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Questions and Answers
What does the green line represent in an Agile Earned Value chart?
What does the green line represent in an Agile Earned Value chart?
In an Agile Earned Value analysis, if the red line is above the green line, what does this indicate?
In an Agile Earned Value analysis, if the red line is above the green line, what does this indicate?
Which value measures the expected progress in an Agile Earned Value chart?
Which value measures the expected progress in an Agile Earned Value chart?
What does it mean if the green line is below the grey line in an Agile Earned Value chart?
What does it mean if the green line is below the grey line in an Agile Earned Value chart?
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How is the Planned Value computed in an Agile Earned Value framework?
How is the Planned Value computed in an Agile Earned Value framework?
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What percentage of completed story points is counted in calculating Earned Value?
What percentage of completed story points is counted in calculating Earned Value?
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Which Agile methodology is specifically mentioned in relation to Earned Value?
Which Agile methodology is specifically mentioned in relation to Earned Value?
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What does the term 0/100 rule refer to in Earned Value Management?
What does the term 0/100 rule refer to in Earned Value Management?
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What is the primary focus of SCRUM methodologies during development?
What is the primary focus of SCRUM methodologies during development?
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In the context of Agile, what is a crucial goal regarding the estimation process?
In the context of Agile, what is a crucial goal regarding the estimation process?
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What does a burndown chart primarily represent?
What does a burndown chart primarily represent?
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What is an essential aspect of Agile Earned Value Management (EVM)?
What is an essential aspect of Agile Earned Value Management (EVM)?
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Which estimation method uses 'ideal programming hours'?
Which estimation method uses 'ideal programming hours'?
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What happens to points in Agile estimation during a sprint?
What happens to points in Agile estimation during a sprint?
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What may be a motivation for using Agile Earned Value Management?
What may be a motivation for using Agile Earned Value Management?
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How do Agile methodologies primarily view traditional effort measures?
How do Agile methodologies primarily view traditional effort measures?
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What is a primary goal of the project closing phase?
What is a primary goal of the project closing phase?
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Which of the following is NOT a reason that projects may not be closed properly?
Which of the following is NOT a reason that projects may not be closed properly?
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What does a post-implementation audit primarily aim to achieve?
What does a post-implementation audit primarily aim to achieve?
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Which component is essential in the structure of a post-mortem report?
Which component is essential in the structure of a post-mortem report?
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What aspect is important when releasing staff after project completion?
What aspect is important when releasing staff after project completion?
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Which of the following metrics is NOT typically included in post-mortem assessments?
Which of the following metrics is NOT typically included in post-mortem assessments?
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Which action is part of the project closing process?
Which action is part of the project closing process?
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What is a common challenge faced during the closing activities of a project?
What is a common challenge faced during the closing activities of a project?
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What is the purpose of conducting a project survey during a post-mortem?
What is the purpose of conducting a project survey during a post-mortem?
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Which form of acceptance is characterized by a formal procedure?
Which form of acceptance is characterized by a formal procedure?
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Study Notes
Project Execution, Monitoring, and Control
- Project execution involves performing work according to the plan
- Monitoring and controlling the project entails tracking progress and costs against the schedule and budget
- Earned Value Analysis (EVA) is a technique for monitoring a project holistically
Goals of the Unit
- Plans are practically useless if not implemented and monitored and updated to match the current situation
- The unit covers the activities and techniques for monitoring and controlling projects and their cost and schedule
- Earned Value Analysis allows a project manager to monitor projects in a comprehensive manner
Project Management Phases
- The project cycle has stages, from initiation to closing.
- These stages include initiation, planning, executing, and monitoring, controlling, and closing.
- Other linked processes like change management, quality management, and risk management also contribute supporting roles.
Kicking Activities Off
- Formalizing the commencement of a project's significant activities.
- Ensures team alignment on crucial project goals and procedures.
- A kick-off meeting is the most appropriate method but other communication methods may be used.
- Establishing an appropriate level of detail is vital.
Collecting the Outputs of Activities
- Systematic gathering of project deliverables (outputs)
- Useful for learning lessons and formalizing output collection.
- A repository and version control are vital methods for software projects.
Collecting Information About the Project Status
- Gathering data to assess the project's status.
