The Gold Standard: 

Business Problem - Process Solution - Requirements - Project Plan - Specification - Develop or Buy Software – Implement - Results - All Managed Through Earned Value

Purpose:  Following is a "work in progress" of our best examples to illustrate the impact - especially the VISUAL impact - of the Gold Standard: 

1.    Earned Value basic training  

1.1.  Cover Story Article on Earned Value IT Software Client Server Project

1.1.1.    TI AR Article Part 1 EARNED VALUE HELPS CLIENT PEOPLE STAY ON TASK.pdf

1.2.  Earned Value Training Materials

1.3.  Cost Performance Index Schedule Performance Index for TI AR

2.    Core Concepts from “How To Turn Computer Problems Into Competitive Advantage”

2.1.  �         What You Are Promised vs. What You Get  A graph showing how the cycle of promises to reality usually goes.

2.2.  �         Computer Projects Fail 50% - 70% of the Time - Why?  (Excerpt from “How to Turn Computer Problems Into Competitive Advantage” )   View at no charge.

2.3.           Understanding How To Improve Computer Project Outcomes WHY EARNED VALUE MATTERS - A Cross-Industry Benchmark  The Single Most Important Finding from Our Research- Other Industries Have Learned How to Do It Right  (Excerpt from “How to Turn Computer Problems Into Competitive Advantage” )   View at no charge.

2.4.  �         Effective Organization and Oversight Models - A Cross-Industry Benchmark and an Oversight Model for Computer Projects  (Excerpt from “How to Turn Computer Problems Into Competitive Advantage” )   View at no charge.

2.5.  �        Impact of Failed Computer Projects On Earnings  (Excerpt from “How to Turn Computer Problems Into Competitive Advantage” )   View at no charge.

2.6.  �         Summary Table Showing Millions Wasted on Bad Computer Projects  (Excerpt from “How to Turn Computer Problems Into Competitive Advantage” )   View at no charge.

3.    Time reporting discipline in place 

3.1.  Time Tracking System Simple So People Use  (password=asco59)

3.2.  Services Costing Examples With Time Capture   (password=asco59)

4.    Process / Requirements right

4.1.  Services Company / Broker: Case Study    Software Functions Chart (password=asco18) Software Actually Developed (password=asco19)

4.2. Fed Ex Full detail bid package for major system, FX 

4.5  Helping Business People Understand Magnitude of Changes, Requests:  The "Building" Analogy:  OBSWBSMajorSwrDevRelPlanBUILDING.pdf   OBSWBSReportingProjectShowsBottlenecksBUILDING.pdf

5.    Screens / Specification / Use Cases / Database design

5.1.   $200,000 Development Screen Specs Bid Package General Instructions to Bidders

5.2.   Integration Flow Chart Difficult Mainframe Integration of Electric Utility System

5.3. Insurance Broker Case: Insurance Broker, Screens Showing Streamlined Solution (very large - takes time to load - password=asco59)

5.4.  Add additional spec when time – TI AR

6.    Estimate

6.1.  40 hour work packages

6.1.1.    Project Plan Checklist and Estimating Standards.pdf 

6.1.1.1.       Alternate Approach: Process Estimating Matrix.xls

6.1.2.   OBSWBSReportingshows bottlenecks

6.2.  Manage scope

7.    Build Schedule / Release Plan

7.1.  Level Resources 

7.1.1.    Best Project Plan Examples

7.1.1.1.        Banner  Project Plan

7.1.1.2.        Fleet Project Plan

7.1.2.    SEE ALL PROJECT PLANS

7.2.  Dereg Energy System OBS WBS Major Swr Release Plan pw=asco11

8.    Complete work packages

9.    Earn Value:  Sign off on work packages

10.  Reporting

10.1.               Weekly Status

10.1.1.  Meeting Minutes and Action List – Short Form

10.2.               Issues log

10.2.1.  BPR Issue List

10.2.2.                TRUCK OPERATIONS PLANNING: ISSUES SUMMARY

10.3.               Earned Value graphs

10.4.              MS Project Gantt Chart:  Budget vs. Actual vs. Earned Value

11.   Manage scope changes

11.1  PREVENTING CONTINUAL CHANGES WITH EARNED VALUE:  See Earned Value training materials and Flowserve case.  Should have used EV Cost and Schedule Performance indexes to show delay and cost overruns from continual changes

12.   Special Attention Areas

12.1.              Executive sponsor involvement

12.2.              User participation / business process / problem / solution

12.3.              Integration Testing

12.4.              Acceptance Testing

12.5.              Defect / Bug Tracking and Resolution

12.6.              Production cutover / go live

12.7               AGILE methodology vs. Waterfall or Hibrid:  Some great benefits, but must be contained.  See Agile, Rapid Results Robert Schaffer Summary

12.8               "Make Your Requirements Document Look Like a User Training Manual":  Full user training, testing.  (pw=asco61)

12.6.1.  ProductionCutoverChecklist.pdf

13.  Complete Project:

13.1.              Personnel Evaluations

13.2.              Job Definition and Performance Evaluation (password=asco18)

13.3.              Performance Management Problem Person Example (password=asco59)

13.3.1.  SampleSwrMgrExecEval.xls

13.4.              Contract Compliance

13.5.              Payment  / Collection

13.6.              Archive intellectual property, lessons learned, especially “estimate to actual”