Page "Earned value management" Paragraph 12

Figure 1: Tracking AC against a " spend plan " is inconclusive ( without EV ).

Figure 2: Measuring schedule performance without knowledge of actual cost.

Figure 3: Measuring cost performance without a PV baseline. Figure 4: The most common form of EVM graphic.

It is helpful to see an example of project tracking that does not include earned value performance management.

Consider a project that has been planned in detail, including a time-phased spend plan for all elements of work.

Figure 1 shows the cumulative budget ( cost ) for this project as a function of time ( the blue line, labeled PV ).

It also shows the cumulative actual cost of the project ( red line ) through week 8.

To those unfamiliar with EVM, it might appear that this project was over budget through week 4 and then under budget from week 6 through week 8.

However, what is missing from this chart is any understanding of how much work has been accomplished during the project.

If the project were actually completed at week 8, then the project would actually be well under budget and well ahead of schedule.

If, on the other hand, the project is only 10 % complete at week 8, the project is significantly over budget and behind schedule.

A method is needed to measure technical performance objectively and quantitatively, and that is what EVM accomplishes.