Project Management and Systems Implementation
Project management and systems implementation test planning, control, and delivery of office systems. Expect WBS, dependencies, critical path, earned value, risk, change control, SDLC, testing, cutover, and benefits realization.
Core rules
- A WBS follows the 100 percent rule: decomposed work sums to the full scope, with no overlap. Work packages are estimable and assignable.
- The critical path is the longest path through the network; its activities have zero float. Delaying a critical activity delays the project unless the path changes.
- Earned value: CV = EV − AC; SV = EV − PV; CPI = EV / AC; SPI = EV / PV. Cost and schedule variance are not interchangeable.
- Control change through a board or authority with impact assessment on scope, schedule, cost, risk, and quality.
- Systems implementation needs traceable requirements, unit and integration testing, user acceptance testing against agreed criteria, and a rollback plan for cutover.
Worked example
A project has PV = 200,000, EV = 180,000, and AC = 200,000. CV = 180,000 − 200,000 = −20,000, so it is over budget. SV = 180,000 − 200,000 = −20,000, so it is behind schedule. CPI = 0.90 and SPI = 0.90. The reasoning is that both variances are negative and both indices are below 1.0; the project has earned less value than planned and spent more than earned. A forecast estimate at completion, using EAC = BAC / CPI, would exceed the original budget if the trend continues.
Traps
- Reporting percent complete without objective evidence such as accepted deliverables.
- Treating a negative SV as a cost overrun; SV compares earned value with planned value.
- Accepting scope changes without adjusting baseline or forecast.
- Skipping UAT or cutover rehearsal and discovering defects after go-live.