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Here is the November issue of The EVM Newsletter. As mentioned last month 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. A lot of people have tried the free 15 question sampler of The CAM^EXAM™. Since the 15 sample questions are drawn from a pool of over 180 questions we're getting good feedback. It looks like the CAM^EXAM about right. It's not too hard and not too easy. Passing the CAM^EXAM shows the knowledge is there to be a CAM. It can be purchased on-line in packages of one, two, or three attempts. It can also be tailored and provided in large quantities via a site license. This issue's Tidbit is the second and final restatement of the ANSI 748 guidelines in a user friendly way. Hopefully it helps explain what ANSI 748 expects 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 requirements or goals.
"Help yourself, Help others." That was the title of LinkedIn discussion I recently posted. Until 13 January every purchase of our EVP Study Guide will result in $10 USD being sent to the American Red Cross for Philippine typhoon recovery. IPMC is over. Did you attend? Great presentations, training, workshops, and of course networking with EVM and project controls staff, agency EVM focal points, senior government officials, trainers, and consultants. Plan for next year's IPMC. It will be in November in the Greater DC area. More at www.mycpm.org. Are you a detailed person? At least one reader told me that I accidently reduced the ANSI 32 guidelines to 23 in the October issue. There are still 32, and spell check does not do numbers. Oops. Our quote this month is related to EVM. It comes from gunslinger, sheriff, and town marshal Wyatt Earp (1849-1929). It's based on his experience at The OK Corral. It turns out getting your EVM data (IPMR/CDR) delivered on time may not be the most important concern. This is the second EVM Newsletter published in the new, mobile device friendly, single column. Is it too long? Is it hard navigate? Send me your comments and ideas to make it easier to read or just better. 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 [email protected] Ray Stratton, PMP, EVP Editor
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Decades ago The College of Performance Management (CPM) established the Driessnack Award to recognize individuals who have made major contributions to project performance management policy, concepts, and practices, which have national and international implications. The award is only given when deserved, not periodically. Until a week ago only ten people had received the award. At the Integrated Program Management Conference Neil F. Albert was announced as the most recent recipient in recognition of his long term contributions to CPM and the EVM community worldwide.
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Don't miss the next EVM Newsletter You can opt out at any time. Your e-mail address will not be shared with anyone. Send The EVM Newsletter to a friend.
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AACE will discontinue their complementary membership program for Approved Education Providers (AEP) customers effective 1 Jan 2014. (Management Technologies is an AEP.) Under this program students who attended an AEP workshop or course could apply for complementary AACE membership valid for up to a year or so. This, in turn, enabled these individuals to pay member rates for their certification exams or meetings. If you have recently attended an AEP workshop or course ask your AEP to quickly provide your name and email to AACE and/or act on the email you got from AACE. Management Technologies is an AACE AEP.
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"Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything."
Wyatt Earp |
Introducing 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 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 [email protected] for more information on corporate or organizational tailoring and pricing plans.
Try a 15 question free sample exam.
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Tidbit #50 ANSI 748 Simplified, Part 2 |
Here is my take on what ANSI 748 asks us to do, part 2. Part 1 was in the October Newsletter. These are the major elements of the 32 guidelines. Be sure to read ANSI 748 if it's part of your life. Not every detail appears below.
- Record progress (EV) using the method selected during planning and the costs (AC) incurred at the CA level.
- Budget material (planned cost times quantity) not earlier that when it's expected to be received but preferably when some or all of it is expected to be put to use. Record the value of material received or used (planned cost times quantity). Record, or estimate if needed, the actual cost for the material received or put to use in the same timeframe as used. Know the value and quantity of any material left over when the project is complete.
- Know who sets overhead (indirect) rates and budget for overhead costs where they are applied within the project WBS/OBS. Collect overhead costs and if they are significantly different than budgeted ask this person to explain why. Also ask this person to provide a forecast of future overhead costs.
- If the entire budget is not distributed to Control Accounts maintain a log of dates and amounts of deposits and withdrawals from the undistributed budget and where the amounts came from,where they went, and any references to customer correspondence or management direction
- Sum the EVM data (PV, EV, and AC) upward through the WBS and OBS. Each month determine if the cost and/or progress is significantly different than planned at the CA level and above (apply thresholds). If the difference is significant explain why. Provide estimates at complete as required or as needed to provide forecasted outcomes. Use this knowledge in executing and controlling the project
- If you need to replan future work because of a contract change or revised budget, or because of knowledge gained from past work or known future conditions, be sure to save the current plan. Create a revised plan, identify the changes, and make sure it's approved by the required stakeholders. Errors in past reported values should be identified, corrected, and also approved by required stakeholders. Document the current plan and obtained approvals.
- Report the data to your management and the customer as required.
Thats it! Parts 1 and 2. Common sense and good project management embedded in 32 guidelines.
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Management Technologies Products & Services
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According to an AACE presentation the number of AACE certificated project planning and controls individuals continues to grow. In 2009 there were about 2500 and 4000 in 2012.
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Being on schedule means being where you need to be when you need to be there. Being on budget means if
you have a finite resource and when it's used up it gone, but you don't need any more budget. So if you are parachuting you have a finite resource (altitude, you can't get more) and you need to arrive on the earth at the right spot. What if the spot is moving? Here is a great example of schedule management and resource management. (One minute video)
| Time and Resource Management |
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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
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EVPrep Exam Prep Workshop (14 PDUs)
The workshop covers all the topics likely covered in the exam and provides exam-like questions
and workshop discussion about each question and the possible answers. This workshop also includes an EVM analysis question to help prepare you for the three page written essay in Part II (was part IV). "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) 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. |
The Measurable News, 4Q 2013 |
The latest Measureable News from CPM is available. I think it's one of best of the recent quarterly issues. There is something for everyone. It talks about EVM in oil and gas, US DoD PARCA comments, using EVM to know if the right work is being done, and a metric to suggest when a rebaseline might be necessary. (OK, I co-authored that last one.)
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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. (AACE�).
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.
This work is licensed under a
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