DREAMS OF TRAVELLING

Project Gating for Success and Project Reviews:

 

As stated in the previous section, the implementation of POME methodology requires active management-level involvement and oversight. To further address this requirement Project Gating and Project Reviews are required as part of the methodology.

Regular reviews should be scheduled by management to insure proper performance and management in the areas identified in the implementation phase of the methodology. Large complex projects require more in depth reviews vs. small non-complex projects which may only require basic performance indicator reviews.

For projects that are small in size and not complex, reviews may be conducted by the Program or Regional Project Leader directly with the Project Manager in one on one session or as part of staff/group review sessions. In either of these cases formal meeting agendas/minutes may not be required, or summary review notations and actions may be used to record the review activities. Summary notations may include project performance indicators, progress indicators, and financial indicators, a brief summary paragraph of the project scope, a summary of the current issues and projected completion schedule. Actions will be recorded and tracked as part of the specific project records.

For projects that are large by dollar volume and/or technically complex or high risk in nature more formal reviews shall be conducted. These reviews will at minimum be conducted by management periodically during the project life cycle, and may include more extensive gating reviews and/or executive management reviews as described below. These reviews or gating sessions will be documented using the standard gating or review tools or regional review documentation, rather than standard meeting agendas/minutes. Actions will be recorded and tracked as part of the specific project records.

Project reviews will be conducted, attended, and acknowledged/signed off per the following matrix:

Acknowledgement of the project reviews may be accomplished by distribution of the review notations via e-mail.. Acknowledgement of the review notations is complete with the distribution of the review notations unless corrections or objections are raised.

Executive Project Reviews:

An Executive Review is a review where members of Project Operations and Regional management teams scrutinize business and Projects risks associated with a selected project. Business risks for example can come from financial issues, deviation from our prescribed methodologies, the type of contract (T&M, target price, fixed fee), resource constraints, leadership issues, quality/client satisfaction issues or safety issues. The goal is to sample a minimum of 25% of the backlog contract value as reflected by current PoC Revenue. Executive reviews may be conducted in place of quarterly reviews

The criteria for selecting a project or program that will be placed on the list for Executive Review during a fiscal quarter is described below. The following selection criteria are in order of precedent for selection of projects to be reviewed.

1. Projects that have any Cost, Schedule or Technically not possible setup, in the Project Balanced Score Card (PBS).
2. Projects that have greater order values.
3. Projects that were reviewed in the previous quarter with follow up actions assigned.
4. Projects that have had an PoC adjustment in the last two quarters.
5. Projects that in the view of management have inherent risk issues.
6. Minimum of one project from each business area or program
7. Project being managed by a project manager who has not been involved in an Executive Review in the prior 2 quarters.

Attendees shall include:

PMC Director – Mandatory
PCO Regional Manager (if applicable) – Mandatory
Program or Regional PMC Manager – Mandatory
Regional Finance Manager – Mandatory
Local Finance Manager – Mandatory
Project Manager – Mandatory
Project PCO Lead (if applicable) – Mandatory
Global Finance Manager – Optional
Regional Representative – Optional
GPO V.P. – Optional
Regional Contract Manager – Optional

In addition, the following Statements of Representation should be acknowledged (signed off) by the Functional Groups as follows:

Project Management

Concurrence with the project Revenue, Margin and Percentage of Complete (PoC) confidence of +/- X% and that the business strategy and project management methodology being employed on the project ensure effective project management.

Project Controls

Concurrence with the project POC confidence of +/- X% and that the project control processes and tools being employed on the project effectively track project performance, facilitate project control and accurately forecast the project estimate to complete.

Finance

Concurrence with the project Revenue, Margin and PoC confidence of +/- X% and that the financial processes and tools being employed by the business effectively track project financial performance, facilitate project financial control and accurately forecast the project revenue and gross margin.

Manage Project Variance:

Managing the costs, schedule, and resources is one of the most important functions that the project manager performs. These three key performance measurements are critical elements in keeping the project under control. The key facets of performance measurement are the requirements to integrate the management of cost, schedule, and resource use, with the technical aspects of a project and to provide information relating these data in a coherent, systematic fashion, using a recognized management approach.

Using PMIS information and applying the “earned value” concept, the project manager is able to determine cost and schedule variances and take corrective action to ensure that the project stays on track. The “earned value” concept, which is based on the central theory of performance measurement, embodies the principle that obtaining an accurate measure of how a project is progressing requires an objective assessment of work performed. When compared with project expenditures, this assessment of work performed provides a true variance against cost and replaces the more traditional technique that compares expenditures with spend plans. In essence, it recognizes the basic premise that funds can be spent and hours of work can be logged that is disproportionate to the work being done.

Resource use is also a key indicator of project performance. The project manager must periodically evaluate resource use and determine where and when to apply corrective actions such as resource reallocation.

This process is carried out primarily during the Implementation Phase but also in the project Closeout Phase.

Project Status Reporting and Project Review:

A key component of effective project control is the review of project status and the timely communication of such to the project team, management, and the customer. At the start of the project, the project manager establishes the frequency and content of status reports, as well as the project review process, which is meant not only to track project progress, but also to solicit management and customer support in resolving problems. These processes must be well defined in the communication and documentation plans. A tool must be provided to assist the project manager with his or her reporting duties to management in conjunction with effective tracking and control of projects in PMIS..

The project manager must also establish a routine for collecting project report information, which is necessary for tracking, controlling, and managing project performance. Such recurring events may take place weekly or monthly and are as defined in the communication plan.

Measuring Work Effort:
The project work effort is the expenditure of human resources’ time on project tasks. The level of effort refers to how many people are working on the project (also referred to as project head count). Because some resources may be working on more than one project at a time, it is necessary to track their individual effort as it relates to the project at hand. The process of measuring project work effort includes the following activities:

 Project resources report actual hours worked on a specific work package. This information is reported weekly on the time sheet and entered into the labor system by the project administrator or the individual contributor. It is recommended that project administration staff (project manager, project administrator, and others working on the project but not on specific work packages) also submit weekly time sheets charging their time to project administration, so that all costs associated with the project are captured.

 The project manager receives a weekly labor tracking report containing numerous data fields. This report provides the information necessary to evaluate, at the work package level, the hours expended to date, PoC, efficiency factor, and other important elements that will help the project manager to assess work progress on the project.

