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Cost Plan Part of project management is the estimation of the project cost. The budget can be derived from the project plan by looking at the following criteria (Marchewka, 2009): * estimated duration of activities, * resources identified and assigned to tasks, and * wages and overtime rate for resources.
In addition to hard numbers resource leveling is important. Resource leveling helps with accurately planning a project and will help identify if people are scheduled to have more work than hours in a day. Having too much work assigned to one person is a risk to the project.
Figure 2 – Riordan Budget Report illustrates the Riordan HRIS replacement project budget based on the resources allocated to tasks in the project plan. The budget report will be monitored weekly at the beginning of the project and daily as the project progresses. Additional cost factors such as material, facility cost, insurance, and other administrative costs will be added to the project budget cost to establish the overall project budget. Figure 2 – Riordan Budget Report Performance Measurement It is important to not only to establish critical tasks and sub-tasks, but also to identify a means to measure current progress against estimated progress.
Without a clear understanding of where the project is in regards to the timeline management is unable to identify potential trouble spots and delays that can drive up costs and derail the project. What Is Performance Measurement The U. S. General Accounting Office (GAO) provides the following definition of Performance Measurement: “Performance measurement is the ongoing monitoring and reporting of program accomplishments, particularly progress towards pre-established goals. It is typically conducted by program or agency management. Performance measures may address the type or level of program activities conducted (process), the direct products and services delivered by a program (outputs), and/or the results of those products and services (outcomes).
A program” may be any activity, project, function, or policy that has an identifiable purpose or set of objectives. “(Performance-Based Management Special Interest Group [(PBM SIG)], 2001, p. 3). When undergoing a project or process there must be a method in place to judge or measure the progress and outcome, which will allow management to make intelligent decisions. Performance Measurement delivers that data management requires by applying a method of evaluating progress toward accomplishing predetermined goals, including information on the efficiency with which resources are transformed into goods and services (PM Solutions Center for Business Practices, 2005).
Performance Measurement vs. Value Measurement In measuring performance, program management is trying to gather information to help them make decisions to affect change that, with any luck, will improve that performance. For example, project performance measures are initiated to provide crucial information to managers in order to provide purpose and direction over the project. Those measures must be pertinent and applicable to the organizational level that can immediately effect change based on information it learns in order to control the performance of the project. In measuring value, you are trying to demonstrate that decisions you made to implement change, through project management improvement initiatives, has indeed added value to the organization.
This is actually measuring value rather than performance, which may not be the same. While improved performance can be translated into value, value measurement, provide information on the performance of the organization rather than performance of the project. Riordan Project Performance Measures Measurement Construct The Measurement Construct utilized in the Riordan Project is based on the adherence to estimate.
Accurate project estimation is crucial in keeping project costs down and stakeholders happy. The Key Performance Indicator project managers want to minimize is expressed by the formula [(E-A)/E], where E = estimated Value to complete project and A = actual Value used to complete project. Project managers can substitute any value into the equation, such as hours or cost, to determine adherence to estimate.
This will allow the project management team to spot trends early on during the project and then make the necessary adjustments. To better illustrate this concept figure 2 depicts the subtasks identified as Milestones. The project management has estimated the time required to complete the 1st phase of the project (Project Preparation) would require 10 days. Completion of the phase is signaled by the development of the Statement Of Works. The project management team could measure the performance of the project resources or team members by comparing the actual time required to complete the Milestone against the estimated time to complete the Milestone.
Figure 3 – Milestones Figure 2 depicts that the estimated time to complete phase 1 was 10 days. If the actual time required to complete phase 1 was recorded at 12. 5 days the performance measure would be as follows: [(10-12. 5)/12. 5]= -20% This value describes a value of -20% of efficiency of the performance of this task.
Ideally the task performance would be 0%; the milestone would have been completed within the time estimated during the project inception. While many may feel it is better to come in under the original estimate, the goal is to optimize resources and organizational assets throughout the project. Over committing assets and resources on one project may have undesirable effects in other areas of the organization.
The key is to have exactly the required assets and resources available when required and only when required. Project Baseline The project baseline is set when all of the details for the planned project are set. The project baseline in MS Project® is set by selecting View >Gantt Chart >Tools >Tracking >Set Baseline >Whole Project (eHow, 2011). The Riordan HRIS replacement job baseline is definitely illustrated in Figure 3 – Riordan HRIS Job Baseline Illustration.
Figure 4 – Riordan HRIS Job Baseline Illustration Evaluation Number 5 – Riordan HRIS Replacement Monitoring Sheet Risk Analysis Credit reporting Project Evaluation and Confirming takes a key role along the way and assortment of project details for all members involved in the task to track adjustments, maintain financial requirements, and objectives on-time. “Monitoring the progress in the project enables you to adapt this software as necessary to ensure that you achieve your targets.
