Project management system with automated schedule and cost integration

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method executed by a computer system as part of a computer program, said system for coordinating the management of a project, said method using a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), said method maintaining alignment of information between said NST and said PMT, said method comprising the steps of:

collecting a first and second portion of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said first portion of said NSD including information required only by said NST, said second portion of said NSD including information required by both said NST and said PMT, said customized data comprising a portion of said PMD required only by said PMT, said collecting step performed by said NST operating on a computer that is part of said computer system;

first transferring by a data transfer means said second portion of said NSD and said customized data from said NST to a bridging tool operating on said computer;

generating said PMD by processing, in said bridging tool, said second portion of said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data;

storing said PMD in a storage means located in said computer system, said storing step performed by said bridging tool operating on said computer; and

second transferring by said bridging tool said PMD to said PMT for allocating budgets and reporting costs of said specific project

wherein:

said collecting step comprises the steps of:

associating said second portion of said NSD and said customized data into work unit data records with respect to said NST, said work unit data records being of the type to specify an activity work unit which includes a beginning of an activity at a particular point in time and specifies a duration which said activity is to continue;

configuring a first portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a work breakdown structure type (WBST) for said PMT, said WBST defining a type of work breakdown structure (WBS) element including a work package, cost account or planning element, said WBST specifying a work package WBST when said first portion of said customized data includes scheduled start and completion dates and a budget for said activity; and

configuring a second portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify an earned value method type (EVMT) for said PMT, said EVMT specifying a method to calculate a budgeted cost of work performed (BCWP) for said work package and said EVMT being of the type to specify an X/Y EVMT when said X/Y EVMT includes an "X" percentage of a budget for said work package earned upon starting said work package and a "Y" percentage of said budget earned upon completion of said work package; and

said generating step comprises the steps of:

detecting activity work unit records that are characterized as having said work package WBST and said X/Y EVMT, and

forming a PMT data record which includes start and complete milestone data elements therein for work unit data records having said work package WBST with said X/Y EVMT.

2. A method executed by a computer system as part of a computer program, said system for coordinating the management of a project, said method using a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), said method maintaining alignment of information between said NST and said PMT, said method comprising the steps of:

collecting a first and second portion of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said first portion of said NSD including information required only by said NST, said second portion of said NSD including information required by both said NST and said PMT, said customized data comprising a portion of said PMD required only by said PMT, said collecting step performed by said NST operating on a computer that is part of said computer system;

first transferring by a data transfer means said second portion of said NSD and said customized data from said NST to a bridging tool operating on said computer;

generating said PMD by processing, in said bridging tool, said second portion of said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data;

storing said PMD in a storage means located in said computer system, said storing step performed by said bridging tool operating on said computer; and

second transferring by said bridging tool said PMD to said PMT for allocating budgets and reporting costs of said specific project,

wherein:

said collecting step comprises the steps of:

associating by said NST said second portion of said NSD and said customized data into work unit data records with respect to said NST, said work unit data records being of the type to specify an activity work unit when said work unit data records include a beginning of an activity at a particular point in time and include a particular duration which said activity continues;

configuring a first portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to identify a work breakdown structure element with which said work unit data records are to be associated; and

configuring a second portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a work breakdown structure type (WBST) for said PMT, said WBST being of the type to specify one of a milestone or a work package WBST so that an activity work unit in said NST may correspond to either of a milestone or a work package in said PMT.

3. A method executed by a computer system as part of a computer program, said system for coordinating the management of a project, said method using a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), said method maintaining alignment of information between said NST and said PMT, said method comprising the steps of:

collecting a first and second portion of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said first portion of said NSD including information required only by said NST, said second portion of said NSD including information required by both said NST and said PMT, said customized data comprising a portion of said PMD required only by said PMT, said collecting step performed by said NST operating on a computer that is part of said computer system;

first transferring by a data transfer means said second portion of said NSD and said customized data from said NST to a bridging tool operating on said computer;

generating said PMD by processing, in said bridging tool, said second portion of said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data;

storing said PMD in a storage means located in said computer system, said storing step performed by said bridging tool operating on said computer; and

second transferring by said bridging tool said PMD to said PMT for allocating budgets and reporting costs of said specific project,

wherein:

said collecting step comprises the steps of:

associating said second portion of said NSD and said customized data into work unit data records with respect to said NST;

configuring a first portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a work breakdown structure type (WBST) for said PMT, said WBST specifying one of a milestone WBST, and

configuring a second portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify an earned value method type (EVMT) for said PMT, said EVMT specifying that arbitrary milestone weights are to be used in computing earned value and said EVMT specifying that one of a plurality of predetermined X/Y computation algorithms is to be used in computing earned value; and

said generating step comprises the steps of:

forming a milestone record for said PMT when a work unit record is described as a milestone WBST, said milestone record having a milestone weight data element, said milestone weight data element being determined in response to said second portion of said customized data; and

writing said milestone weight data element to a temporary file.

