Introduction to the Earned Value Concept

• Problems with comparing plan versus actual to ascertain performance.
• Earned Value - An essential parameter.

The Brick Wall

• An illustrative example of Earned Value methods.

Introduction to Earned Value Management Systems (EVMS)

• The essential features of a disciplined Earned Value Management System.
• Objectives and policies of customer-implemented requirements.
• What are the benefits to the customer?

Top Management Use of Earned Value Data

• Understand the flow of EVMS data and other reports
• Be exposed to graphics techniques used to track cost performance on major acquisitions.

Organization and Work Definition

• WBS defined.
• Purposes of a WBS.
• Developing a WBS for standard and non-standard systems.
• Trade-off assessments on determining the number of levels in the WBS.
• Negotiating the WBS with the customer.
• Purpose and importance of defining WBS elements.

Responsibility Assignment

• Matrixing the organization structure with the WBS.
• Essential features of a Control Account.
• Guidance in the identification of Control Account levels and contents.
• Why the Control Account is the driving factor in system cost.
• Integrating management subsystems around the WBS and Control Accounts.

Planning, Scheduling and Budgeting

• Planning, Scheduling and Budgeting - A three-stage iterative process.
• Proper design of a scheduling system.
• Horizontal and Vertical Integration.
• Critical Path.
• Integrating cost and schedule.
• Management philosophies on Management Reserve and Undistributed Budgets.

Measuring Accomplishment

• Description of Work Measurement classifications.
• Work Packages defined.
• Discrete Work Measurement techniques.
• Milestone Characteristics.
• Rolling Wave - How far in the future must you plan?
• Summary Planning Packages and their use.

Integrated Baseline Review (IBR)

• What to expect during the IBR process.

Accounting

• Why Actual Cost for Work Performed (ACWP) is different from "Actual Costs".
• Structuring an effective cost control code for accumulating Actual Costs of Work Performed.
• Common problems and solutions to accumulating material costs for performance measurement.
• "Enlightened" customer requirements on material costs.
• How to identify meaningful material variances.

Analysis

• Identifying cost and schedule variances.
• Methods of portraying variances.

Variance Analysis

• Interpreting Cost and Schedule Variance.
• What constitutes a significant variance?
• Writing useful variance analysis reports.
• Comparing past and future efficiency factors.

Estimates, Indices and Forecasts

• Developing Estimates at Completion (EAC) and Estimated Completion Dates (ECD)
• Use of Performance Indices

Reporting

• What type of financial reports are required and what is their purpose?
• How to prepare and interpret the various reports.
• Differences in reporting requirements.

Revisions and Baseline Maintenance

• The importance of Baseline Management.
• Obtaining a balance between a firm baseline and the requirement for internal replanning flexibility.
• How the baseline is affected by various changes.
• Over Target Baseline (OTB) and / or Over Target Schedule (OTS).

System Development

• How to implement an EVM System.
• Cost factors to develop and operate an EVM System.
• Common problems and solutions.

The Validation Process

• What to expect during the Validation Process.