Comments on: Reader Q&A: The WBS and Cost http://pmstudent.com/reader-qa-the-wbs-and-cost/ Helping new and aspiring project managers reach their career goals! Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:16:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Glen B. Alleman http://pmstudent.com/reader-qa-the-wbs-and-cost/#comment-8415 Glen B. Alleman Fri, 10 Apr 2009 02:21:25 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=1689#comment-8415 Paul, Here's a simple example of a TPM and how it impacts the performance measure. At some point in the future, we are forecasting the mass of our spacecraft is less than 27 metric tons. 27 MT is a magic number, since that is the maximum mass that can be placed in Lowe Earth Oribit (LOE). The International Space Station and Hubble are in LOE. At the beginning of the project, we forecast that at the Preliminary Design Review (PDR), we'll need to know the mass to wihtin +20%/-10%. That is a Techncial Performance Measure. Of course at launch some time in 2014, we'll need to know the mass much more accuratly beacuse we need to fuel the launch vehicle. But PDR +25/-10 is considered GREEN in TPM terms. Now when we get to PDR and we haven't nailed the mass within that range, then the performance measures of our project - cost/schdeule - the earned value results need to be adjusted, as do the risk reitrement and buy down process (costing money and time), to get the mass back inside the error band as a result of the CAR (corrective action) resulting from the PDR. We can't be on schedule, and certaintly can't be on budget if we didn't meet the TPM. At Critical Design Review (CDR), the tolerances on mass are tighter, so so on until ATLO (assembly and launch operations). A TPM is a dynamic measure of the increasing maturity of the delivered product or service. It is NOT an agglomeration of the performance metrics. Whehn you ask "what difference does it make..." then I've failed to convey the message. Forums are simply too narrow a bandwidth for that message it seems, time to move on. Glen Paul,
Here’s a simple example of a TPM and how it impacts the performance measure.

At some point in the future, we are forecasting the mass of our spacecraft is less than 27 metric tons. 27 MT is a magic number, since that is the maximum mass that can be placed in Lowe Earth Oribit (LOE). The International Space Station and Hubble are in LOE.
At the beginning of the project, we forecast that at the Preliminary Design Review (PDR), we’ll need to know the mass to wihtin +20%/-10%. That is a Techncial Performance Measure. Of course at launch some time in 2014, we’ll need to know the mass much more accuratly beacuse we need to fuel the launch vehicle.
But PDR +25/-10 is considered GREEN in TPM terms.
Now when we get to PDR and we haven’t nailed the mass within that range, then the performance measures of our project – cost/schdeule – the earned value results need to be adjusted, as do the risk reitrement and buy down process (costing money and time), to get the mass back inside the error band as a result of the CAR (corrective action) resulting from the PDR.
We can’t be on schedule, and certaintly can’t be on budget if we didn’t meet the TPM.
At Critical Design Review (CDR), the tolerances on mass are tighter, so so on until ATLO (assembly and launch operations).
A TPM is a dynamic measure of the increasing maturity of the delivered product or service. It is NOT an agglomeration of the performance metrics.
Whehn you ask “what difference does it make…” then I’ve failed to convey the message. Forums are simply too narrow a bandwidth for that message it seems, time to move on.

Glen

]]> By: Glen B. Alleman http://pmstudent.com/reader-qa-the-wbs-and-cost/#comment-24827 Glen B. Alleman Fri, 10 Apr 2009 02:21:00 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=1689#comment-24827 Paul, Here's a simple example of a TPM and how it impacts the performance measure. At some point in the future, we are forecasting the mass of our spacecraft is less than 27 metric tons. 27 MT is a magic number, since that is the maximum mass that can be placed in Lowe Earth Oribit (LOE). The International Space Station and Hubble are in LOE. At the beginning of the project, we forecast that at the Preliminary Design Review (PDR), we'll need to know the mass to wihtin +20%/-10%. That is a Techncial Performance Measure. Of course at launch some time in 2014, we'll need to know the mass much more accuratly beacuse we need to fuel the launch vehicle. But PDR +25/-10 is considered GREEN in TPM terms. Now when we get to PDR and we haven't nailed the mass within that range, then the performance measures of our project - cost/schdeule - the earned value results need to be adjusted, as do the risk reitrement and buy down process (costing money and time), to get the mass back inside the error band as a result of the CAR (corrective action) resulting from the PDR. We can't be on schedule, and certaintly can't be on budget if we didn't meet the TPM. At Critical Design Review (CDR), the tolerances on mass are tighter, so so on until ATLO (assembly and launch operations). A TPM is a dynamic measure of the increasing maturity of the delivered product or service. It is NOT an agglomeration of the performance metrics. Whehn you ask "what difference does it make..." then I've failed to convey the message. Forums are simply too narrow a bandwidth for that message it seems, time to move on. Glen Paul,
Here’s a simple example of a TPM and how it impacts the performance measure.

