Pinnacle Insights

In Part 1 of this series, Schedule Analysis, Part 1: What Is It?, provided a brief introduction to schedule analysis. This article discusses why a schedule analysis should be performed. But first, a point of clarification. Schedule analysis and Schedule Risk Analysis (SRA) are two different things. 

Update: August 26, 2024.
Please note that the article below refers to the implementation of a DFAR deviation implemented in 2017 that effectively changed the EVMS validation threshold for DOD cost-plus development contracts to $100M, while keeping EVMS reporting threshold at $20M. The 2024 NDAA directs the Dept of Defense to update the DFAR to raise the reporting threshold to $50M, and officially change the validation threshold to $100M. DFARs changes take a long time, and we will post additional information when changes are made.

At the most recent NDIA Integrated Program Management (IPM) Division Meeting, John McGregor, Director of Earned Value Management for OSD Performance Assessment & Root Cause Analysis (PARCA) took the stage to discuss the latest updates related to EVM threshold requirements for DoD contracts. During the presentation, John clarified that DoD Instruction 5000.02 is finalized, signed and in full affect, even though the document looks like it may be in draft form.

A schedule is a time-model of how you as the supplier or manager plan on executing your project. It represents the project scope, resources, assumptions and constraints of the project. Like a cost model, the time model or schedule should respond to changes.

Many of our clients are looking to implement an Earned Value Management System (EVMS) to satisfy reporting requirements for EVM on US federal contracts (FAR 52.234-4, DFAR 252.234-7001, or equivalent), whether they have an existing requirement, or potential future requirement.

Project Management (PM) tool selection can be a daunting task. Many organizations drive their PM tool selection without understanding exactly how these tools will be used, who will use them, and how they will be accepted within an organization. If you select the wrong PM tools they are likely to end up sitting on a shelf and delaying any improvement to your PM capabilities.

What's the foremost risk to implementing Project Management improvements? The same thing that threatens any business change initiative. It requires change!

The field of Enterprise Project Management (EPM) and Earned Value Management (EVM) is littered with failed, underperforming, or non-sustainable implementations.  

We've been asked many times to evaluate implementations that are in progress or that have been recently completed. We see 4 typical and costly things that are forgotten, not considered or undervalued (by the Enterprise Project Management (EPM) software vendors) during an implementation.