 Contracted professionals or vendors performing specific time-constrained project work also provide accurate reporting of hours worked so that their time can be included in the calculation.

Earned Value Analysis Method:
Earned value analysis was introduced by the Department of Defense in 1960 as a methodology for project managers to evaluate project progress. It is now used in some form by every agency as a performance measurement tool. Simply stated earned value is defined as the amount of planned work that has been accomplished to date or the value that has been earned by the project so far.

The key aspect of performance measurement is to integrate the management of cost, schedule, and technical performance of a project and to provide information relating these data in a coherent and systematic fashion, using a management-recognized base. It assumes that early warning is the key to averting disastrous consequences.

The theory behind performance measurement is that to obtain an accurate measure of how a project is progressing, an objective assessment of work performed must be developed. When compared with project expenditures, this assessment of work performed provides a true variance against cost and replaces the more traditional technique that compares expenditures with spend plans.

The key elements of earned value analysis are the BCWP, BCWS, and ACWP. These terms are described in the following table:

Budgeted Cost of Work Performed (BCWP)

BCWP is the term used for work accomplished. It is a numerical representation of the value, in dollars, of the work completed. BCWP is also known as earned value because the value associated with a particular work package is earned when the task is completed. It is important that the BCWP be an accurate and timely measure of the completion status of a particular effort. If a work package is 50 percent completed, then the BCWP should be 50 percent of the total budget for that work package.

Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled (BCWS)

BCWS is a numerical representation of scheduled work. Although similar to a time-phased budget or spend plan, BCWS has two significant differences: it is directly related to a period of time when a specific segment of work is scheduled, rather than when expenditures are booked, and it always relates to the overall planned budget for a given scope of work, as opposed to functional or corporate budgets. Because BCWS should be based on the schedule for when the work is to be performed, it is not only time phased but also work phased.

Actual Cost of Work Performed (ACWP)

ACWP represents the actual costs incurred (direct and indirect) related to a specific work package or the sum of all of the work packages performed during a specific period (usually from project start to date). These costs should reconcile with the supplier’s incurred cost ledgers, which are regularly audited by the customer in the case of cost-plus contracts.

The most important variances that can occur on a project are schedule and cost variances. The following table describes these variances and the process for calculating them using the earned value analysis method:

Schedule Variance (SV)

SV is calculated by subtracting the budgeted cost of work scheduled from the budgeted cost of work performed:

SV = BCWP – BCWS

SV provides an indication of whether work is being accomplished on schedule. Although an excellent indicator of the status of work in progress, SV is not a time measurement tool. It provides a measurement of the degree of variance from the original plan, in terms of monetary units. It is the difference between the value of the work actually performed and the value of the work scheduled to be performed.

Cost Variance (CV)

CV is calculated by subtracting the actual cost of work performed from the budgeted cost of work performed:

CV = BCWP – ACWP

CV represents the difference between what was expected to be spent for the work that was performed (cost estimate) and what was actually spent. It is a clear indication of past cost performance. CV is not based on a spending plan, thus avoiding the common problem of assuming that the project is on target simply because the resources consumed during a given time period match the resources planned for that period. Because it is not tied directly to schedule performance, it does not suffer the same shortcomings as cumulative cost curves. Those curves do not reflect the value of the work being accomplished.

The project manager can use earned value analysis data to determine the level of effort and cost needed to restore any project variances. Earned value analysis provides several additional mathematical formulas that the project manager can use to track and control project schedule and budget. This information is presented in the following table:

Budget at Completion (BAC)

BAC is the estimated total cost of the project, or a work package, when completed. When combined with project contingency or management reserve funds, BAC equals the total project budget.

Estimate to Complete (ETC)

ETC is an estimate of how much more money this project will require.

Estimate at Completion (EAC); Latest Revised Estimate (LRE)

EAC or LRE, consists of the current measured cost plus the estimated remaining cost. EAC should be calculated consistently from period to period with consideration given to factors such as performance to date, anticipated risks, and work volume. Because of the importance of this estimate, it is recommended that it be calculated and reported monthly. The formulas for EAC are as follows:

EAC = ACWP + ETC

or

EAC = BAC/CPI

Cost Performance Index (CPI)

The cost performance index is a numeric representation of how effective the project has been to date in terms of cost. CPI is calculated as follows:

CPI = BCWP/ACWP

The cost performance index is often used to predict the magnitude of possible cost overrun using the following formula:

Original Cost Estimate/CPI = Projected Cost at Completion

Schedule Performance Index (SPI)

SPI has the same functionality as CPI, except that SPI measures schedule instead of cost. SPI provides information on schedule performance at any given point during the project. SPI is calculated as follows:

SPI = BCWP/BCWS

Percent Complete

Percent complete is an estimate, expressed as a percent, of the amount of work that has been completed on an activity, a group of activities, or on the project as a whole, regardless of the amount expended to achieve that much work. It can be calculated as follows:

Percent Complete = BCWP/BAC

Percent Spent

Percent spent is an important tool to the project manager seeking information on the percent of budget expended to date or on the difference between percent complete and percent spent. If the project is running on time and within budget, percent spent and percent complete should be identical. If percent spent is significantly more than the percent complete, the project manager will need to identify the cause and take corrective action, if necessary, to prevent a project overrun on cost. Percent spent is calculated as follows:

Percent Spent = ACWP/BAC

Variance at Completion (VAC)

VAC is the difference between BAC and EAC. VAC is an early flag indicating how far off the project will be. It represents the predicted cost position (over or under budget) when all work is completed. Comparing VAC to CV is an easy way to determine whether things are expected to get better or worse. VAC is calculated as follows:

VAC = BAC – EAC

Earned value analysis provides a valuable tool for the project manager to use in evaluating project performance. Awareness of the earned value, SV, and CV is important throughout the project life cycle. CPI, SPI, and VAC are more accurate and, thus, useful in the later stages of the project. EAC or LRE should be calculated and reported monthly, although they too become more meaningful as the project matures. Percent complete and percent spent information is valid and useful throughout the project.

Taking Cost Control Actions:
Earned value analysis of cost variances can be performed by the project manager concurrently with the weekly project review. This review will enable the project manager to identify variances from the initial estimates; classify them as routine, minor, or major (according to the established threshold); and take necessary corrective action. The following table describes possible corrective actions for cost variances:

Labor Cost Higher Than Planned

 Look for incorrect reporting on time sheets or incorrect charges through PMIS. Make corrections, if necessary.

