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

20 Sep 2019 Project Controls News

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Dear Planning Planet Member,

We hope that you find this adds value to your day and if you'd like 1.52 million views for your content, blog, product or service please check this out...

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FOR PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION I AM DEFINING TWO RESOURCE LEVELING APPROACHES

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  • Leveling the Resource Driven Schedule: does not depend on activity links to resource level the schedule. It is the resource leveling algorithm that works it out. Updating is equally easy, activities are updated and at a single click of the mouse we get the resource leveled update schedule.
  • Leveling the Logic Driven Schedule leveling: requires a tedious process in order to level resources where the scheduler systematically delays some activities until all resource overloads are erased.
Schedulers must sequence activities that are using the same skilled resources by adding date constraints (which is discouraged) or sequencing the work activities by adding preferential ‘soft’ logic (which is better.) However, as the project progresses the original soft logic must be modified to reflect the ever-changing resource assignments. Read the Blog.

PROJECT CHALLENGE EXPO - 2019

Claim your free visitors pass - for further details and a full exhibitor list visit Project Challenge... 
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FREE MASTERCLASS: HOW TO WRITE PROJECT CONTROLS RESUMES THAT STAND OUT AND GET YOU HIRED

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Too often, resumes do not fully represent the skills and experience of the professional.  There are a number of weaknesses in the typical resume that you can easily fix and make your resume stand out.

Join this free Chris Carson masterclass to figure out the best strategies in improving your Project Controls resume and landing the job that you deserve.  Read more. 

AVOID THE TOP THREE REAL CAUSES OF SCOPE CREEP

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Scope creep, changes to requirements after they presumably have been settled, is surely the biggest reason projects overrun budgets and schedules, yet still fail to deliver desired results. This isn’t news. It’s been known for a long time. Lots of explanations and solutions have been offered over the same period, but scope continues to creep.  Read the Blog.

 WINDOWS ANALYSIS PLAIN AND SIMPLE

 
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INITIAL CHIT CHAT

I seriously studied the process of Windows Analysis in about 1988 when I began working for Larry Hampton at High-Pointe Schaer in Phoenix, Arizona. We were still using the DOS operating system and using P3 (Primavera Project Planner) or Finest Hour for our schedule analysis. I remember well, as I created the first Window Analysis System reading data directly from Btrieve into DOS-based dBASE III. It was even written up in the Primavera magazine. I know because I had a company contact me saying that they had trademarked the phrase “Window Analysis” (WA) and I spoke with Joel Koppelmen about the phrase and my concerns about the trademark.

Needless to say, today it is a household word used by scheduler professionals around the worldd

At that time the window analysis process, was really nothing more that identifying the differences between schedule updates; it took many more to turn the process into what it is today. What this tells me is I better spend some time attempting to explain what window analysis is really all about as it is used today. To do this, I needed to start by reading what our contemporaries in scheduling expertise say and teach. Down deep inside this miracle analysis, it still studies the differences in the start and finish of selected time periods in the course of constructing a project (any type of project). WA simply carries the process a great deal further to allow the establishment of cause-and-effect and responsibility for the cause.

WHEN IS IT A CORRECT ANALYSIS TO APPLY

Window Analysis is Not a snake oil remedy and to do it correctly Is a long rigorous job very dependent on the completeness and quality of project documentation. To quote Bill Ma, the best defense for a claim (I’ll add, offense) is 1) Documentation, 2) Documentation, and 3) Documentation. You need facts and understanding to do any historic investigation, otherwise it is only supposition.  Read the full blog.

Gordon H. Aronson, P.E.

President, Vision consultants, LLC

gordona@visionconsultants.com

HOW MICROSOFT PROJECT CALCULATES DURATIONS IN DAYS 

An extract from Planning and Control Using Microsoft Project 2013, 2016 & 2019 by Paul E Harris

Microsoft Project effectively records task durations in hours and the value of the duration in days is calculated using the parameter entered in the Hours per day: field in the File, Options, Schedule tab, Calendar options for this project: section.

It is VERY IMPORTANT that all users understand that the durations in days are calculated using ONLY the one parameter and this parameter is used with EVERY calendar.

This makes Microsoft Project difficult to use when calendars with a different number of hours per day are being used.

Click on this link to see an article on how Microsoft Project calculates durations in days.

