[kplato] Scope and Change Control (was Planning and Analysis 101)

[Chris Herrnberger]

On Thursday 14 June 2001 19:25, Chris Clarke wrote:
> On Thursday 14 June 2001 14:41, Chris Herrnberger wrote:
>
> [Configuration Mangagement]

Hmm me thinks we are soon gonna need a glossary of terms. Config  Managemnet 
usually referrs to systems configuration management and associated 
documentation and the control there of. ( then again it may be my background) 
I completely understand your point however and you are quite correct but 
perhaps we need to start a glossary so that the terms can be translated 
consistently throughout the design and build process of this app/docs as 
config managment applied to documentation control means something completely 
different to a civil eng vs a computer eng. Just an idea, please correct me 
if Im out to lunch. Just came back from our local learning Python SiG 
meeting...well more beer than python. I really like learning python this 
way.....:)

> I'm with you on the modularity.

The more I think about this the more I see the value of it. Especially since 
the target audiance is a generalists one for the first launch hopefully 
providing enough meat (usability) for discipline specialist to be interested 
and contribute. 

> Can you give us an idea of what aspects of change control you would like to
> see integrated into the project?  

In terms of the proposed app, standard integration with the Gant diag section 
and auto updateing of all associated dependacies (resources schedules costs)
If say a doc browser were included, tracking of doc revisions would be really 
sweet. 

> The way I see it there are three issues with change control:
>
> First we have the process of requesting, approving, and implementing the
> change.  This is largely procedural (define a process, stick to it) and I
> see as outside the scope of the core project.

yup ok..

> The second part is keeping strict configuration managment on the documents
> -- ensuring there is a central source for each document, keeping track of
> versions and revisions, and keeping track of the change requests/change
> orders.  Tools are required to manage this (anything from CVS to manage
> whole documents through to traceability databases to manage individual
> sentences), and for the most part I see these tools as being outside the
> scope of the main project.  This is what I was thinking of when I was
> talking about a seperate project with hooks into KPlato.  Last I looked
> there was no good requirements management/traceability software on the
> market, and I wouldn't mind seeing some of that as a project.

yup that could work as long as its intuative, functional and complete, and 
integrated say by means of a doc browser file tree. 

> Finally there's the task of costing the impact.  This could definitely be
> inside the scope, since it has a direct effect on the planning.  I'm not
> sure about our first milestone, but it would be nice to be able to track
> the cost of scope changes and who initiated it.

agreed but there are also associated impacts on resources, schedules and all 
other interdependant events, (thats where you either loose or make money on 
tracking the dependancies. ie: What effect will change order No1 have on 
event No.12: Depending if your the owner or contractor....it means revenue or 
loss if not tracked and assessed in terms of the overal time line and all 
other measured parameters.)
>
> [Snip work breakdown structures]
>
> > partially: wb structures  (usually completed on a team basis) are simply
> > a method to take any task and break it down into it's rudimentary
> > elements, assignments, with assigned costs/budgets estimated or actual
> > costs (if contracted)
>
> This interests me, and is something I would like to see included in the
> project.  Can you point me to any background information on this?

Ok since we used our own structure I will see if I can track down a 
reference. 

Brad Hards post is very good and correct but not to the level of granularity 
that we used to practice. In short, every contractor in a multi contractor 
environment was provided with a work breakdown sheet that included the 
following for each contracted element of work, as per his/her contracted 
scope of work. This is not to say our method is the best or is the only  
correct one. Rather it's the one we were best versed in.....others may and do 
do it differently. 

General Documentation heirarchy in its most "simple" form:

Project Plan...details all elements of the project: can be complex or simple 
and dependant on the nature of the work.
Master Schedule....prime doc that lays out all the interrelationships
Master Cost Schedule......prime doc the lays out all the costs, billing 
methods, and cost forcasts, budget assignments per work element etc.
Individual Contracts....copies of all awarded final negotiated contracts
Individual WB Sheets...Desciptors of each work element per contract
Work Authorizations...formal notice of authorization of work.
Change Orders
Misc Docs
Accounting Ledger

1.General Contact info: Contractor and owner

2.Project Control persons name: singular point of management contact for work 
element (ie: the guy/gal on the hook from the owners perspective)

3. Description of work elements 

(eg follows: this particular contractor was retained to supply and install 
light bulds and to supply and install work stations....you will note that 
only one element of work and its conditions are described. Typically the 
contractor would receive a second WBS for the second contracted sevice or 
work element. These are typically provided with the "authorization for work" 
which in reality is a simple cover letter but signed off by the project 
manager.>ie: chain of responsibility/authorization which is trackable. All 
elements need to be in place for a contractor to get paid and would typcially 
be fully descibed in the final negotiated contract under a section called 
Work Methods and then referenced again under Methods of Payment and the 
Payment Schedule Sections)

Item 1.	The contactor shall provide 1200 light build, of specifications as 
follows: 100 watt; semi transparent: compliance with CSA standards and all 
other applicable standards. Contract Reference Annex X.x

Item 2	The contractor shall install all 1200 light builds in the locations 
specified as described by Contract No.x para 1. sub item 1x and in numbers 
and volumes as so described by the referenced document.

Item 3.	The contractor shall report to the owner immmediately any deviation 
from the schedule as described below, and contract reference: Contract No.x 
Section Xxx.xx Para. X.xxxx, that is beyond his control. Such notification 
shall be provided no less than 3 hrs upon arival on site and upon inspection 
of the designated work areas as described per Item 1 above and associated 
references.

4.Schedule:

Start Date: All work shall commence in July 1 2001 at 0800 hrs
Completion Date: All work shall be completed no later than July 3 2001 at 
17:00hs.

Any deviation from this schedule without documented authorization from the 
owner shall incure a delay penalty to the contractor of 1200.00 US per day as 
per Contract No. X Section X Penalties and Delays Para X.x any assessment of 
further costs pendign assessment of project impacts. 

Change Order Schedule:

Item One: Description of Isssue
Project Approval Authority:______________
Assessment of Imapcts (Dependacies)
	Cost Imacts:_________________
	Schedule Impacts:_____________
	Resource Impacts:_____________
	Other Impacts:________________

Effective Date:_______________________
Revised Contractor Completion Date_________________
Date of Issuance:_________________

Cosignature_______________________________(your immediate boss)
Contractors Signature:_________________________


5. Costs;

The total cost for this work element based on a fixed price, job complete 
price (you can insert any cost method here) is:______________________

Penalties Incurred:_____________________
Bonus Leavied:________________________
Approved Adjusted Price:_________________

Final Cost:______________________________
Date of Assessment_______________________
Owners Agent____________________________

____________________________________________________________________
 
As you can see a simple change order resulting in a delay in work, assuming 
it is appoved, can result in significant "impacts" on a variety of tasks or 
other project components, positively or negatively.

Your ability to assess such impacts, assuming good and frequent communication 
with the contractor can be managed to the benifit or detramenet of both 
parties. In general is it possible to create/manage a win-win situation but 
this is where communication protocals and "the right tools" become essential 
and supportive elements in creating that result. The rest is simply 
experience, thoroughness and personal communication skills. Sounds simple 
enough but can be very challenging as in most cases you are making decisons 
based on incomplete imformation sets (typically 50%) particularily if you are 
working/manageing to a fixed price and fixed schedule with delay penalites. 
Then the fun really begins...and your best friends become the head scheduler 
and head controler/contracts person. 

I'lls start looking for that reference material as requested. Probably have 
it by tomorrow if that is acceptable.

Best and thanks for reading...I know this is a long post. Re-wrote it twice 
to trim it down......need another beer after this one..:)

Chris h