📘 Earned Value Analysis (EVA) for Project Monitoring and Control
🔹 1. Definition
Earned Value Analysis (EVA) is a project monitoring and control technique that integrates scope, time, and cost to measure project performance by comparing planned work, actual cost, and completed work value.
👉 In simple words:
It tells us whether the project is on schedule, within budget, and how much work is actually completed.
🔹 2. Purpose of EVA ⭐
- Monitor project progress
- Control cost and schedule
- Detect deviations early
- Support decision-making
- Improve project forecasting
🔹 3. Three Key Parameters
🔸 1. Planned Value (PV) 📅
Budgeted cost of work planned to be done
👉 Also called BCWS (Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled)
🔸 2. Earned Value (EV) 📊
Budgeted cost of actual work completed
👉 Also called BCWP (Budgeted Cost of Work Performed)
🔸 3. Actual Cost (AC) 💰
Real cost spent on completed work
👉 Also called ACWP (Actual Cost of Work Performed)
🔹 4. Core EVA Formulas ⭐
🔸 Cost Variance (CV)
CV = EV - AC
👉 Interpretation:
- CV > 0 → Under budget ✅
- CV < 0 → Over budget ❌
🔸 Schedule Variance (SV)
SV = EV - PV
👉 Interpretation:
- SV > 0 → Ahead of schedule ✅
- SV < 0 → Behind schedule ❌
🔸 Cost Performance Index (CPI)
CPI = EV / AC
👉 Interpretation:
- CPI > 1 → Good cost efficiency
- CPI < 1 → Poor cost efficiency
🔸 Schedule Performance Index (SPI)
SPI = EV / PV
👉 Interpretation:
- SPI > 1 → Ahead of schedule
- SPI < 1 → Delay in project
🔹 5. EVA in Project Monitoring & Control
🔸 Step 1: Plan Baseline 📋
- Define PV, cost, and schedule baseline
🔸 Step 2: Track Progress 📊
- Measure actual work completed
🔸 Step 3: Calculate EV and AC 💰
- Determine earned value and actual cost
🔸 Step 4: Compare Values ⚖️
🔸 Step 5: Analyze Variances ⚠️
- Find cost and schedule deviations
🔸 Step 6: Take Corrective Actions 🔧
- Adjust resources or schedule
🔸 Step 7: Forecast Future Performance 🔮
- Predict completion time and cost
🔹 6. Diagram Description
Planned Value (PV)
↓
Compare with Earned Value (EV)
↓
Compare with Actual Cost (AC)
↓
Variance Analysis (CV, SV)
↓
Performance Index (CPI, SPI)
↓
Control Actions & Forecasting
🔹 7. Example
Given:
- PV = 200,000
- EV = 150,000
- AC = 180,000
Calculations:
👉 CV = EV - AC = 150,000 - 180,000 = -30,000 ❌ (Over budget)
👉 SV = EV - PV = 150,000 - 200,000 = -50,000 ❌ (Behind schedule)
👉 CPI = 150,000 / 180,000 = 0.83 ❌ (Low efficiency)
👉 SPI = 150,000 / 200,000 = 0.75 ❌ (Delayed project)
🔹 8. Importance of EVA ⭐
✔ Provides early warning signals
✔ Integrates time, cost, and scope
✔ Improves project control
✔ Helps in decision-making
✔ Enables future forecasting
🔹 9. Advantages
- Objective and quantitative method
- Detects problems early
- Helps track project performance accurately
- Widely used in real-world projects
🔹 10. Limitations ❌
- Requires accurate data
- Complex for small projects
- Needs continuous updating
- Difficult for beginners
🔹 11. EVA vs Traditional Monitoring
| Feature |
EVA |
Traditional Monitoring |
| Basis |
Quantitative |
Qualitative |
| Accuracy |
High |
Medium |
| Focus |
Cost + Schedule + Scope |
Progress tracking |
| Forecasting |
Yes |
No |
🔹 12. Key Exam Points
🔹 13. Short Summary
- Earned Value Analysis is a technique used in project monitoring and control
- It compares planned work, actual cost, and completed work
- It helps in measuring cost and schedule performance
🔹 14. Quick Exam Answer (2–3 lines)
Earned Value Analysis (EVA) is a project monitoring and control technique used to measure project performance by comparing Planned Value, Earned Value, and Actual Cost. It helps in analyzing cost and schedule variances using CV, SV, CPI, and SPI.
🔹 15. Likely Exam Questions
- Define Earned Value Analysis.
- What are PV, EV, and AC?
- Write formulas of CV, SV, CPI, SPI.
- How is EVA used in project monitoring and control?
- What is the importance of EVA?
- Differentiate CPI and SPI.
- Draw diagram of Earned Value Analysis process.