To see more explanations like this then please consider purchasing this Microsoft Project book by Paul Harris which is available in many formats, paperback, spiral, Kobo, Kindle and iTunes.

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The book is intended to be used:

  • As a self-teach book and user guide, or a training manual for a two-day training course. 
  • PowerPoint slide shows are available for training companies to purchase and pdf versions are available to educational organisations. 
  • More information and links to book sellers visit this website

EARLY AND EFFECTIVE: THE PERKS OF RISK-BASED TESTING

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Testing should be in proportion to the degree of risk involved: The greater the risk, the more testing is needed. For example, the IEEE SWEBOK software engineering body-of-knowledge section on testing states, “Testing must be driv-en based on risk; i.e., testing can also be seen as a risk management strategy.” (Version 1.0, May 2001, page 75)Conducted correctly, risk-based test-ing enables better use of limited time and resources to ensure that the most important work is completed and that any tests that are skipped or short- changed are of lesser import.  Read the Blog.

HOW PMOS CAN FUTURE-PROOF THEIR ROLE IN THE OFFICE OF TOMORROW

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The digital revolution is changing every aspect of the workplace, but few jobs will be reshaped as fundamentally as those in the project management office. The research firm Gartner predicts that by 2030, as much as 80% of the traditional work of the PMO (data collection, tracking, and reporting) could be performed by AI. The day-to-day work may be changing, but the brief is undeniably expanding. : Read the blog...

SCHEDULE BASELINES AND PERIODIC UPDATES

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Reviewing Baseline and Updated schedules is similar in some ways but different in many ways. The baseline schedule is at the outset of a project where no actual construction or procurement facts are solidified.

It is essentially an educated guess.. 

Read more...

COMPARE THE FEATURES OF P6, PRIMAVERA CLOUD, ACONEX AND UNIFIER

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Assessing which Oracle Primavera product is right for you is not always a straightforward process. Our latest article compares the features of P6, Primavera Cloud, Aconex and Unifier in a useful overview to help guide your decision. Learn more here.

ITS HERE - CHINESE GOVERNMENT USE OUR GUILD OF PROJECT CONTROLS STANDARDS IN CHINA

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NEWS... NEWS... NEWS... 

The Chinese Government have translated the Guild of Project Controls' Compendium of Best Tested & Proven Practices to enable their very first COMPETENCY certification in Project Controls in Beijing.  Now live...

The official first eddition is being distributed and the first tranche of practitioners have been competency certified.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT VS. CHANGE MANAGEMENT: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

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Change management and project management are quite different in nature, but the two disciplines often get confused, especially in the midst of significant enterprise projects. Large projects often involve wide-scale organizational change, while change management efforts are often managed using common project management concepts..  Read more...

REMOVE OR ANONYMIZE SENSITIVE DATA IN XER SCHEDULES WITH SCHEDULECLEANERTM 

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Remove sensitive data such as Pricing for Resources, Costs, Units, Project Progress, POBS from a single schedule with large number of activities in a matter of seconds without damaging the schedule integrity, or create reusable templates and “clean” multiple XER files with the “Batch clean” functionality.

Fast | Simple | Automated - Download Your Free 15-Day Trial

REVOLUTIONIZING PROJECT SCHEDULE COMMUNICATIONS 

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Revolutionizing Project Schedule Communications with Magdalena Jovanovska from ScheduleReader’s Team.

In the latest INNOVATE iPM podcast, Magdalena and Robin discuss technologies to improve communications and work processes around project scheduling, what it takes to develop software in the engineering and construction sectors and how the user can get involved.

Listen to Podcast

YOU CAN PLAN 1 YEAR IN ADVANCE - REMEMBER THIS

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Construction CPM Conference next event is 19-22 January 2020 at Disney World Florida.  

Three Full Days Where Professional Planner Schedulers Gather to Discuss and Improve Critical Path Method Analysis Knowledge.  

Early bird rate of $825 is good through 20 Jun 19 More information at www.ConstructionCPM.com.

HOT FORUM POSTS

Planning Planet Forum posts - join the conversation...

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HELLO, HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT OUR JOBS PAGE LATELY? 

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We have lots of colleagues who keep asking if we can recommend good people, so it may be worthwhile checking the projectcontrols job listings our team are collating.  There's a few good projectcontrols  and planning opportunities which might interest you...

Read more...