 Look at resource use. Are resources being fully used? Are all of the resources needed? Make adjustments in use of resources, if appropriate.

 Look at the scope of work. Has the scope of work changed? If so, was the cost baseline updated? Was the estimate a poor one? Make appropriate adjustments, re-estimate, and submit information to management for review and possible resolution.

Material Cost Higher Than Planned

 Is more material being used than initially estimated? If so, did this situation occur as a result of approved changes? If so, was the baseline updated? Update the baseline, if appropriate.

 Is the cost/unit higher than planned? If so, why? Can another source or supplier be used? Get Procurement involved.

 Look at the material consumption versus the schedule. Is it possible that the material requirements are as planned but are being consumed ahead of schedule? Re-estimate total material requirements.

Subcontractor/ Vendor Cost to Date Higher Than Planned

 Review contractor’s invoices and compare to milestones and invoice schedule. Is the subcontractor ahead of schedule? Are there incorrect invoices? If so, correct them.

 Has the subcontractor/vendor scope of work changed? If so, was the cost baseline updated? Update the baseline, if appropriate.

Miscellaneous Cost Higher Than Planned

 Pre approve travel; review and approve all travel expenses.

 Review and approve invoices.

 Review and approve supplier requisitions.

Expected Overall Project Cost Overrun, with Inability to Correct

 Is the overrun a result of poor estimates? Or is it a result of uncontrollable events? Can cost overrun be passed to the customer? Escalate the issue to senior management.

 Make necessary adjustments to the baseline, if required, as approved by management.

Project review meetings are necessary to show that progress is being made on a project. There are three types of review meetings:

Project team review meetings
Executive management review meetings
Customer project review meetings

Most projects have weekly, bimonthly, or monthly meetings in order to keep the project manager and his team informed about the project’s status. These meetings are flexible and should be called only if they will benefit the team.

Executive management has the right to require monthly status review meetings. However, if the project manager believes that other meeting dates are better (because they occur at a point where progress can be identified), then he should request them.

Customer review meetings are often the most critical and most inflexibly scheduled. Project managers must allow time to prepare handouts and literature well in advance of the meeting.

 

POME Prescribe:

About Communication:

ü  Clear, open communication is a prerequisite for a healthy, result-oriented work environment.

ü  Keep them posted: A lack of information is a fertile ground for rumor, gossip and insecurity. Keep the team in the loop about information concerning and affecting them.

ü  When in doubt, ask: Don’t refrain from asking “stupid” questions – they may save miscommunication and misunderstandings, resulting in saved time and money!

ü  It is bad policy to wait till your team members find out important information concerning them from other sources. That information should come from you.

ü  Ask questions and listen to suggestions.

ü  Feedback: Provide it often and ask for it. Keep an open mind. (Tip: Don’t expect all feedback to be pleasant and positive.)

ü  Listen: It’s always important to listen, but even more so in tough times. Listen for undertones.

ü  Be Open: While you should not be a dumping ground for grievances, you SHOULD be accessible enough for team members to openly discuss concerns or delays. (Tip: If you are not open, you’ll find out about the concern or delay later in the game when there is less time to fix it.)

ü  Touch Base: One-on-one and in meetings, meet up with your team members (or family members). (Sitting in front of the television with the family does not count as touching base!)

 Gautam Koppala,

POME Author

Every traveler want to spend their weekend at an exciting place with memorable moments and that happens only if they get what they want, like finding a good hotel to stay within their budget with a memorable hospitality and their weekend experience will go great.

When you are planning for a trip, obviously you will be wondering where to stay and which hotel is good to stay as per the planned budget making the trip more memorable. It’s my privilege to introduce one of my friend to you who helps you in choosing the best of the class hotel. Thinking who he might be, he is not a person but a friendly and popular website www.allhoteldeals.net is one of the best and popular know portal site dealing with all hotels in worldwide with secure online hotel reservations. It provides all type of hotel accommodations like economy, discount, and budget with price comparison facilities.

When you are traveling, definitely your expectations are to make the trip more memorable and obviously you will choose an exciting place as per your life style and taste. First thing comes in your mind when you go to any new place is where to stay, how to make this trip hassle free in terms of accommodation and hospitality and how much of my budget I need spend for staying and Enjoy the trip. It’s really tough job for every traveler to choose a good hotel for an unforgettable, pleasant experience in an unknown place.

Ramsgate is a pleasant town to visit and one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century. The main attraction in ramsgate is its coastline and its main industries are tourism and fishing. Is your destination for beautiful and memorable holiday or business trip is Ramsgate? Are your restricted make your trip more memorable as per the pre planned budget? You don’t want compromise on the facilities and hospitality for the amount you spent? If your answer for any of the above is yes, the best hotel I can suggest you in ramsgate is Comfort Inn rated with 3 stars and it provide personalized services with a wide range of modern and advanced facilities and offers a warm welcome for its guests combining the traditional Greek hospitality, the family environment and the friendly relaxing atmosphere with all comforts of a modern hotel. Rooms and amenities in Comfort Inn are very comfortable and make you to feel the luxury.

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Business Overview Worldventures Travel is a well established network marketing company that is currently experiencing exceptional growth. The 150 million dollar travel company was established in 2005 and is based out of Plano, Texas but has members in all 50 US States. With the goal and mission of becoming the larges and most respected travel company in the world worldventures is certainly a company of integrity and credibility. Industry The travel industry is by far the largest industry in the world. This trillion dollar industry is expected to double in the next 4- 6 years with baby boomers retiring at a rate of 1 every 8 seconds. Store front travel agencies are taking a back seat to the massive grwoing popularity of online shopping. WIth 82% of US travelers online the travel industry is among the largest industries for e-commerce accounting for 43% of all online spending. We will get to how you can massively profit from this trend whether you are already involved with Worldventures or not. Products Worldventures dreamtrips is their signature product. Dreamtrips offers a one time membership cost and a small monthly fee. This travel package offers exceptional vacations and an incredible value. Worldventures travel also offers what they call the LTC package where members can refer others in their network and collect a commission. The LTC package also comes with other professional services like 24 hour roadside assistance and 24-7 concierge service. There is no doubt that the worldventrue travel packages offer a substantial ammount of value at a great price. Training Like most network marketing companies worldventures offers extensive training for your offline market. They teach you to complie a “warm list” of your family and friends who are in a position to buy travel packages or are interested in starting a business. Many people who do business this way often get the question, “is this one of those pyramid thingies”? As these people are unfamiliar with the network marketing industry and how it works. As a whole the network marketing industry offers little to no 21st century marketing training. Although as previously discussed more and more travelers are booking online worldventures offers little to solutions to reach this growing market. So how do worldventures reps tap into the search engine and social media traffic looking for the best travel deals? Its easy.. They seek training from outside the worldventures company. Your success in worldventures will not come primarily from the FACT that you have great products and a great company. It will come from your ability to find quality prospects who will build that residual income for you.. Worldventures is a worldclass travel company with exceptional products. But without the proper marketing training you will be dead in the water.. Unable to compete in this incredibly competetive industry.

