How do you define a planning package in agile EVM?
Earned Value Management (EVM) is a technique for measuring project performance and progress based on the comparison of planned and actual values. However, applying EVM to agile projects can be challenging, as agile methods emphasize flexibility and adaptation over detailed upfront planning. One of the key concepts in agile EVM is the planning package, which is a way of representing work that is not yet defined or decomposed into tasks or stories. In this article, you will learn how to define a planning package in agile EVM and why it is useful for managing uncertainty and change.
A planning package is a placeholder for work that is expected to be done in the future, but has not been broken down into smaller units of work, such as tasks or stories. A planning package typically has a high-level scope, a rough estimate of duration and cost, and a general description of the expected outcome or deliverable. A planning package can span multiple iterations or sprints, and can be refined and decomposed as more information becomes available or as priorities change.
A planning package is useful for agile EVM because it allows you to account for work that is not yet fully defined or planned, but still contributes to the project value and scope. A planning package helps you to avoid underestimating the total project cost and duration, and to allocate resources and budget accordingly. A planning package also enables you to track the progress and performance of work that is not yet assigned to specific iterations or sprints, and to adjust your plans as needed based on feedback and learning.
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Dan Lynch
Senior EVMS/IPM Consultant
You would NOT track progress of a planning package. You would however keep an eye on it as it drifts into a visible piece of the project baseline to avoid needless “current period changes” as this can be a red flag to oversight agencies. Keep in mind that agile efforts usually have a different perspective of “current period”.
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To create a planning package, you need to identify the work that is not yet detailed or scheduled, but is part of the project scope and vision. You can use various sources of information, such as the product backlog, the product roadmap, the stakeholder requirements, or the project charter, to define the high-level scope of the planning package. You also need to estimate the duration and cost of the planning package, using techniques such as analogy, expert judgment, or parametric estimation. You can assign a confidence level or a range to your estimates to reflect the uncertainty and variability of the work. Finally, you need to describe the expected outcome or deliverable of the planning package, using terms that are meaningful and measurable for the project stakeholders.
To manage a planning package, you need to monitor and control its status and performance throughout the project lifecycle. You can use EVM metrics, such as planned value (PV), earned value (EV), actual cost (AC), schedule variance (SV), cost variance (CV), schedule performance index (SPI), and cost performance index (CPI), to measure the progress and efficiency of the planning package. You can also use agile metrics, such as velocity, burndown, burnup, or cumulative flow, to track the completion and delivery of the work. Additionally, you need to review and update the planning package regularly, based on the feedback and learning from the iterations or sprints, the changes in the project scope or priorities, or the availability of new information or requirements. You can refine and decompose the planning package into smaller units of work, such as tasks or stories, and assign them to specific iterations or sprints, as appropriate.
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Dan Lynch
Senior EVMS/IPM Consultant
No no no no no!! You do NOT take performance on a planning package and you should never have actual costs either! If you are doing the above you don’t have a planning package!
To report a planning package, you need to communicate its status and performance to the project stakeholders, such as the project sponsor, the product owner, the project team, or the customers. You can use various formats and tools, such as dashboards, charts, graphs, tables, or reports, to present the EVM and agile metrics of the planning package. You can also use narratives, stories, or demonstrations, to showcase the outcome or deliverable of the planning package. You should highlight the achievements, challenges, risks, opportunities, and lessons learned from the planning package, and solicit feedback and suggestions for improvement.
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Dan Lynch
Senior EVMS/IPM Consultant
The article is somewhat disturbing in that the true usage and implementation of planning packages are by nature scope that has yet to be defined into more discrete efforts (Work Packages) and the statements regarding “performance” are not just misleading but are frankly, erroneous.
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