At some point in the future, we are forecasting the mass of our spacecraft is less than 27 metric tons. 27 MT is a magic number, since that is the maximum mass that can be placed in Lowe Earth Oribit (LOE). The International Space Station and Hubble are in LOE.
At the beginning of the project, we forecast that at the Preliminary Design Review (PDR), we’ll need to know the mass to wihtin +20%/-10%. That is a Techncial Performance Measure. Of course at launch some time in 2014, we’ll need to know the mass much more accuratly beacuse we need to fuel the launch vehicle.
But PDR +25/-10 is considered GREEN in TPM terms.
Now when we get to PDR and we haven’t nailed the mass within that range, then the performance measures of our project – cost/schdeule – the earned value results need to be adjusted, as do the risk reitrement and buy down process (costing money and time), to get the mass back inside the error band as a result of the CAR (corrective action) resulting from the PDR.
We can’t be on schedule, and certaintly can’t be on budget if we didn’t meet the TPM.
At Critical Design Review (CDR), the tolerances on mass are tighter, so so on until ATLO (assembly and launch operations).
A TPM is a dynamic measure of the increasing maturity of the delivered product or service. It is NOT an agglomeration of the performance metrics.
Whehn you ask “what difference does it make…” then I’ve failed to convey the message. Forums are simply too narrow a bandwidth for that message it seems, time to move on.

Glen

]]> By: Dr. Paul D. Giammalvo http://pmstudent.com/reader-qa-the-wbs-and-cost/#comment-8400 Dr. Paul D. Giammalvo Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:41:48 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=1689#comment-8400 Wow Glen...... Not sure how you think the addition of quality has added another dimension. Quality is in the TPM model as well. Unless I missed something, it seems like TPM is nothing more than an agglomeration of performance metrics, quality being but one of them? And what difference does it make if there is an unbalanced relationship between the dependent and independent variables? Are you saying that the weighting between the composite factors that make up the TPM are equal? Somehow, that doesn't make sense to me. Bottom line- I've read over the materials you sent and it seems to me that what is a fundamentally simple model has been made uneccesarily complex, but hey, I'm only a construction guy, not an aerospace guy..... Have a great day..... BR, Dr. PDG, Jakarta Wow Glen……

Not sure how you think the addition of quality has added another dimension. Quality is in the TPM model as well.

Unless I missed something, it seems like TPM is nothing more than an agglomeration of performance metrics, quality being but one of them?

And what difference does it make if there is an unbalanced relationship between the dependent and independent variables? Are you saying that the weighting between the composite factors that make up the TPM are equal? Somehow, that doesn’t make sense to me.

Bottom line- I’ve read over the materials you sent and it seems to me that what is a fundamentally simple model has been made uneccesarily complex, but hey, I’m only a construction guy, not an aerospace guy…..

Have a great day…..

BR,
Dr. PDG, Jakarta

]]> By: Dr. Paul D. Giammalvo http://pmstudent.com/reader-qa-the-wbs-and-cost/#comment-24826 Dr. Paul D. Giammalvo Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:41:00 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=1689#comment-24826 Wow Glen...... Not sure how you think the addition of quality has added another dimension. Quality is in the TPM model as well. Unless I missed something, it seems like TPM is nothing more than an agglomeration of performance metrics, quality being but one of them? And what difference does it make if there is an unbalanced relationship between the dependent and independent variables? Are you saying that the weighting between the composite factors that make up the TPM are equal? Somehow, that doesn't make sense to me. Bottom line- I've read over the materials you sent and it seems to me that what is a fundamentally simple model has been made uneccesarily complex, but hey, I'm only a construction guy, not an aerospace guy..... Have a great day..... BR, Dr. PDG, Jakarta Wow Glen……

Not sure how you think the addition of quality has added another dimension. Quality is in the TPM model as well.

Unless I missed something, it seems like TPM is nothing more than an agglomeration of performance metrics, quality being but one of them?

And what difference does it make if there is an unbalanced relationship between the dependent and independent variables? Are you saying that the weighting between the composite factors that make up the TPM are equal? Somehow, that doesn’t make sense to me.

Bottom line- I’ve read over the materials you sent and it seems to me that what is a fundamentally simple model has been made uneccesarily complex, but hey, I’m only a construction guy, not an aerospace guy…..

Have a great day…..

