Traditional waterfall doesn't fit every context, and this chapter introduces the modern toolkit. Portny explains Agile, Scrum, and Kanban—their principles, artifacts (backlogs, sprints, burndown charts), and ceremonies (daily stand-ups, sprint reviews, retrospectives). He provides a decision matrix for choosing between predictive and adaptive approaches based on project uncertainty and customer involvement. Additionally, he covers hybrid models that blend structured planning with iterative delivery. This chapter ensures you're not a one-trick pony, able to flex your methodology to suit dynamic, fast-changing environments.
Chapter 19: Monitoring Project Performance with Earned Value Management
For those ready for heavy-lifting metrics, Portny demystifies Earned Value Management (EVM)
. He breaks down the three foundational variables—Planned Value (PV),
Earned Value (EV), and Actual Cost (AC)—and teaches you to calculate
performance indices: Cost Performance Index (CPI) and Schedule
Performance Index (SPI). You learn to forecast final project costs (EAC)
and completion dates using statistical formulas. While technical,
Portny's explanations make EVM accessible, showing how these simple
ratios provide early warning signals, allowing you to correct course
long before the project spirals out of control.
Comments
Post a Comment