"PROVEN PRACTITIONER" A PLANNING PLANET PRODUCT

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Do you seek PROMOTION or do you want to better UNDERSTAND YOUR Stengths and SKILLS (in private) or do you seek that NEW ROLE?

Proven Practitioner provides ALL THE TOOLS YOU NEED

Go to Premium and sign up!  

HOW TO START A PROJECT MANAGEMENT CAREER WITH NO EXPERIENCE

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Project controls is becoming increasingly popular, with 71% of organizations having a dedicated Project Management Office (PMO), according to the PMI’s Pulse of the Profession. This is unsurprising considering that, according to the same report, those companies with an enterprise PMO aligned with their business strategy reported 38% more of their projects meeting their original goals and a third less of their projects failing.. Read the blog...

PROJECT CONTROLS MENTOR TOOLBOX

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Contact PPAdmin@planningplanet.com if you would like to learn about getting our Project Controls Toolbox for...

  • YOUrself,
  • your TEAM,
  • your PROJECT, or
  • your COMPANY   (read more...)

RATES, NORMS & DURATIONS

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What is needed to come up with a production rate?

A duration of time, the manhours involved, and an amount of work produced this section of Planning Planet is here to document this. 

What information do you have that you can share?

ALTERNATIVE TO PRIMAVERA AND ASTA?

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A superior alternative to the "most popular" software for us as planners?

Spider Project offers numerous unique functional features and is the only PM software that optimizes resource, cost, and material constrained schedules and budgets for projects and portfolios. 

Check it out here...

SURVIVING AND THRIVING THE VUCA WORLD SYNERGY NOVEMBER 7 LONDON EUSTON

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Surviving and thriving in a VUCA world (look it up) is like searching for the perfect wave. You are in a world that is enormous,complex and could collapse around you at any moment. You have to know how to stay upright. How to control the board. How to respond to the constant movement of the sea. If you fail it’s a wipeout. And you have to find the will the motivation the strength to keep going and get back on the board. You “Do it Again” just like the Beach Boys. You do it again until you do it without thinking without knowing. It becomes who you are. And if you do it right you will find the perfect pipeline and ride your way out to perfection. And you will “Do it Again and again”. Like Status Quo. It becomes your status quo. Til the next time. That’s how you survive and thrive in a VUCA world. You ride the wave the wave does not ride you.

The Synergy event 2019 is once again at the spectacular Light venue Euston London.

There's a party afterwards too.

Join us and together we will find out how to ride the wave as a person a team and an organisation.

Better than all the rest. And cheaper!!  For more info.

ARE YOU FOLLOWING US ON SOCIAL MEDIA?

Let's get social!

Build your network and keep up to date by following us on social media, just click the icons to get started.

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THE GUILD OF PROJECT CONTROLS COMPENDIUM AND REFERENCE

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The Compendium and Reference (CaR) is a document which forms The Guild Standards.

The CaR is a living document being continually improved, supplemented and updated by the Guild community to reflect improvements to practices, opinions and methods in our chosen profession. The Guild is ready to receive suggestions at any time for updates to the CaR Standards.  Take a look here.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADVERTISE ON PLANNING PLANET?

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ARE YOU TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF PLANNING PLANET?

 
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MEMBERS

See who you know from within our 150,000+ membership pool!

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GUILD

Take a look at the worlds first and only competence based credentials supported by a career path, role descriptors, self-assessment tools and online compendium desk reference of best tested and proven tools and techniques for project controls practitioners.

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BLOG

Join other members who share their thoughts and ideas in the form of blog posts.

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FORUM

100,000+ questions and answers to the topics we struggle with (mostly software!) on a day to day basis.

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WIKI

A knowledge-base that can be contributed to or utilized by anyone with skills and/or interest in planning, scheduling or project controls. No Wiki page or article is owned by its creator or any other editor, and its content relies upon collaboration and teamwork. How can you contribute?

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BUILD TIMES

What is needed to come up with a production rate? A duration of time, the manhours involved, and an amount of work produced? Take a look and get involved.

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JOBS

This has been dusty and quiet place for some time now. We have been liaising with recruiters, headhunters and talent managers plus a ream of corporate leaders and very soon we will have the largest live repository of project controls jobs in the world. Check back soon.

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THANK YOU FOR READING OUR MESSAGES

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Regards... The Planning Planet Team

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