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Technology Management Tools: S-Curve

The document discusses S-curves, which plot project metrics like costs or hours against time. There are three main types: the baseline S-curve from original plans; the target S-curve assuming on-time completion; and the actual S-curve tracking real progress. Comparing the actual and target S-curves reveals if a project is progressing as planned or experiencing slippage in its start or finish dates. S-curves are a useful management tool to visualize historical performance and identify issues like low productivity causing a project to grow beyond initial budgets or schedules.

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87 views18 pages

Technology Management Tools: S-Curve

The document discusses S-curves, which plot project metrics like costs or hours against time. There are three main types: the baseline S-curve from original plans; the target S-curve assuming on-time completion; and the actual S-curve tracking real progress. Comparing the actual and target S-curves reveals if a project is progressing as planned or experiencing slippage in its start or finish dates. S-curves are a useful management tool to visualize historical performance and identify issues like low productivity causing a project to grow beyond initial budgets or schedules.

Uploaded by

FS SYCO
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Technology

management tools
S-CURVE
TM Tools S-Curve

 Introduction

An s-curve is defined as “a display of cumulative costs, labor hours or other


quantities plotted against time. The name derives from the S-like shape of the curve,
flatter at the beginning and end and steeper in the middle, which is typical of most
projects. The beginning represents a slow, deliberate but accelerating start, while the
end represent a deceleration as the work runs out”.
Types of S-Curves

An S Curve is graphed on an X-Y graph with the XX axix representing time, and Y axis
representing a quantity, usually man hours or costs. The three basic types of SS-Curves include
here are

 The Baseline S Curve:


The S Curve is generated from the baseline schedule and/ or baseline fields in the production
schedule.
 The Target S Curve:
This S Curve generated from production schedule, assuming all tasks are completed as scheduled.
 The Actual S Curve:
This S Curve is also generated from the production schedule, using task percentage complete
values to date. The actual S Curve may also be referred to as the progress to date S Curve.
S -Curve

 S- Curve quantities
Each of the previous S Curves may include one or both of the following quantities on
the quantity (Y) axis:
 Main hours
 Costs
 S- Curve quantity units
In addition, each of the above S Curve may use one of the following units for the
values of the quantity (Y) axis:
 Absolute values for man hours and/ or costs
 Percentage values for man hours and / or costs
The Baseline S Curve

 Prior to project commencement a schedule is prepared outlining the proposed


allocation of resources and the timing of tasks necessary to complete the project
within a set time frame and budget. The schedule is referred to as the baseline
schedule. Once all the tasks and their associated planned dates and values have
been entered, the schedule should be base lined.
 The baseline schedule may be used to generate a baseline S Curve. This S Curve
reflect the planned progress of the project. If the project requirements changes
prior to commencement (e.g. change of scope, delayed start, etc.), the baseline
schedule may require revision and re-base lining to reflect the changed
requirements. Once the project has commenced, the original baseline schedule
should be left unchanged.
The Target S Curve

 Following projects commencement, the project’s schedule will usually require


changes. As the baseline schedule should not be changed once the project has
commenced, these changes are instead made to the production schedule. The
production schedule is crated by making a copy of the baseline schedule. If the
baseline schedule was based lined, the production schedule will include baseline
dates and values for the original tasks as well as their planned production dates
and values.
 The production schedule reflects the actual progress of the project to date (task
percentage complete to date), any task added to and / or removed from the project,
any revisions made to tasks yet to commence or not yet finished, as well as actual
dates and values for tasks that are ongoing or have finished.
The Actual S Curve

 The production schedule is updated on a regular basis throughout the duration of


the project. These updates include the revision of percentage complete for each
task to date, revising of task start and finish dates, and updating of task percentage
complete values. Using the information, an Actual S Curve may be generated.
This S Curve reflected the actual progress of the project to date, any may be
compared with the baseline and Target S Curves to determine how the project is
progressing as compared to the original baseline schedule. During the project, the
actual S Curve will terminate at the cut off date.
What is the Cut off Date?

 The cut of date is the date on which the tasks were physically inspected to
determine their percentage complete values. For example, if the task were
inspected on Thursday the 3rd of may 2012, the production schedule was updated
on Friday the 4th of may 2012, and the actual S Curve was generated on Saturday
the 5th of may 2012, the Cut Off date should be set to Thursday the 3 rd of may
2010.
 At the completion of the project, with all tasks 100% complete, the Actual S
Curve will terminate at the project completion date, and be identical to the Target
S Curve. The Actual S Curve will usually change over the duration of the project
due to changes to task start and finish dates, man hours and / or costs, and
percentage complete to date.
Changing the cut off date after the production
schedule has been updated

 If the Actual S Curve is to be accurate, the cut off date must be set to the date the
project’s tasks were physically inspected. In the following figure, the project's
tasks were physically inspected on the 3rd of may 2012. This is the cut off date
that should be used when generated the Actual S Curve.
The Man hours verses Time S Curve

 The man hours verses time S Curve is appropriate for projects that are labor
intensive. It shows cumulative man hours expended over time for the duration of
the project. As man hours are a product of man power and working hours, these
may be adjusted together or individually in an attempt to keep the project on
track. Projects may require additional man hours to finish on time due to low
productivity, weather or other delays and disruptions, rework, variations, change
of scope, etc.
The Costs verses Time S Curve

 The costs verses time S Curve is appropriate for the projects that contain labor
and non-labor (e.g. material supply / hire / subcontract) tasks. It shows cumulative
costs expended over time for the duration of the project, and may be used to assist
in the calculation of the project’s cash flows, and cost to complete.
Types of the Costs verses Time S Curve

 Value and percentage S Curves


S curves may be graphed as absolute value (i.e. Man hours or costs)) verses Time, or
as percentage values verses time.

 Value S Curves
Value S curves are useful for determining the project’s man hours or costs expanded
to date, and man hours or costs to complete.
Why use S Curve?

 S Curves are an important project management tool. They allow the progress of a
project to be tracked visually over time, and from a historical record of what has
happened to date. Analysis of S Curves allows project manager to quickly
identify:

 Project progress
 Project growth or contraction (Man hours and / or costs, Duration)
 Project start and / or finish slippage
Determining project progress

 Comparison of the Target S Curve and Actual Curve reveals the progress of the
project over time. In most cases, the Actual S Curve will sit below the Target S
Curve for the majority of the project, due to many factors.
 Only towards the end of the project will the curves converge and finally meet.
Although the Actual S Curve may sit above the Target S Curve for a period during
the project, it can never finish above the Target S Curve at project completion.
Determining Slippage

 Slippage is defined as “the amount of time a task has been delayed from its
original baseline schedule. The Slippage is the difference between the schedule
start or finish date for a task and the base line start or finish date. Slippage can
occur when baseline plan is set and the actual dates subsequently entered for tasks
are later than the baseline dates or the actual durations are longer than the baseline
schedule durations”.
Start Slippage

 Start slippage occurs when thee estimated / actual start date of the project / task is
later than the baseline start date. In other words, the project / task has started later
than planned.
Finish Slippage

 Finish Slippage occurs when the estimated / actual finish date of the project / task
is later than the baseline finish date. In other words, the project / task will finish /
has finished later than planned.

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