- This can be done routinely (dependent on project size) or on an as needed basis (especially for critical events).
- Data includes both quantifiable and qualitative information (e.g., team morale, task difficulty).
Introduction to Monitoring and Controlling a Project
- Project monitoring involves assessing project status (scope, time, quality).
- Corrective action is taken when necessary.
- Data collection helps improve project planning for future projects.
- Regular processes include collecting, measuring, comparing data with the baseline plan, projecting future trends, and taking corrective actions.
Monitoring and Controlling Cycle
- The cycle involves comparing planned (baseline) with actual project plans, assessing deviations, and replanning accordingly.
- This cycle repeats continually to ensure ongoing project success.
Approaches to Project Monitoring and Control
- There are integrated and non-integrated methods.
- The non-integrated method monitors schedule and costs separately.
- The integrated method, using Earned Value analysis, combines schedule, costs, and progress metrics.
Basic Concepts in Project Monitoring
- Baseline values: A plan snapshot at a specific moment in time (e.g., baseline at timeframe t1, t2 etc)
- Multiple baselines can be established
Actual Values
- Actual status of a schedule
- Real start and end of tasks, along with real work done (actual effort and actual progress)
Project Monitoring Process
- Establish and follow a plan to carry out the project work
- Track planned and actual effort on each project activity.
- Regularly track the project's technical progress.
- Use estimates to re-plan, update or adjust the project if needed, and communicate these changes.
Agile Techniques in Project Monitoring
- Agile methodologies emphasize simplifying efforts and durations as measures
- This focuses on the remaining work rather than the work scheduled
- Methods like "ideal programming hours" or "points" abstract from traditional effort metrics
Agile Progress Tracking Methods
- Burndown charts are helpful visualization tools for monitoring the progress of a project phase.
- They show the ideal and actual burn down, or progress rate against time
- Measuring this speed over time helps teams make judgements about schedule and efficiency and whether to re-plan.
Agile Earned Value Method
- A mix of Agile and Earned Value Management (EVM) practices
- EVM can prove useful in complex projects to adjust budget and schedule for time related issues.
- Examples are given of projects requiring formal adjustments.
Agile Earned Value Approach
- A method of tracking progress that uses percentages or colors instead of money values
- The method involves three lines to show planned value, completed work, and costs.
- This provides a visual tool to track progress, efficiency, or speed over time
Understanding Agile Progress Plots
- In a perfect world, all three lines (planned value, earned value, actual cost) are in sync.
- Differences between these lines are significant indicators of project issues
Computing Project Metrics
- Planned value (PV): calculated from the backlog of storypoints.
- Assumes that work velocity (story points per time period) is constant
- Actual costs (AC): based on time-tracking information
- Earned Value (EV): Total points for completed story points
Closing Remarks on Project Monitoring
- Charts work best when spanning sufficient periods like 3 to 6 months to provide the “big picture”
- Different levels of detail are permissible (e.g., daily progress tracking)
- The project backlog needs to be complete to apply the method
- Value delivery needs to be consistent to apply calculation
Managing Changes in Scope
- Two main classes of scope changes include gradual refinements in requirements or large scale changes such as incorporating new ideas
- The first class can be absorbed by the existing planning while the second class needs to be reflected in the plans
Project Closing
- Projects come to an end
- Many projects linger in a "limbo" state awaiting closure
- Project managers should ensure that projects are properly closed
- Closing involves various tasks such as client acceptance, archiving deliverables, documentation, financial closure, post-implementation audits, and staff release.
Project Closing Process
- Project outputs are handed over to stakeholders, agreements are closed to finalise project tasks
- Ensures no pending deliverables or obligations remain after closure
- Valuable project lessons emerge
Post-implementation Audit
- The post mortem audit is designed to avoid repeating the same mistakes
- Projects of different levels of failure offer valuable learning opportunities and lessons learned
- Useful post mortem reports should include descriptions of project specifics, aspects that worked successfully, the key reasons for difficulties, and lessons to be taken to avoid similar pitfalls.
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Description
This quiz explores key concepts in project management, focusing on execution, monitoring, and control. It covers techniques like Earned Value Analysis (EVA) and discusses the importance of tracking progress and costs throughout the project cycle. Understand how these methods ensure effective project implementation and oversight.
