Introduction

• Discussion of Workshop Approach
• Review of course materials

Groundwork for the Workshop

• Development of skills
• Management work defined
• Reasons for project failure
• Program management systems
• SAM-the-CAM Case Study (EVMS Case Study #18)
• Graphical Display Case Study

Case Studies for Communications Skills and Technical Skills

• Brainstorming Case Study
• Six-sigma Problem Statement Case Study
• Work Package Definition Case Study

Integrated Master Plan (IMP)

• Planning vs Scheduling
• Definition and structure
• Relationship to the IMS
• Comparison to the WBS

Network Diagramming Fundamentals

• Basic network components
• Activities and Milestones
• The 4 relationship types
• Precedence Diagramming Analysis Case Study

Critical Path Fundamentals

• Terms and definitions
• Forward/Backward Pass calculations
• Free and Total Float
• Determination of the Critical Path
• Critical Path vs. Driving Path
• Managing with CPM

Project Modeling Techniques

• Leads and Lags
• Constraints
• Resource loading and leveling
• Decision Trees
• Probabilistic Schedules
• What-if Schedules

Schedule Health and Metrics

• Tasks typically excluded from health checks
• Characteristics of a Sound Schedule
• Schedule execution metrics

Risk and Opportunity Management

• Process outline
• Definition of Risk and Opportunity
• Risk Management Prioritization
• Schedule Risk Assessment (SRA) overview

Project Scheduling and Earned Value Performance Measurement

• Statusing - where are we now?
• Forecasting - where are we going?
• Baseline vs. current schedule
• Forecast Completion Date (FCD) / Estimated Completion Date (ECD)
• Schedule Acceleration Methods
• Planning & Scheduling Excellence Guide Acceleration Methods Case Study

Analysis of Indirect Costs and Rates

• Funding and Funds Status Reporting
• Cost accounting terminology
• Who accomplishes indirect cost analysis and how?
• Incorporating indirect cost analysis into the ETC

Labor and Material Analysis

• Labor rate and efficiency variances
• Impacts of labor mix management
• Incorporating efficiency analysis in variance explanations and the EAC
• Material price and usage variances
• Determining the point where usage variance occurs

Estimates at Completion (EAC)

• Factors to consider when developing the contractor EAC
• Consideration of variance causes, %Complete, and technical risk
• Use of independent, mathematical EAC formulae
• Consideration of SV, SPI, CV, CPI and TCPI when determining the Performance Factor
• Development and use of the customer's comparative EAC
• Cautions in making assumptions, and the importance of a range of estimates

Level-of-Effort (LOE) Forecasting (AEVMT Case Study #5)

An exercise to examine methods for forecasting the completion and cost of LOE efforts.

Six-period Summary (AEVMT Case Study #6) and Use of Graphs and Trend Information

• Six-period Summary Case Study
• Types of graphs for earned value data
• Trend analysis using graphical displays
• Common incorrect assumptions that give the wrong picture

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and KPI Case Study (AEVMT Case Study #7)

• KPI Considerations
• Dashboards
• KPI Case Study

Preparing Narrative Analysis Reports

• Required content of sound analysis reports
• Common areas not adequately addressed
• Logic test - do the words support the data?

Assessing Narrative Analysis Reports (AEVMT Case Study #8)

• Read & Analyze a Six-period Summary
• Compare your analysis to the written narratives

Empower

• Overview of basic functions and system requirements
• Using the Executive Information System (EIS)
• Isolating problem WBS or Functional elements
• Statistical EACs
• Interpreting graphs and reports
• Integration with network schedule analysis

Empower Directed Activities

• Using Empower in a directed search exercise of the workshop case materials

Preparing a Program Management Review (AEVMT Case Study #4)

An exercise to apply all the techniques you have learned in the Workshop.  Using CPM data and earned value information in Empower, you will divide into Government and Contractor teams to prepare and conduct a Program Management Review.  You will assess the validity of information, identify significant current and potential problems, evaluate the Critical Path impacts, evaluate the submitted EAC on the IPMR/IPMDAR, and prepare an independent EAC.

Final Exam

Appendix

Course Evaluation