM metrics and indices each month / period and they get passed on from the Planning Report to the Project Report & Board Report and are endlessly discussed in isolation. What does CPI=0.7 or SPI=0.5 really mean?

A suggestion - 

We should add a superscript to say WHEN the indices was produced say (period) P3 of !7 or (month) M9 of 23

and add a subscript to say which PLANNED CURVE was used say ES=0%, LS=100% or CPN=50%

this at least would inform the discussion.

Now if I could only get Word/Excel to produce a Graphic to show you. Any software Guru's out there?

Peter

Replies

Patrick Weaver
User offline. Last seen 5 days 18 hours ago. Offline
Joined: 18 Jan 2001
Posts: 373
Groups: None

Hi Peter,

A CPI of less than 1 is a cause for concern - it is easy to graph the CPI at each reporting period and see the trend. The same goes for SPI.  But being a ratio it really tells you nothing.  If you want to make management pay attention graph the variance. 

A CPI of 0.8 remaining constant month on month will have a corresponding Variance that is increasing every month in proportion to the cumulative EV. 

This is a core element in the effective communication chapter in my book Easy EVMhttps://mosaicprojects.com.au/shop-easy-evm.php

Peter Holroyd
User offline. Last seen 1 week 4 days ago. Offline
Joined: 6 Jun 2005
Posts: 160

Hi, come on you software gurus.

Still looking for a way to display superscript and subscript on the same gaphic line for excel/word use.

                    P3 of 20

like SPI=0.95

                   ES=66%

It must be done for intergral calculus

 

Peter

 

Peter Holroyd
User offline. Last seen 1 week 4 days ago. Offline
Joined: 6 Jun 2005
Posts: 160
Patrick, Wasn't trying to comment on EVM methodology or how (un)helpful it us just that the output (of any index) could be more explicit if, when used in isolation you knew WHEN it was calculated and against WHICH CPN programme. So CPI = 0.8, which might give cause for concern, could be written P2 of 23 CPI=0.8 ES = 50% Which conveys much more information with very little effort. Regards Peter
Patrick Weaver
User offline. Last seen 5 days 18 hours ago. Offline
Joined: 18 Jan 2001
Posts: 373
Groups: None

CPI and SPI are both ratios and largely meaningless. 

CPI is used to calculate the iEAC, and both can be used to compare (ie, benchmark projects). But, If you want management information the variance provide real information that people can understand. 

VAC and VAC% is the headline number and if you bolt on Earned Schedule you get the forecast completion date.  Then if you are running a robust EVMS (not playing around with EV in a schedule), you can also highlight the work packages with significant issues. A robust EVMS is not particularly difficult to set up and operate based on the ISO 21508 approach and should produce information that is very easy to understand and act on. 

An EVMS is a performance management system, set up properly it highlights the performance of managers (good and bad) which provides the opportunity for management assistance where needed.  For more on setting up a simple, robust and rigorous EVMS there’s a lot of free to use information at: https://mosaicprojects.com.au/PMKI-SCH-040.php#Overview

8198
easy_evm_thumb.jpg

Or you can buy my book Easy EVM for $35: https://mosaicprojects.com.au/shop-Easy_e-Books.php

Patrick Weaver
User offline. Last seen 5 days 18 hours ago. Offline
Joined: 18 Jan 2001
Posts: 373
Groups: None

CPI and SPI are both ratios and largely meaningless. 

CPI is used to calculate the iEAC, and both can be used to compare (ie, benchmark projects). But, If you want management information the variance provide real information that people can understand. 

VAC and VAC% is the headline number and if you bolt on Earned Schedule you get the forecast completion date.  Then if you are running a robust EVMS (not playing around with EV in a schedule), you can also highlight the work packages with significant issues. A robust EVMS is not particularly difficult to set up and operate based on the ISO 21508 approach and should produce information that is very easy to understand and act on. 

An EVMS is a performance management system, set up properly it highlights the performance of managers (good and bad) which provides the opportunity for management assistance where needed.  For more on setting up a simple, robust and rigorous EVMS there’s a lot of free to use information at: https://mosaicprojects.com.au/PMKI-SCH-040.php#Overview

8198
easy_evm_thumb.jpg

Or you can buy my book Easy EVM for $35: https://mosaicprojects.com.au/shop-Easy_e-Books.php