Can a newbie or seasoned network marketer make real residual income with the worldventures travel biz? One of my good friends and mentors in the network marketing industry just joined and so I’ve been taking a serious look at it. This article is a unique unbias review of the worldventures biz as I am a network marketer and company outsider. It will describe the MLM travel industry, the world ventures packages and how to build a successful network marketing organization.

Plano Texas is where Worldventures was born in 2005. This seems to be a business of great integrity that is well on its way to becoming the worlds larges discount travel company. Did you know the travel industry makes up just under half of the money that is currently being spent on the internet? It’s crazy!!

The signature product of WorldVentures is their Dream Trips package.A one time start up fee allows you access to worldventures and your first dream trip.

The travel industry accounts for forty three percent of the money changing hands online. The travel industry is by far the largest industry in the world. The trillion dollar industry is projected to double over the next 5 years. Combined with the network marketing industry that is currently experiencing record growth this could be the perfect storm if Worldventures can pull it off.

With millions of people looking for a plan b in the face of economic crisis the home biz industry is experiencing a massive flood of new prospects.The majority of network marketing companies offer very little real marketing training and it is no different with worldventures. New members are taught to build a “warm list” of family, friends and other unqualified prospects.

To find success in worldventures or any other MLM opportunity you must have a constant stream of new leads and prospects. A warm market will always eventually dry up and you will need a new system for getting qualified prospects to join you. Notice I said “quality” prospects. You don’t want just anyone joining your business. If your in network marketing for long term passive income (and you should be), you need to be finding serious business builders instead of “get rich quick” losers. This means you need to be marketing to existing network marketers. The highest quality prospect for a home based business is an existing home based business owner. This audience will only join you if you are an authority and a leader. You demonstrate this by promoting yourself first and your company second. This is the secret to attracting hungry entrepreneurs to your World Ventures organization

Combining the trillion dollar travel industry and the exploding network marketing arena is certainly a recipe for success. But without real world marketing training you will be another casualty of these two unforgiving industries.

In anticipation of an upcoming trip to Auckland, New Zealand (NZ) I was on the search for accommodation. With so many options to choose from – bed & breakfast, motels, lodges, serviced apartments and hotels (to name a few) – I eventually decided to choose Auckland hotel accommodation. Now my issue went from: What kind of accommodation do I want to stay in? to: Which provider do I choose?

It’s fair to say that had I booked my trip through a travel agent they may well have been able to suggest the right provider for me, but in this day and age of online travel bookings, I had no need to talk to a travel agent. So keeping in line with my online flight bookings, I decided to book my accommodation online too. First though I decided to find out what other people were saying about Auckland hotels, to see if anyone had some good suggestions for me.

I’ve heard all this talk about user reviews becoming more and more popular in today’s online environment, and I can now see why. It’s much like talking to your family or friends and asking if they can recommend somewhere to stay, but in this event you have access to a wider range of opinions. The other advantage is that the feedback which is posted on the site is no longer filtered by the providers so that you only read good reviews, instead they are a much more transparent and honest assessment of the hotel.

There are many online travel review sites available, but I must say that it’s important to find one which isn’t just a general site allowing people to sign up and post comments unanimously, as these are open to unverified reports and even overly positive and sometimes fraudulent comments from accommodation providers themselves. So my first step was finding a trusted Auckland hotel review site/s.

This came in the form of an online booking site. The comments on these types of sites can only be posted by people who have actually booked and stayed at that particular Auckland hotel. This results in me being able to read honest reviews from actual guests. Not only that but it was easier to read the reviews on the same website I could end up booking on, than having to read one site and then find another for the actual Auckland hotel I chose.

Most of the reviews I came across, had a 1 to 5 star rating system where :
1 = poor
2 = below average
3 = value for money
4 = great value for money
5 = excellent experience

This method of rating means I could easily gain a general idea of the value without having to read every review over the past twelve months. From there, further investigation of the hotel was required, which involved reading each of the reviews that caught my attention. At this point it was very important for me to remember that one or two bad reviews did not necessarily reflect poor service on the part of the hotel. People do have bad days, and unfortunately hotels do to. But if dripping taps, poor showers, noisy rooms or bad service is mentioned in a number of the reviews, I considered it safe to assume that the majority of guests are right.

In the end, the one trend that showed up in the majority of bad reviews, is that at times people were expecting more from the hotel than it provided. Such complaints as “the restaurant was closed at 11pm”, “no room service” or “I had to carry my own luggage”, all show on investigation that these services were not offered by the Auckland hotel in the first place. There is still the perception that a hotel has 24 hour front desks and bar, pools, gymnasiums and spa. Where as today’s demands have removed the non essential offerings and services in order to provide a better price to the consumer.

So after reading numerous reviews and now feeling more informed than when I started, I managed to locate an Auckland hotel which meet my needs, not only in terms of service, but in terms of location, price and facilities. Ultimately the reviews were one component of my decision and needed to be viewed alongside my own personal criteria, in order to make my final decision.

Most travelers have invested enough time in making travel arrangements to be able to review the services that they receive while on vacation with a viewpoint that is neutral. Other travelers benefit from using travel reviews in this format because the comments made can help them have a good time on the next vacation they plan. People are able to look at reviews written about vacation sites and see clear images of why people should avoid certain hotels.

The worst travel experiences can be recreated in reviews about vacation sites, which were written by people while on vacation. Some people feel the need to comment about what they are experiencing because they almost cannot believe it themselves. The reviews will often include photographs that provide solid proof of hotel accommodations that featured dirty rooms, and clear evidence that there were large rodents on the premises. Some travelers will read this type of review and change their travel plans immediately.