4. A method as claimed in Claim 3 wherein, when said milestone WBST work unit record identifies one of said predetermined X/Y computation algorithms, said generating step assigns a value to said milestone weight data element in accordance with said predetermined algorithm.

5. A method as claimed in Claim 3 wherein:

said collecting step additionally comprises the step of configuring a third portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify an arbitrary milestone weight value; and

when said milestone WBST work unit record identifies said arbitrary milestone weight EVMT, said generating step assigns said third portion of said customized data to said milestone weight data element.

6. A method executed by a computer system as part of a computer program, said system for coordinating the management of a project, said method using a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), said method maintaining alignment of information between said NST and said PMT, said method comprising the steps of:

collecting a first and second portion of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said first portion of said NSD including information required only by said NST, said second portion of said NSD including information required by both said NST and said PMT, said customized data comprising a portion of said PMD required only by said PMT, said collecting step performed by said NST operating on a computer that is part of said computer system;

first transferring by a data transfer means said second portion of said NSD and said customized data from said NST to a bridging tool operating on said computer;

generating said PMD by processing, in said bridging tool, said second portion of said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data;

storing said PMD in a storage means located in said computer system, said storing step performed by said bridging tool operating on said computer; and

second transferring by said bridging tool said PMD to said PMT for allocating budgets and reporting costs of said specific project,

wherein:

said collecting step comprises the steps of:

associating said second portion of said NSD and said customized data into work unit data records with respect to said NST,

configuring a portion of said second portion of said NSD in said work unit data records to describe a completed percentage of said NST work unit,

configuring a first portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify an earned value method type (EVMT) for said PMT, said EVMT specifying a percent complete EVMT, and configuring a second portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a type of percentage to use in performing earned value calculations, said type of percentage indicating a work-accomplished type and said type of percentage indicating a time-line type; and

said generating step comprises the step of forming a status data record for said PMT, said status record having a percent complete data element when one of said work unit data records indicates said percent complete EVMT, said percent complete data element containing said second portion of said NSD if said second portion of said customized data does not specify that said type of percentage is a work-accomplished type.

7. A method as claimed in Claim 6 wherein:

said collecting step additionally comprises the step of configuring a third portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a completed percentage to be associated with said work unit in said PMT; and

said generating step additionally comprises the step of writing said third portion of said customized data to said percent complete data element of said status record if said work unit data record specifies that said type of percentage is a work-accomplished type.

8. A method executed by a computer system as part of a computer program, said system for coordinating the management of a project, said method using a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), said method maintaining alignment of information between said NST and said PMT, said method comprising the steps of:

collecting a first and second portion of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said first portion of said NSD including information required only by said NST, said second portion of said NSD including information required by both said NST and said PMT, said customized data comprising a portion of said PMD required only by said PMT, said collecting step performed by said NST operating on a computer that is part of said computer system;

first transferring by a data transfer means said second portion of said NSD and said customized data from said NST to a bridging tool operating on said computer;

generating said PMD by processing, in said bridging tool, said second portion of said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data;

storing said PMD in a storage means located in said computer system, said storing step performed by said bridging tool operating on said computer; and

second transferring by said bridging tool said PMD to said PMT for allocating budgets and reporting costs of said specific project,

wherein:

said collecting step comprises the steps of:

associating said second portion of said NSD and said customized data into work unit data records with respect to said NST,

configuring a first portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify an earned value method type (EVMT) for said PMT, said EVMT specifying a budgeted cost of work performed (BCWP) EVMT, and

configuring a second portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a BCWP amount for said PMT; and

said generating step comprises the step of forming status data records for said PMT that include said BCWP amount in response to work unit data records that indicate said BCWP EVMT.

9. A method executed by a computer system as part of a computer program, said system for coordinating the management of a project, said method using a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), said method maintaining alignment of information between said NST and said PMT, said method comprising the steps of:

collecting a first and second portion of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said first portion of said NSD including information required only by said NST, said second portion of said NSD including information required by both said NST and said PMT, said customized data comprising a portion of said PMD required only by said PMT, said collecting step performed by said NST operating on a computer that is part of said computer system;

first transferring by a data transfer means said second portion of said NSD and said customized data from said NST to a bridging tool operating on said computer;

generating said PMD by processing, in said bridging tool, said second portion of said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data;

storing said PMD in a storage means located in said computer system, said storing step performed by said bridging tool operating on said computer; and

second transferring by said bridging tool said PMD to said PMT for allocating budgets and reporting costs of said specific project,

wherein:

said collecting step comprises the steps of:

associating said second portion of said NSD and said customized data into work unit data records with respect to said NST, said work unit data records being configured to identify summarized work units and non-summarized work units,

configuring a first portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a first spread code for said PMT to use in allocating resources, and

configuring a second portion of said customized data in said work unit data records to specify a second spread code for said PMT to use in allocating resources; and

said generating step comprises the step of forming data records for said PMT that include a spread code data element, said spread code data element being configured to correspond to said first spread code in response to work unit data records indicated as being non-summarized work units.

