Based on the information gathered at PC Expo Melbourne, Mosaic’s comprehensive project management software listing has been groomed and updated. A brief description and links to the developers’ web sites are provided for each entry.
Our mission is to make this listing the definitive categorized listing, so if we’ve missed a tool let us know! We do not try to work out what tool is ‘best’ – this depends on the needs of the project, and no one pays to be included.
Work Performance Management (WPM) is a new project controls tool that is being developed by Mosaic Project Services. WPM is designed to calculate the current status, and predicted completion date for any project in a consistent, repeatable, and defensible way. It is primarily intended for use in projects, applying Agile or Lean Construction management approaches, where traditional CPM scheduling cannot be used effectively, but will add value on most projects. The types of projects where WPM can provide an effective controls tool include:
Relatively small projects requiring a straightforward controls system
Large projects with a single primary deliverable that is easy to measure
Large projects using CPM where there is a need to overcome the CPM optimism bias[1]
All project applying Agile[2] and Lean Construction approaches where the project team determine the sequence of working
Distributed projects[3] where CPM is inappropriate, and management has chosen not to use the ES extension to EVM.
WPM is an easy to use, robust, performance measurement system. The two requirements to implement WPM are:
A consistent metric to measure the work planned and accomplished, and
A simple but robust assessment of when the work was planned to be done
Based on this data, WPM can calculate how far ahead or behind plan the work currently is, and based on this information, the likely project completion date (assuming work will continue at the current rate). Recording the status and expected completion at each update provides reliable trend information. This means there is no longer any excuse for, a project team, senior management, and/or the organization’s governing body, ‘not to know’ how the work of each project is progressing.
Project controls are facing a dilemma, on one hand there is a strong push to make projects agile and adaptive, on the other the need for on time delivery, organisational reporting requirements, and the law of contracts require precision and certainty from project control systems. For a wide range of projects, traditional critical path scheduling (CPM) is no longer fit for purpose, a new controls paradigm is needed.
CPM is based on scientific management concepts. It assumes there is one best way to undertake the work of a project, management know what this is, and their intentions can be modelled in a CPM schedule. While the CPM paradigm remains true for many projects, experience shows there are also many where this assumption is simply not correct including both soft and distributed projects. In this type of project, there is an ongoing level of flexibility in the sequencing of work that can be exploited to the benefit of the project and the client. However, most of the available management tools such as burndown charts, Kanban boards, sprint planning, last planner, etc., are specific to a methodology, focus on optimising work in the short term, and lack a rigorous predictive capability.
This presentation define the characteristics of projects that are not suited to CPM, including agile, adaptive, and distributed projects, and describe an approach for managing this type of project based on agile and lean, while recognising there are likely to be some mandatory sequences that must be followed. WPM offers a rigorous framework for identifying progress and predicting the project completion date based on the quantity of work achieved compared to the quantity planned to be accomplished.
This presentation is part of an ongoing project focused on identifying the challenges, and opportunities created by adapting an improved management approach to control agile, adaptive, and distributed projects focused on optimising resource productivity.
For the last few days, I have been reflecting on winning the Wayne Wilson Award for Lifetime Contribution in Project Controls at the Project Controls Expo Australia held at the MCG, Melbourne (14-15th Nov): https://projectcontrolexpo.com/aus/ and wondering how much of life is crafted and how much is serendipity? See a brief video of the 2023 Awards event.
From a very early age I had decided to follow my Great Grandad, Grandad, Father, and Uncles and become a builder – building things is fun. Then at college in 1970 I became interested in project controls and CPM scheduling (mainframe computers were really cool things to make work). So, after graduating, my career choices were always bent towards project controls on building projects and working for either project controls consultancies, or building companies.
But, ending up in Australia was pure serendipity! In 1972, I had a really good job with a major UK builder and only knew of Australia as the ‘old adversary’ in the Ashes cricket tests. I also used to crew for a friend in his Flying Fifteen (2 person) sailing boat at the Medway Yacht Club and we were doing quite well in the Sunday points series. He had to go away for a weekend and asked me to race the boat to help keep our aggregate points score up. No problem, I just needed to find a crew. One of the people I would normally ask (a 16 stone London Fireman) was at the club, but the wind was very light – I asked John if he knew someone who weighed a bit less and he introduced me to an Australian girl accompanying him and his wife for a day at the club. A slow race on a sunny day (in England….), talking, exchange of contact details, falling in love, and in 1974 I was following Clo to Australia to get married. Some 20+ years later I realized I was supporting Australia in the cricket (and still do).
The other factor that is continuing to shape my development is the help, encouragement, support, and challenges I have received; from family, friends, colleagues, mentors, and honorable adversaries. No one achieves anything alone. The people who have helped me over the decades are far too many to name but a lot of memories have been flooding into my thoughts over the last few days – sadly, in many cases it is too late to express my gratitude. For the rest I need to be more open to expressing the gratitude I feel – thank you!
So, to answer the question posed at the start of this post, luck (or random chance) seems to have a significant impact on everyone’s life (it is better to be born lucky than rich), but everyone also has the opportunity to play the hand fate deals them, their way, to achieve their objectives. No one is perfect, we all make mistakes, cause unnecessary upset, and fail to properly acknowledge people. Correcting the wrongs, and recovering from failures, is as much a key to growth as having clear objectives and working to be successful; but achieving both of these needs help. The good news is everyone can both help, and be helped, by the people around them, you just need to open up enough to let it happen.
My lifetime is not over yet! And, the one thing I seem to be reasonably good at is communicating and writing about project management and project controls in a clear and easily understood way. The world needs good project managers and controls people and with luck I will still be publishing blogs and papers for many years to come. When I started writing and publishing papers and articles there were a range of complex drives, in large part writing is the way I think and learn – but at no time until the last couple of months did I expect this interest to lead to me receiving a ‘lifetime achievement award’. For more on the citation for the award, see more on the PGCS New Page.
The resources at https://mosaicprojects.com.au/PMKI.php is a library of most of my writings to date (and continues to grow), almost all of the papers are free to use under the Creative Commons License which means you can copy, adapt and use the materials in any way that helps you and your career.
The International Centre for Complex Project Management (ICCPM) has announced the new Complex Project Leadership Competency Standard which defines a performance-based competency framework, identifying the skills and competencies project leaders need to succeed in complex environments.
The primary goal of performance-based competency frameworks is to align individual and occupational goals by clearly defining the expectations for job performance and competence. They serve as a roadmap for individuals to understand what is expected of them and provide a framework for assessing their performance against established criteria. There are five sections in the standard:
With the Standards in place, ICCPM is working to establish a Certification Scheme based on the Standards. This program will support the validation of skills and competencies and help align people with project and program needs.
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