People value opinions on hotel accommodations because lodging is the greatest source of comfort on most vacations. Since there are many lodging facilities available in a resort location, people that read bad reviews will have the option of selecting another hotel even if reservations have been made for months. The benefits of using travel reviews for vacations is to ensure that all vacation needs can be met. Some hotels will be under construction but the travel brochures will show no mention of it.

Vacationers are also searching for travel reviews that applauded certain points of interest. There are many talented people in resort locations and travelers want to learn all about the type of entertainment they are planning to enjoy. Some of the reviews will comment on where the best seats are in the house because some hotels will scrimp on space and limit entertainers to rooms that cause the audience to sit too closely to one another. Previous guests will submit reviews for vacation entertainment and these reviews will be the basis for the sell-out performances.

Some vacationers might seek travel advice from travel reviews written by travelers because they are traveling in a recreational vehicle. Certain resorts do not offer parking areas to accommodate such large vehicles and these travelers can get directions to places where they can leave their vehicle while staying at a posh resort for a week. Other RV services might be needed before travelers get back on the road, and helpful advice through traveler’s reviews will ensure the entire vacation is more enjoyable. That traveler might submit a review of their own that will mention the level of service they received for their recreational vehicle home.

Not all travel brochures will include information about places to see in a resort town. Every review submitted to a travel site is likely to be a substantial source of information for any traveler to use on one vacation or another. People like to plan out vacations and explore new things everytime they go up a certain highway, and with the help comments provided by people who have traveled that way before, people are finding that the reviews provided them with opportunities to have a fantastic vacation.’

In the past, planning a trip meant booking many aspects of it entirely without any real, concrete idea about what to expect. Although you could always check out a travel guide from the local library, or use the services offered by an association like AAA, for the most part you were on your own. Thanks to the Internet, all of that has changed. Travel reviews are so plentiful online, in fact, that wading through them all can be downright tiresome. However, booking a trip without educating yourself with the plethora of reviews out there would be foolhardy. Learn how to take advantage of the wealth of information available through travel reviews by reading more below.

Get A Great Overview With Professional Travel Reviews

Planning a trip has to start somewhere, and professional travel reviews are a great place to do so. There are plenty of reputable travel websites that employ professional reviewers and writers to help provide key information about various destinations. Can’t decide between taking a trip to Jamaica or to Turks and Caicos? Read a professional review about each. Having trouble deciding which top-notch restaurant to splurge at while on a trip? Check out a professional dining travel review website for advice. The point is, professionally-written travel reviews offer excellent overviews of many key areas of interest, allowing you to narrow your planning from there.

Plan The Specifics Of Your Trip With Customer Travel Reviews

If you’re planning a trip somewhere and find out that a friend or relative has been before, you’re probably going to seek them out and find out how their experience was. With customer travel reviews, you can gain access to thousands of different travelers’ experience with the click of a button. Since these reviews are compiled and collected over long periods of time, you can get a good idea for the tips and tricks about visiting any given place. By reading as many of these as possible about each place you are visiting, you can form a much better idea about what to expect, what to look out for – and what to beware of, if necessary.

Study Travel Reviews About All Different Aspects Of Your Trip

Fortunately, travel reviews aren’t limited only to discussing major attractions or large cities. In fact, you can find professional and customer reviews for a variety of different travel-related topics. Below, we take a look at just a few of the basic categories that you can read travel reviews about online.

Attractions – Whether its a waterpark, a zoo, a historic site or a museum, you can get the scoop on any place you’re interested in visiting by reading travel reviews. Even the smallest, most seemingly obscure attraction is bound to have at least a few online reviews published. If you’re traveling with children, you can stick to review sites revolved around family travel; if you’re planning a honeymoon, check out websites geared toward newlyweds. You can get all of the pertinent information about any attraction imaginable by reading travel reviews.

Hotels – Taking a hotel’s word for it that it’s a reputable, well run establishment is not a good iea – especially when there are a wealth of travel reviews about virtually every hotel in existence online. You can read other travelers’ experiences with various hotels, or read professional takes on different types of accommodation in any given city. Indeed, going into a hotel sight unseen is absolutely not necessary, thanks to the wealth of information available these days.

Restaurants – A really fun part of traveling around the world is experiencing different types of cuisine and food. However, you don’t want to waste your time and money on a place that isn’t all that great. To avoid tourist traps, rip offs and other problems – and to find the ultimate dining experience in any given town or region – you should check out travel reviews. Reviews can alert you to places that you otherwise might never have heard about, allowing you to get the most out of your vacation and travel experience. In the end, you’ll be able to book your trip confident in the knowledge that you have all the information necessary to have the best time possible.

Beijing may not be as stylish as Shanghai but if China has a melting pot, this is it. Nearly every culture within China and most from outside of this quickly modernising country can be found on Beijing’s teeming, fascinating and never boring streets.

The city of Beijing is all about contrasts; flea markets and ancient monuments from China’s past mix with steel and glass architecture and hip urban cafés. Advertising runs amok and you’ll be scratching your head trying to figure out just how China is a communist country.

If you’ve ever wondered what the heart of a nation of more than one billion people looks like, Tiananmen Square is it. The world’s largest square is Beijing’s epicentre. Local kite-flyers mix with tourists from both China and around the world as well as undercover cops to take in views of one of the world’s most important cities. The square is impressive, day or night, on a massive scale. One of the best ways to enter these remnants of ancient China, the Forbidden City, is through the Gate of Heavenly Peace from Tiananmen. The Forbidden City is the impeccably preserved home of the country’s past emperors. This part of Beijing was shut off from the outside world for over 500 years and holds over 800 buildings. Leave Beijing behind (it is barely noticeable once you enter) and wander the vast complex full of houses, temples, halls and monuments that was only open to the emperor and selected help for centuries.

The Summer Palace is one of China’s most romantic tourist attractions. The surrounding grounds are a welcome relief from all the pollution Beijing is kicking out these days. It is easy to see why the country’s emperors picked this spot as a getaway from the heat and humidity that hit the Forbidden City during the summer. In the shade of the lush surrounding hillsides, the Summer Palace is a network of parks, pagodas, temples and lakes all in a charming setting. A walking trail around the palace’s lake will take in all the sights and row boats are on hire if you want cruise the tranquil waters and pass under the many bridges.