10. A method as claimed in Claim 9 wherein said generating step additionally comprises the steps of:

recording said first spread code in response to a work unit data record indicated as being a summarized work unit;

combining, in a single PMT record, said work unit records which are indicated as being summarized by said summarized work unit record; and

including, in said spread code data element of said combined PMT record, said second spread code if any of said summarized work unit records indicate a spread code that differs from said recorded spread code.

11. A method executed by a computer system as part of a computer program, said system for coordinating the management of a project, said method using a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), said method maintaining alignment of information between said NST and said PMT, said method comprising the steps of:

collecting a first and second portion of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said first portion of said NSD including information required only by said NST, said second portion of said NSD including information required by both said NST and said PMT, said customized data comprising a portion of said PMD required only by said PMT, said collecting step performed by said NST operating on a computer that is part of said computer system;

first transferring by a data transfer means said second portion of said NSD and said customized data from said NST to a bridging tool operating on said computer;

generating said PMD by processing, in said bridging tool, said second portion of said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data;

storing said PMD in a storage means located in said computer system, said storing step performed by said bridging tool operating on said computer; and

second transferring by said bridging tool said PMD to said PMT for allocating budgets and reporting costs of said specific project, and wherein said method further comprises the steps of: before said collecting step, the step of periodically updating said NSD and said customized data wherein said first transferring step is repeated in response to said updating step, and said generating step comprises the steps of:

constructing a baseline configuration for said second portion of said NSD and said PMD in response to a first iteration of said first transferring step; and

revising said baseline configuration to form a revised baseline configuration when start or complete dates for said project contained in said second portion of said NSD have diverged from said baseline configuration, said revising step performed in response to a second iteration of said first transferring step.

12. A method as claimed in Claim 11 wherein said revising step comprises the steps of:

comparing said revised baseline configuration with said baseline configuration; and

indicating when said revised baseline configuration varies from said baseline configuration.

13. A method as claimed in Claim 12 additionally comprising, after said indicating step, the step of accepting user input to distinguish an accepted portion of said revised baseline configuration from a rejected portion of said revised baseline configuration.

14. A method as claimed in Claim 13 additionally comprising the step of transferring said rejected portion of said revised baseline configuration to said NST.

15. A computer system for coordinating the management of a project undertaken by an organization and for maintaining alignment of scheduling and performance measurement data, said computer system comprising:

a computer for operating a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and that collects customized data, said NSD describing features of an organization and scheduling and resource management requirements of said project, said customized data describing cost information for said project and including information required only by a performance measurement tool (PMT), said NST generating data which coordinates scheduling for said project;

a first data storage means coupled to said first computer for storing database which includes said NSD and said customized data for said project;

a bridging tool operating on said computer for generating performance measurement data (PMD) by using said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form compatible with and aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data;

a second data storage means coupled to said computer for storing said second PMD; and

a data transfer means for transferring said PMD to a data transfer file for use by said PMT, said PMT responsive to said PMD received from said bridging tool, said PMT being configured to collect, store, and manipulate said PMD, said PMT generating data which coordinate performance measurement for said project,

wherein:

said first data storage means is configured by said computer for associating by said bridging tool, said NSD and said customized data into work unit data records, said work unit data records being of the type to specify an activity work unit, and said first data storage means additionally configured so that:

a first portion of said customized data in each work unit data record identifies a work breakdown structure element with which said work unit data record is to be associated;

a second portion of said customized data in each work unit data record specifies a work breakdown structure type (WBST) for said PMT, said WBST specifying one of a milestone or a work package WBST so that an activity work unit in said NST is associated with one of a milestone or a work package in said PMT; and

a third portion of said customized data in each work unit data record specifies an earned value method type (EVMT) for use by said PMT in calculating earned value.

16. A system as claimed in Claim 15 wherein:

said second data storage means is configured by said computer for recording said PMD as work breakdown structure data records; and

said bridging tool comprises means for configuring by said computer said second data storage means to include a milestone record for said PMT when a work unit record is described as a milestone WBST, said milestone record having a milestone weight data element, said milestone weight data element being determined in response to said third portion of said customized data.

