Gerald Leonard PMP, MCP, CQIA, ITIL Project Assistants Project Management Consultant 12/14/06

1. ‘Project Schedule Updating and Tracking Tips’ Gerald Leonard PMP, MCP, CQIA, ITIL Project Assistants Project Management Consultant 12/14/06

2. Project Schedule updating and tracking tips • Agenda. • 5 Levels of project tracking • Culture changes that lead to successful tracking • Project Schedule Statusing • Create a “Should have Finished by” filter • Create a Duration Variance Group • Create a Custom Variance Table • Create an updating combine view • Analysis your findings

3. 5 Level of project tracking • Level 0: No tracking • Level 1: Make it up % complete • Level 2: Collect from team % complete • Level 3: Make it up (Weekly Actuals) • Level 4: Collect from team (Weekly Actuals) • Updating Actual Start and Finish date and using % complete • Level 5: Collect from team (Daily actual hours using Physical % complete updating weekly) • EVMS tracking; this method will provide true tasks progress. (i. e. SPI, CPI, TCPI calculations)

4. How to create Culture changes that lead to successful tracking • Obtain and Keep Senior Executive support. • Train your Project Managers through lunch and learn sessions. • Develop a Center of Excellence and robust mentoring program. • If using Microsoft Project Server (EPM); create a “Last Update View” (Creates a since of accountability). • Drive Program and Project Stakeholders to view project data from your EPM environment by creating on line reports that answer their business questions. • Reporting needs to speak the language of business • Have a documented procedure that will systemize the updating process and provide consistent and predictable results. (Think McDonalds).

5. Project Schedule Statusing • All schedules should have predecessors and successors • All schedules must have an approved baseline • Always update the project schedule status date

6. Create a “Should have Finished by” filter

7. Create a Duration Variance Group

8. Create a Custom Variance Table

9. Create an updating schedule combine view.

10. Analyze your findings • Verify that all tasks have been status as of your reporting period using the “Should have finish by” filter. • Use the Duration Variance group to identify which tasks in your project have the greatest Duration Variance. • Use the customize variance table to identify which critical path items have been impacted by the schedule updates • If duration variances violate your variance threshold have the PM provide a documented schedule variance report with a contingence plan to manage and adjust either the Scope, Cost or Schedule.

11. Demo and Q&A Questions and Answers