Although you can’t see the Great Wall of China from space (total myth), you can lay your hands on it via a short day trip from Beijing. Iconic in every sense of the word, you can get to a few different parts of the Great Wall in two to three hours from Beijing. Walking just a bit of its length and seeing it crawl through the surrounding mountains is one of those humbling travel experiences. The Badaling section of the Wall is well-preserved and the most visited section. There are loads of tour companies that will take you out there and it is easy to do it on your own in a taxi. Take one step on the Wall and you’ll have a story to tell for the rest of your life.

Bigger than the Forbidden City and not quite as big as the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven has been around since the Ming Dynasty and is about as perfect an example of Ming architecture there is. The cultural aspects of the Temple of Heaven and the beauty of the complex’s three main buildings are obvious and undeniable. But watching the locals practice martial arts, play traditional instruments and even do a bit of ballroom dancing is what gives this place the extra touch.

It should really come as no surprise that Beijing, the capital of the world’s largest country, should be full of all types of markets but the sheer quantity of them will leave you shaking your head. If gambling is China’s passion, shopping isn’t far behind. Modernisation has been responsible for claiming the lives of many of Beijing’s markets but some of the classics are still here. Hit the original flea market of Panjiayuan(aka the Dirt Market) where over 3,000 merchants hawk everything from cheap knockoffs, pirated DVD’s, Red China memorabilia and items too numerous to mention. The Silk Alley Market and the Hongqiao Market are not to be missed either.

Beijing is a vast city, home to an endless number of things to do and see, so to narrow down your search for the best of them, look around for travel reviews, which will help you decide what it is you want to do when there.

When it comes to traveling somewhere for the first time, it can be difficult determining which hotel is your best option.  After all, there are hundreds of reviews on just about every hotel in a city, but some are good and some are bad.  How do you know which ones to trust and which ones to disregard?

People have varying tastes and personalities and this is something that must be kept in mind when you’re reading reviews on hotels online.  One small minor incident at a hotel could cause someone to leave a nasty hotel review and to be overly dramatic.  Other people don’t expect a whole lot out of a hotel and could leave an amazingly perfect review when their stay and room were less than ideal.  This is just the nature of different people and their tastes.

When reading hotels reviews online, you have to stay open minded and you have to choose a good source.  An excellent source is a site like TripAdvisor.com.  They provide over 20 million reviews and opinions.  In addition, they provide information on the hotel so that you can make an educated decision yourself on your Calgary accommodations.  This information includes hotel photos, a map of the area where the hotel is located as well as virtual tours.  You will also see hotel amenities and have the ability to check rates and availability online as well.

Of course, you’ll be interested in the traveler reviews as well.  Here you will see all reviews, both positive and negative.  When reading through the reviews keep in mind that those that are negative often have several underlying factors.  Also keep in mind that people often write these hotels with a bit of dramatic flair to them.  Look for those hotels that include both positive and negative aspects to them.  No matter where you stay there are going to be some things you like and some things you don’t like.  Reviews that have more positives than negatives, but still include some of the negatives, are going to be the most useful to you.

Project Gating for Success and Project Reviews:

 

As stated in the previous section, the implementation of POME methodology requires active management-level involvement and oversight. To further address this requirement Project Gating and Project Reviews are required as part of the methodology.

Regular reviews should be scheduled by management to insure proper performance and management in the areas identified in the implementation phase of the methodology. Large complex projects require more in depth reviews vs. small non-complex projects which may only require basic performance indicator reviews.

For projects that are small in size and not complex, reviews may be conducted by the Program or Regional Project Leader directly with the Project Manager in one on one session or as part of staff/group review sessions. In either of these cases formal meeting agendas/minutes may not be required, or summary review notations and actions may be used to record the review activities. Summary notations may include project performance indicators, progress indicators, and financial indicators, a brief summary paragraph of the project scope, a summary of the current issues and projected completion schedule. Actions will be recorded and tracked as part of the specific project records.

For projects that are large by dollar volume and/or technically complex or high risk in nature more formal reviews shall be conducted. These reviews will at minimum be conducted by management periodically during the project life cycle, and may include more extensive gating reviews and/or executive management reviews as described below. These reviews or gating sessions will be documented using the standard gating or review tools or regional review documentation, rather than standard meeting agendas/minutes. Actions will be recorded and tracked as part of the specific project records.

Project reviews will be conducted, attended, and acknowledged/signed off per the following matrix:

Acknowledgement of the project reviews may be accomplished by distribution of the review notations via e-mail.. Acknowledgement of the review notations is complete with the distribution of the review notations unless corrections or objections are raised.

Executive Project Reviews:

An Executive Review is a review where members of Project Operations and Regional management teams scrutinize business and Projects risks associated with a selected project. Business risks for example can come from financial issues, deviation from our prescribed methodologies, the type of contract (T&M, target price, fixed fee), resource constraints, leadership issues, quality/client satisfaction issues or safety issues. The goal is to sample a minimum of 25% of the backlog contract value as reflected by current PoC Revenue. Executive reviews may be conducted in place of quarterly reviews

The criteria for selecting a project or program that will be placed on the list for Executive Review during a fiscal quarter is described below. The following selection criteria are in order of precedent for selection of projects to be reviewed.

1. Projects that have any Cost, Schedule or Technically not possible setup, in the Project Balanced Score Card (PBS).
2. Projects that have greater order values.
3. Projects that were reviewed in the previous quarter with follow up actions assigned.
4. Projects that have had an PoC adjustment in the last two quarters.
5. Projects that in the view of management have inherent risk issues.
6. Minimum of one project from each business area or program
7. Project being managed by a project manager who has not been involved in an Executive Review in the prior 2 quarters.

Attendees shall include:

PMC Director – Mandatory
PCO Regional Manager (if applicable) – Mandatory
Program or Regional PMC Manager – Mandatory
Regional Finance Manager – Mandatory
Local Finance Manager – Mandatory
Project Manager – Mandatory
Project PCO Lead (if applicable) – Mandatory
Global Finance Manager – Optional
Regional Representative – Optional
GPO V.P. – Optional
Regional Contract Manager – Optional

In addition, the following Statements of Representation should be acknowledged (signed off) by the Functional Groups as follows:

Project Management

Concurrence with the project Revenue, Margin and Percentage of Complete (PoC) confidence of +/- X% and that the business strategy and project management methodology being employed on the project ensure effective project management.

