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The EVM Newsletter™ #49                                           October 2013
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Welcome to the October issue of The EVM Newsletter.

 

Notice the new format?  As promised a few months ago The EVM Newsletter has undergone a format update. After four years of continuous monthly publication  we've gone to a single column format to accommodate smart phones, tablets, and other portable toys. There might be some bugs. If you find one or have suggestions please let me know.

 

We have new product for the EVM community. The CAM^EXAM™ is an on-line exam of 100 questions designed to test for knowledge commonly required of CAMs in an ANSI 748 environment. There is an article with more detail.

 

This issue's EVM Tidbit restates the ANSI 748 guidelines in a user friendly way. Hopefully it will explain what ANSI 748 in simpler terms. It not does contain every nuance of ANSI 748 so be sure to read ANSI 748 if it's part of your EVM requirement or goal. This Tidbit is is two parts due to its length. Part 2 will be in the November Newsletter.

 

The Integrated Program Management Conference (IPMC) is coming up soon. Have you registered?

 

There is an article about the College of Performance Management (CPM) linking up with LinkedIn. 

 

An employee of a US Government agency reported to us that his organization's policy prevented him from following the links in The EVM Newsletter. We don't show the the full URL (link) as it messes up the format of The EVM Newsletter. We're working on a solution. We are planning to have a single web page with the full URLs and will provide that full URL in The Newsletter. If you have better idea please send it along.

 

The CPM election results are in and posted below.

 

 

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You can help make this newsletter interesting by contributing news about your activities in EVM, your company, product announcements, or your projects. Each month starts with a blank sheet, we don't make this stuff up! Send news to me at  RayStratton@mgmt-technologies.com  

 

Ray Stratton, PMP, EVP 

Editor

 

BLOCK1Losing the Recipe
surprise

Once again the news is that six companies who had a certified EVMS lost the recipe. Good news is that Lockheed Martin is getting better. According to Jane's 360  "UTC's Pratt & Whitney engine and Sikorsky helicopter divisions, as well as Northrop Grumman, are facing the maximum 5% penalty, while Textron and Lockheed Martin are currently losing 2% on contracts due to EVMS violations."

 

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BLOCK2CPM Election Results

CPM has posted the results of their recent election. Four of their governing board positions were up for election, including the new board position of VP Global Outreach. The election was part of the two year staggered election to provide some continuity in the Board during the election years. Best of luck to the new board.

 

Executive Vice-President:

Wayne Abba

 

Vice-President Finance:

Buddy Everage

 

Vice-President Research & Standards:

Dale Gillam

 

Vice-President Global Outreach:

Kym Henderson


Quotable Quote
quill

"It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen them. They went out and happened to things."

 

Leonardo da Vinci
BLOCK3Introducing Management Technologies' CAM^EXAM™

The CAM^EXAM may be used to evaluate a potential CAM's EVM knowledge, determine corporate CAM training effectiveness, or assess current CAMs' knowledge in key EVM concepts often expected of contractors. It can also reduce EVMS surveillance team workload by providing pre-screening and partial exam substitution for one-on-one CAM interviews. Hiring supervisors may use the exam as part of their CAM candidate evaluation and selection.

 

The CAM^EXAM is offered with options to select one, two or three attempts at the time of purchase. It is economically priced so individuals can take the CAM^EXAM while seeking that CAM position. 

 

The CAM^EXAM consists of one hundred randomly selected true-false or multiple choice questions from a pool of over two hundred questions. The CAM^EXAM is ninety minutes and may be paused and restarted. To maintain the test's integrity any previously answered questions cannot be revisited.

 

Successful completion results in a personalized certificate that may be printed as proof of exam success. Incorrectly answered questions and an explanation of the correct answer are provided once the exam is completed.

 

Larger quantities of CAM^EXAM attempts may be purchased for organizational use. The exam can also be tailored to address a specific EVM System Description or EVM implementation. Contact evinfo@mgmt-technologies.com for more information on corporate or organizational tailoring and pricing plans.

 

Try a 15 question free sample exam.

 

 

BLOCK4Tidbit #49 ANSI 748 Simplified, Part 1

Here is my take on what ANSI 748 asks us to do. These are the major elements of the 23 guidelines. Be sure to read ANSI 748 if it's part of your life. Not every detail appears below. proof

 

  • Breakdown the work using a WBS and assign the work to teams using an OBS. Where the two intersect create and document control accounts (CA) such that there is only one CA for each pair of WBS and OBS elements.
  • Be able to trace the planning and scheduling, budgeting, work authorizations, and cost collection via the WBS, OBS, or both.
  • Make sure each CA has an activity network derived schedule at least one level below the control account level that supports higher level schedules. If you are not sure of about the details of downstream work defer the scheduling by defining planning packages. Resource load the schedule so you know what the work should cost (Planned Value). Use the same budget categories that are available when costs are recorded. Plan to use the entire budget you are provided unless you are the project manager (who can budget for management reserve).
  • Define and document an objective means of determining progress (Earned Value) at the detail level that includes assessment of the quality of the products or outcomes. If you cannot do this try, try, try again. If it is not possible due to the nature of the work just record costs and let recorded progress equal the planned progress.
  • Add all CA budgets, Planning Package budgets, Undistributed Budget, and Management Reserve and be able to show that the sum equals the project's internal target cost (not price).

