We are currently using a 5 Stage-Gate process for our Project Management Methodology. Since there seems to be practically no information regarding project estimates, we have established a 100% tolerable variance at the Gate 1-Opportunity Evaluation, a 50% tol. var. at the Gate 2-Feasability Analysis (Inception) and a 10% tol. var. at the Gate 3- Architecture (Elaboration). Will anyone share their experiences and or guidance as to their thresholds? Saving Changes...
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Mark Price PerryBusiness Driven PMO Evangelist| BOT InternationalOrlando, Fl, United States
Hi Benoit, your thresholds are similar to what we use. We have a slightly different PMM, with process extensions for PMBOK, SDLC and Product to Market. Our first three stages provide a tolerable variance of 100%, 50%, and 25% respectively, similar to yours. We also added a final stage gate to our PMM for Continuous Improvement (CI). Typically, most PMMs do not address CI well or even at all. Looks like your are using RUP or following the RUP model, so you know what I mean. We maintain a project estimating database and in our CI stage-gate, among other activities and artifacts, we provide an Updating Estimating Database register template (artifact) that serves as input to our project estimating database. Like you, we started with very little information regarding project estimates, so we were very happy see that our CI stage-gate helped to quickly populate a wide range of re-usable project estimates - both internal as well as external estimates for vendor and service provider WBS/tasks. For us, the thresholds along with our CI stage-gate are very useful components of our PMM. Any and all deviations are viewed as process defects and clearly documented in our CI stage-gate along with project manager explanations and recommendations for continuous improvement. Hope this helps. -- Mark Perry, Vice President of Customer Care, BOT International Saving Changes...
Thank you Mike for your valuable confirmations. As you noticed we have inspired our mehodology both from the PMBOK for the project deliverables and RUP for the product deliverables. I agree that a historical project estimating database will confirm our projections. I also found your CI stage-gate very interesting.. thanks, Benoit Saving Changes...
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