Project Controls

Concurrence with the project POC confidence of +/- X% and that the project control processes and tools being employed on the project effectively track project performance, facilitate project control and accurately forecast the project estimate to complete.

Finance

Concurrence with the project Revenue, Margin and PoC confidence of +/- X% and that the financial processes and tools being employed by the business effectively track project financial performance, facilitate project financial control and accurately forecast the project revenue and gross margin.

Manage Project Variance:

Managing the costs, schedule, and resources is one of the most important functions that the project manager performs. These three key performance measurements are critical elements in keeping the project under control. The key facets of performance measurement are the requirements to integrate the management of cost, schedule, and resource use, with the technical aspects of a project and to provide information relating these data in a coherent, systematic fashion, using a recognized management approach.

Using PMIS information and applying the “earned value” concept, the project manager is able to determine cost and schedule variances and take corrective action to ensure that the project stays on track. The “earned value” concept, which is based on the central theory of performance measurement, embodies the principle that obtaining an accurate measure of how a project is progressing requires an objective assessment of work performed. When compared with project expenditures, this assessment of work performed provides a true variance against cost and replaces the more traditional technique that compares expenditures with spend plans. In essence, it recognizes the basic premise that funds can be spent and hours of work can be logged that is disproportionate to the work being done.

Resource use is also a key indicator of project performance. The project manager must periodically evaluate resource use and determine where and when to apply corrective actions such as resource reallocation.

This process is carried out primarily during the Implementation Phase but also in the project Closeout Phase.

Project Status Reporting and Project Review:

A key component of effective project control is the review of project status and the timely communication of such to the project team, management, and the customer. At the start of the project, the project manager establishes the frequency and content of status reports, as well as the project review process, which is meant not only to track project progress, but also to solicit management and customer support in resolving problems. These processes must be well defined in the communication and documentation plans. A tool must be provided to assist the project manager with his or her reporting duties to management in conjunction with effective tracking and control of projects in PMIS..

The project manager must also establish a routine for collecting project report information, which is necessary for tracking, controlling, and managing project performance. Such recurring events may take place weekly or monthly and are as defined in the communication plan.

Measuring Work Effort:
The project work effort is the expenditure of human resources’ time on project tasks. The level of effort refers to how many people are working on the project (also referred to as project head count). Because some resources may be working on more than one project at a time, it is necessary to track their individual effort as it relates to the project at hand. The process of measuring project work effort includes the following activities:

 Project resources report actual hours worked on a specific work package. This information is reported weekly on the time sheet and entered into the labor system by the project administrator or the individual contributor. It is recommended that project administration staff (project manager, project administrator, and others working on the project but not on specific work packages) also submit weekly time sheets charging their time to project administration, so that all costs associated with the project are captured.

 The project manager receives a weekly labor tracking report containing numerous data fields. This report provides the information necessary to evaluate, at the work package level, the hours expended to date, PoC, efficiency factor, and other important elements that will help the project manager to assess work progress on the project.

 Contracted professionals or vendors performing specific time-constrained project work also provide accurate reporting of hours worked so that their time can be included in the calculation.

Earned Value Analysis Method:
Earned value analysis was introduced by the Department of Defense in 1960 as a methodology for project managers to evaluate project progress. It is now used in some form by every agency as a performance measurement tool. Simply stated earned value is defined as the amount of planned work that has been accomplished to date or the value that has been earned by the project so far.

The key aspect of performance measurement is to integrate the management of cost, schedule, and technical performance of a project and to provide information relating these data in a coherent and systematic fashion, using a management-recognized base. It assumes that early warning is the key to averting disastrous consequences.

The theory behind performance measurement is that to obtain an accurate measure of how a project is progressing, an objective assessment of work performed must be developed. When compared with project expenditures, this assessment of work performed provides a true variance against cost and replaces the more traditional technique that compares expenditures with spend plans.

The key elements of earned value analysis are the BCWP, BCWS, and ACWP. These terms are described in the following table:

Budgeted Cost of Work Performed (BCWP)

BCWP is the term used for work accomplished. It is a numerical representation of the value, in dollars, of the work completed. BCWP is also known as earned value because the value associated with a particular work package is earned when the task is completed. It is important that the BCWP be an accurate and timely measure of the completion status of a particular effort. If a work package is 50 percent completed, then the BCWP should be 50 percent of the total budget for that work package.

Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled (BCWS)

BCWS is a numerical representation of scheduled work. Although similar to a time-phased budget or spend plan, BCWS has two significant differences: it is directly related to a period of time when a specific segment of work is scheduled, rather than when expenditures are booked, and it always relates to the overall planned budget for a given scope of work, as opposed to functional or corporate budgets. Because BCWS should be based on the schedule for when the work is to be performed, it is not only time phased but also work phased.

Actual Cost of Work Performed (ACWP)

ACWP represents the actual costs incurred (direct and indirect) related to a specific work package or the sum of all of the work packages performed during a specific period (usually from project start to date). These costs should reconcile with the supplier’s incurred cost ledgers, which are regularly audited by the customer in the case of cost-plus contracts.

The most important variances that can occur on a project are schedule and cost variances. The following table describes these variances and the process for calculating them using the earned value analysis method:

Schedule Variance (SV)

SV is calculated by subtracting the budgeted cost of work scheduled from the budgeted cost of work performed:

SV = BCWP – BCWS

SV provides an indication of whether work is being accomplished on schedule. Although an excellent indicator of the status of work in progress, SV is not a time measurement tool. It provides a measurement of the degree of variance from the original plan, in terms of monetary units. It is the difference between the value of the work actually performed and the value of the work scheduled to be performed.

Cost Variance (CV)

CV is calculated by subtracting the actual cost of work performed from the budgeted cost of work performed:

CV = BCWP – ACWP

CV represents the difference between what was expected to be spent for the work that was performed (cost estimate) and what was actually spent. It is a clear indication of past cost performance. CV is not based on a spending plan, thus avoiding the common problem of assuming that the project is on target simply because the resources consumed during a given time period match the resources planned for that period. Because it is not tied directly to schedule performance, it does not suffer the same shortcomings as cumulative cost curves. Those curves do not reflect the value of the work being accomplished.