Management Technologies Products & Services 
BLOCK6CPM Links Up with LinkedIn

The College of Performance Management (CPM) and the "EVM" LinkedIn group are now affiliated.

 

The EVM Group has over 8,000 members. While there are several other LinkedIn earned value management groups this is the largest and most vibrant.

 

The affiliation means EVM group members can join CPM for a limited time at a discounted rate.

 

CPM will not moderate the LinkedIn forum. The views expressed in the forum will remain those of the participants. CPM board members who engage in the discussions are expressing their personal views.

 

 

BLOCK7US DOT IG Reviews EVM Practices 

The inspector general at the US Department of Transportation has begun investigating the effective

ness of DOTs earned value management practices. KPMG is performing the audit under the IG's oversight 

  and will try to assess whether DOT has an effective EVM for its IT investments. KPMG will also determine if D OT uses accurate EVM data to plan, monitor, and report the status of its projects.

Conferences and Events

PMO Symposium 2013

WHEN:10-13 November 2013

WHERE:San Diego, California, USA

MORE INFO: www.pmosymposium.org 

 

Integrated Program Management Conference

DISCOUNT REGISTRATION CUT-OFF DATE EXTENDED TO NOVEMBER 1, 2013

WHEN: 18-20 November 2013

WHERE: Bethesda, MD

MORE INFO: CPM 

  

EVM Europe 2013

WHEN: 3-4 December 2013 (Changed)

WHERE: University of Ghent, Belgium

MORE INFO: tbd

 

Construction CPM Conference

WHEN: January 21-24 2014

WHERE: Swan & Dolphin Resort, Walt Disney World, FL

MORE INFO: www.constructioncpm.com

 

AACE International Annual Meeting
WHEN: 15-18 June 2014

WHERE: New Orleans, LA, USA

MORE INFO: AACE

 

9th ICEC World Congress

When: 20-22 October 2014

Where: Milano Italy

More Info, TBD

 

AACE International Conference

WHEN: 12-13 November 2014 (Yes 2014)

WHERE: Bangkok Thailand

 MORE INFO: AACE

 

 

 

BLOCK8Getting AGILE and EVM to Play Nice

Once again it is my honor to be the track coordinator for a six session track on applying AGILE+EVM. The track is part of the Integrated Program Management Conference in Bethesda, MD, in November. agile

 

Since EVM World 2012 the topic of Agile and EVM has gained increasing interest at College of Performance EVM conferences. Attendees' comments have helped improved the content with each conference.

 

This year's IPM conference Agile+EVM track is improved again. Included will be scenario based sessions to walk the audience through the planning and executionof agile projects. This will include establishing the baseline, reporting values for EV and PV, and handling the scope and schedule adjustments that are part of employing Agile.

 

The track will begin with a review of Agile concepts and terms, and end with a panel of the presenters who will address audience questions and comments

 

 

EVPrep and EVM Workshops

EVPrep Exam Prep Workshop (14 PDUs)

 

The workshop covers all the topics likely covered in the exam and provides exam-like questions 

EVP Pin

and workshop discussion about each question and the possible answers. This workshop also includes

  es an EVM analysis question to help prepare you for the three page written essay in Part II (was part IV).

Take this workshop and save $150 on the exam. Attendees are given a temporary limited membership in AACE that allows you to take the exam at AACE member rates.

  

"Ray, your course is excellent preparation for the EVP Certification test. Your questions were comprehensive like the test and somewhat harder (more complex) than the real test. Your preparation course especially helped with the memo."

Jeff Kottmyer

NASA

  

Do you have an  EVP FAQ?  

 

Does our EVPrep workshop and/or EVP Study Guide really help with the EVP exam?

  

Using these data and data from AACE regarding yearly totals of EVP exams taken and exams passed we did some statistical analysis.

 

Yes, our EVPrep products are effective in increasing the likelihood of passing the EVP exam.

 ______________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Earned Value Experience (CAM) Workshop (14 PDUs)

Classroom

 

You'll experience creating an earned value management baseline, determining earned value from project status,calculating earned value management indices, and estimating final cost and completion date. This workshop is perfect for team leads, control account managers, financial and schedule control staff,project and program managers, and chief project officers.

 

Excel EzEVM™Templates may be retained by attendees to implement earned value management in their organization.

 

R.E.P. logo
   

Copyright 2013, Management Technologies 

 

The EVM Newsletter, EVPrep, The Earned Value Management Maturity Model, EVM3, EzEVM, 
The CAM^Exam, and The Earned Value Experience are trademarks of Management Technologies.

 

The Earned Value Professional, EVP, and the AEP logo
 are marks of the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering, International. (AACEŽ).

 

The PMP, PMBOK, PMI, and R.E.P. , and the Registered Education Provider logo are
registered marks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

 

EVM World is a 
registered trademark of the College of Performance Management, Inc.