17. A system as claimed in Claim 16 wherein:

said first data storage means is further configured by said computer so that a fourth portion of said customized data in said work unit data records specifies an arbitrary milestone weight value;

said EVMT specifies that arbitrary milestone weights are to be used in computing earned value and said EVMT specifies that one of a plurality of predetermined X/Y computation algorithms is to be used in computing earned value; and

said configuring means of said bridging tool comprises:

means for assigning one of a plurality of predetermined values to said milestone weight data element, said assigned predetermined value being selected in response to an EVMT which specifies an X/Y computation algorithm, and

means for assigning said fourth portion of said customized data to said milestone weight data element in response to an EVMT which specifies said arbitrary milestone weight.

18. A system as claimed in Claim 15 wherein:

said first data storage means is further configured by said computer so that:

a portion of said NSD in said work unit data records describes a completed percentage of said NST work unit,

said third portion of said customized data in said work unit data records specifies a percent complete EVMT,

a fourth portion of said customized data in each work unit data record specifies a type of percentage to use in performing earned value calculations, said type of percentage indicating a work-accomplished type and said type of percentage indicating a time-line type, and

a fifth portion of said customized data in each work unit data record specifies a completed percentage to be associated with said work unit in said PMT; and

said bridging tool comprises means for configuring by said computer said second data storage means to include a percent complete data element when one of said work unit data records indicates said percent complete EVMT, said percent complete data element containing said completed percentage portion of said NSD if said fourth portion of said customized data does not specify that said type of percentage is a work-accomplished type, and said percent complete data element containing said fifth portion of said customized data if said fourth portion of said customized data specifies that said type of percentage is a work-accomplished type.

19. A computer system for coordinating the management of a project undertaken by an organization and for maintaining alignment of scheduling and performance measurement data, said computer system comprising:

a computer for operating a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and that collects customized data, said NSD describing features of an organization and scheduling and resource management requirements of said project, said customized data describing cost information for said project and including information required only by a performance measurement tool (PMT), said NST generating data which coordinates scheduling for said project;

a first data storage means coupled to said first computer for storing a database which includes said NSD and said customized data for said project;

a bridging tool operating on said computer for generating performance measurement data (PMD) by using said NSD and said customized data, said PMD generated in a form compatible with and aligned for use by said PMT and including said customized data;

a second data storage means coupled to said computer for storing said second PMD; and

a data transfer means for transferring said PMD to a data transfer file for use by said PMT, said PMT responsive to said PMD received from said bridging tool, said PMT being configured to collect, store, and manipulate said PMD PMT generating data which coordinate performance measurement for said project,

wherein:

said NST generates first and second iteration versions of said NSD, and said computer comprises:

means for operating said bridging tool to construct a baseline configuration data file from said first iteration version of said NSD, said baseline configuration data file describing common dates used by said NST and said PMT;

means for operating said bridging tool to compare said baseline configuration data file with dates from said second iteration version of said NSD; and

means, responsive to said means for operating said bridging tool to compare for operating said bridging tool to indicate variance between said second iteration dates and said baseline configuration dates.

20. In a computer system for coordinating the management of a project, said computer system including a network scheduling tool (NST) that collects, stores, and processes network schedule data (NSD) and a performance measurement tool (PMT) that collects, stores, and manipulates performance measurement data (PMD), a method executed by said computer system as part of a computer program for maintaining alignment of information carried by common portions of said NSD and PMD comprising the steps of:

collecting a first iteration of said NSD and customized data by said NST, said NST being operated by a first computer, said first computer being part of said computer system, said NSD and said customized data inputted to said system by users;

transferring by a first data transfer means said first iteration data to a bridging tool being run by said first computer;

operating said bridging tool on said first computer to record a baseline configuration for said common portion of said NSD;

storing said baseline configuration in a first data storage means, said first data storage means part of said computer system;

transferring by a second data transfer means, said baseline configuration from said bridging tool to said PMT operating on a second computer that is part of said computer system;

collecting a second iteration of said NSD and said customized data by said NST;

transferring by said first data transfer means said second iteration data to said bridging tool;

operating said bridging tool on said first computer to compare said second iteration data with said baseline configuration stored in said first data storage means;

operating said bridging tool on said first computer to indicate when said second iteration data varies from said baseline configuration;

operating said bridging tool on said first computer to distinguish an accepted portion of said second iteration data that varies from said baseline from a rejected portion of said second iteration data that varies from said baseline configuration;

storing said accepted position in said first data storage means; and

transferring by said second data transfer means said accepted portion of said second iteration data that varies from said baseline configuration to said PMT.