The project manager can use earned value analysis data to determine the level of effort and cost needed to restore any project variances. Earned value analysis provides several additional mathematical formulas that the project manager can use to track and control project schedule and budget. This information is presented in the following table:

Budget at Completion (BAC)

BAC is the estimated total cost of the project, or a work package, when completed. When combined with project contingency or management reserve funds, BAC equals the total project budget.

Estimate to Complete (ETC)

ETC is an estimate of how much more money this project will require.

Estimate at Completion (EAC); Latest Revised Estimate (LRE)

EAC or LRE, consists of the current measured cost plus the estimated remaining cost. EAC should be calculated consistently from period to period with consideration given to factors such as performance to date, anticipated risks, and work volume. Because of the importance of this estimate, it is recommended that it be calculated and reported monthly. The formulas for EAC are as follows:

EAC = ACWP + ETC

or

EAC = BAC/CPI

Cost Performance Index (CPI)

The cost performance index is a numeric representation of how effective the project has been to date in terms of cost. CPI is calculated as follows:

CPI = BCWP/ACWP

The cost performance index is often used to predict the magnitude of possible cost overrun using the following formula:

Original Cost Estimate/CPI = Projected Cost at Completion

Schedule Performance Index (SPI)

SPI has the same functionality as CPI, except that SPI measures schedule instead of cost. SPI provides information on schedule performance at any given point during the project. SPI is calculated as follows:

SPI = BCWP/BCWS

Percent Complete

Percent complete is an estimate, expressed as a percent, of the amount of work that has been completed on an activity, a group of activities, or on the project as a whole, regardless of the amount expended to achieve that much work. It can be calculated as follows:

Percent Complete = BCWP/BAC

Percent Spent

Percent spent is an important tool to the project manager seeking information on the percent of budget expended to date or on the difference between percent complete and percent spent. If the project is running on time and within budget, percent spent and percent complete should be identical. If percent spent is significantly more than the percent complete, the project manager will need to identify the cause and take corrective action, if necessary, to prevent a project overrun on cost. Percent spent is calculated as follows:

Percent Spent = ACWP/BAC

Variance at Completion (VAC)

VAC is the difference between BAC and EAC. VAC is an early flag indicating how far off the project will be. It represents the predicted cost position (over or under budget) when all work is completed. Comparing VAC to CV is an easy way to determine whether things are expected to get better or worse. VAC is calculated as follows:

VAC = BAC – EAC

Earned value analysis provides a valuable tool for the project manager to use in evaluating project performance. Awareness of the earned value, SV, and CV is important throughout the project life cycle. CPI, SPI, and VAC are more accurate and, thus, useful in the later stages of the project. EAC or LRE should be calculated and reported monthly, although they too become more meaningful as the project matures. Percent complete and percent spent information is valid and useful throughout the project.

Taking Cost Control Actions:
Earned value analysis of cost variances can be performed by the project manager concurrently with the weekly project review. This review will enable the project manager to identify variances from the initial estimates; classify them as routine, minor, or major (according to the established threshold); and take necessary corrective action. The following table describes possible corrective actions for cost variances:

Labor Cost Higher Than Planned

 Look for incorrect reporting on time sheets or incorrect charges through PMIS. Make corrections, if necessary.

 Look at resource use. Are resources being fully used? Are all of the resources needed? Make adjustments in use of resources, if appropriate.

 Look at the scope of work. Has the scope of work changed? If so, was the cost baseline updated? Was the estimate a poor one? Make appropriate adjustments, re-estimate, and submit information to management for review and possible resolution.

Material Cost Higher Than Planned

 Is more material being used than initially estimated? If so, did this situation occur as a result of approved changes? If so, was the baseline updated? Update the baseline, if appropriate.

 Is the cost/unit higher than planned? If so, why? Can another source or supplier be used? Get Procurement involved.

 Look at the material consumption versus the schedule. Is it possible that the material requirements are as planned but are being consumed ahead of schedule? Re-estimate total material requirements.

Subcontractor/ Vendor Cost to Date Higher Than Planned

 Review contractor’s invoices and compare to milestones and invoice schedule. Is the subcontractor ahead of schedule? Are there incorrect invoices? If so, correct them.

 Has the subcontractor/vendor scope of work changed? If so, was the cost baseline updated? Update the baseline, if appropriate.

Miscellaneous Cost Higher Than Planned

 Pre approve travel; review and approve all travel expenses.

 Review and approve invoices.

 Review and approve supplier requisitions.

Expected Overall Project Cost Overrun, with Inability to Correct

 Is the overrun a result of poor estimates? Or is it a result of uncontrollable events? Can cost overrun be passed to the customer? Escalate the issue to senior management.

 Make necessary adjustments to the baseline, if required, as approved by management.

Project review meetings are necessary to show that progress is being made on a project. There are three types of review meetings:

Project team review meetings
Executive management review meetings
Customer project review meetings

Most projects have weekly, bimonthly, or monthly meetings in order to keep the project manager and his team informed about the project’s status. These meetings are flexible and should be called only if they will benefit the team.

Executive management has the right to require monthly status review meetings. However, if the project manager believes that other meeting dates are better (because they occur at a point where progress can be identified), then he should request them.

Customer review meetings are often the most critical and most inflexibly scheduled. Project managers must allow time to prepare handouts and literature well in advance of the meeting.

 

POME Prescribe:

About Communication:

ü  Clear, open communication is a prerequisite for a healthy, result-oriented work environment.

ü  Keep them posted: A lack of information is a fertile ground for rumor, gossip and insecurity. Keep the team in the loop about information concerning and affecting them.

ü  When in doubt, ask: Don’t refrain from asking “stupid” questions – they may save miscommunication and misunderstandings, resulting in saved time and money!

ü  It is bad policy to wait till your team members find out important information concerning them from other sources. That information should come from you.

ü  Ask questions and listen to suggestions.

ü  Feedback: Provide it often and ask for it. Keep an open mind. (Tip: Don’t expect all feedback to be pleasant and positive.)

ü  Listen: It’s always important to listen, but even more so in tough times. Listen for undertones.

ü  Be Open: While you should not be a dumping ground for grievances, you SHOULD be accessible enough for team members to openly discuss concerns or delays. (Tip: If you are not open, you’ll find out about the concern or delay later in the game when there is less time to fix it.)

ü  Touch Base: One-on-one and in meetings, meet up with your team members (or family members). (Sitting in front of the television with the family does not count as touching base!)