BOOK REVIEW:

Book Title: Earned Schedule
Authors: Walter H. Lipke
Publisher:LuLu Publishing
List Price: US$36.04 (eBook $13.99)
Publication Date: 2009
ISBN: 978-0-557-17738-7
Reviewer: Robert Van De Velde, Ph.D., PMP
Review Date: July 2010

Introduction to the Book

Earned Schedule is an innovative extension to Earned Value Management. In a ground-breaking series of articles over the past few years, Walt Lipke articulated the concept, described the required calculations, and applied the theory to improve project performance measurement. In his new book, Lipke weaves the content of the articles into a coherent whole, leavened with fresh insights and illustrated with new examples.

The basic idea behind Earned Schedule is deceptively simple: the time at which an amount of Earned Value has actually been accrued is measured against the time when it should have been accrued—that is the “earned schedule”.  Lipke unfolds the idea carefully and thoroughly.

Overview of Structure

A brief primer on Earned Value Management opens the book, setting the back drop for an explanation of the Earned Schedule concept. As he does throughout the book, Lipke provides verbal and graphical descriptions as well as examples to explain the mathematics. At a couple of points in the book, Lipke adduces empirical support for his claims. He uses the data first to verify his theory and later to demonstrate the superiority of Earned Schedule as a forecasting method. 

After warning about the impact of re-baselining, Lipke extends the concept of Earned Schedule to show how it addresses Critical Path Analysis, how it can be used to enrich the traditional “To Complete” metric, and how it can be used to guide management action for improved project performance.

More…

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About the Reviewer: Robert Van De Velde Robert Van De Velde is an experienced project manager who has delivered award-winning projects in financial services, natural resources, telecommunications, and health care.  His article, Time Is Up: Assessing Schedule Performance with Earned Value, appeared in the October, 2007 issue of PMWorldToday. Rob holds a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto, a B.Sc. from the University of Manitoba, and certifications in project management and MicroSoft ProjectTM.  His current research interests include quantitative project management, techniques for managing time-driven projects, and the effective use of MicroSoft ProjectTM.  Rob operates a commercial Web Site that features plug-ins for MicroSoft ProjectTM, including Earned Schedule utilities.  You can reach Rob via e-mail at Robert.VanDeVelde@ProjectFlightDeck.com.  Visit www.ProjectFlightDeck.com for more information.