BR,
Dr. PDG, Jakarta

]]> By: Glen B. Alleman http://pmstudent.com/reader-qa-the-wbs-and-cost/#comment-8397 Glen B. Alleman Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:22:54 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=1689#comment-8397 Paul, I do not agree. You've added an unnecessary dimension to the program control processes. The US Federal Systems figured this out with the introduction of Techncial Performance Meaures - which I assume you have reviewed. My intent was to introduce you to a simplifying paradigm that has proven useful in the managing complex and evolving programs in a variety of domains. The suggested Tretrad introduces an unbalanced relation between dependent and independent variables. The result is poor topology, taxonomy, and ontologies when the variables are not of "equal" stature. Quality, scope, and other "performance" parameters are "derived" from the TPM. The result in the DoD domain is the application of Cost as an Indepedent Variable (CAIV) and recently Schedule as and Independent Variable (SAIV) for the "trade space" decision making processes needed to manage in the presence of emerging requirements and changes in the mission profile. E.g. We're not going to the moon, we're only going to the Space Station, what are the available changes in cost, schedule, and techncial performance measures that can be made to preserve the over mission profile for the Orion spacecraft. These are Systems Engineering questions intergated with Program Planning and Controls. Glen B. Alleman VP, Program Planning and Controls Denver, Colorado Paul,
I do not agree.
You’ve added an unnecessary dimension to the program control processes.
The US Federal Systems figured this out with the introduction of Techncial Performance Meaures – which I assume you have reviewed.
My intent was to introduce you to a simplifying paradigm that has proven useful in the managing complex and evolving programs in a variety of domains.
The suggested Tretrad introduces an unbalanced relation between dependent and independent variables. The result is poor topology, taxonomy, and ontologies when the variables are not of “equal” stature.
Quality, scope, and other “performance” parameters are “derived” from the TPM.
The result in the DoD domain is the application of Cost as an Indepedent Variable (CAIV) and recently Schedule as and Independent Variable (SAIV) for the “trade space” decision making processes needed to manage in the presence of emerging requirements and changes in the mission profile.
E.g. We’re not going to the moon, we’re only going to the Space Station, what are the available changes in cost, schedule, and techncial performance measures that can be made to preserve the over mission profile for the Orion spacecraft.
These are Systems Engineering questions intergated with Program Planning and Controls.

Glen B. Alleman
VP, Program Planning and Controls
Denver, Colorado

]]> By: Glen B. Alleman http://pmstudent.com/reader-qa-the-wbs-and-cost/#comment-24825 Glen B. Alleman Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:22:00 +0000 http://pmstudent.com/?p=1689#comment-24825 Paul, I do not agree. You've added an unnecessary dimension to the program control processes. The US Federal Systems figured this out with the introduction of Techncial Performance Meaures - which I assume you have reviewed. My intent was to introduce you to a simplifying paradigm that has proven useful in the managing complex and evolving programs in a variety of domains. The suggested Tretrad introduces an unbalanced relation between dependent and independent variables. The result is poor topology, taxonomy, and ontologies when the variables are not of "equal" stature. Quality, scope, and other "performance" parameters are "derived" from the TPM. The result in the DoD domain is the application of Cost as an Indepedent Variable (CAIV) and recently Schedule as and Independent Variable (SAIV) for the "trade space" decision making processes needed to manage in the presence of emerging requirements and changes in the mission profile. E.g. We're not going to the moon, we're only going to the Space Station, what are the available changes in cost, schedule, and techncial performance measures that can be made to preserve the over mission profile for the Orion spacecraft. These are Systems Engineering questions intergated with Program Planning and Controls. Glen B. Alleman VP, Program Planning and Controls Denver, Colorado Paul,
I do not agree.
You’ve added an unnecessary dimension to the program control processes.
The US Federal Systems figured this out with the introduction of Techncial Performance Meaures – which I assume you have reviewed.
My intent was to introduce you to a simplifying paradigm that has proven useful in the managing complex and evolving programs in a variety of domains.
The suggested Tretrad introduces an unbalanced relation between dependent and independent variables. The result is poor topology, taxonomy, and ontologies when the variables are not of “equal” stature.
Quality, scope, and other “performance” parameters are “derived” from the TPM.
The result in the DoD domain is the application of Cost as an Indepedent Variable (CAIV) and recently Schedule as and Independent Variable (SAIV) for the “trade space” decision making processes needed to manage in the presence of emerging requirements and changes in the mission profile.
E.g. We’re not going to the moon, we’re only going to the Space Station, what are the available changes in cost, schedule, and techncial performance measures that can be made to preserve the over mission profile for the Orion spacecraft.
These are Systems Engineering questions intergated with Program Planning and Controls.

Glen B. Alleman
VP, Program Planning and Controls
Denver, Colorado

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