Blogs

Why should your Project Controls Group acquire Deltek Acumen Fuse?

By Rufran C Frago posted 05-14-2021
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Some months back, I heard back from a prospective client that they were still waiting for feedback from their core team before deciding to acquire the Acumen Fuse toolset. They were presently contracting out the Schedule Analysis to a third-party contractor. A good business case study is part of the development process to a possible acquisition of anything that can grow and improve existing project investments. I went through the same rudiments while working in the Central Team of another big firm. We ended purchasing five licenses of Deltek Acumen Fuse, a decision that proved to be wise due to the following (but not limited to): 1) Ownership, self-reliance, ...
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Celebrating Easter 2021 with all!

By Rufran C Frago posted 04-02-2021
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KATHAKO and PM Solution Pro is Celebrating Easter with all of you! Easter, also called Resurrection Day and Pascha, is a Christian holiday celebrating Jesus Christ returning from the dead. Christians believe that it is the holiest day of the year. Some people who are not Christians celebrate it also as a cultural holiday. The New Testament states that on Sunday after Jesus was killed, his body was no longer in the tomb where he was laid. Later, Jesus is said to have appeared to over 500 people and preached to them. The New Testament teaches that the resurrection of Jesus is what Christianity is based on. The resurrection made people believe that Jesus was ...
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Why conduct an Integrated Schedule Analysis?

By Rufran C Frago posted 03-11-2021
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Integrated assessment of a schedule is a must! Proper schedule risk quantification requires an integration that has all the needed elements under consideration. All activities have to be part of the same deterministic network during the calculation, with all essential and correct relationships preserved. How can you tell that a schedule lacks integration? One significant indicator that a schedule lacks integration is the presence of external links. If you find an external link, it signifies a separate network of activities lying outside the realm of your schedule risk model. As much as possible, all the interconnected schedules are present or represented ...
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Exploring Hydrogen’s Role in a Decarbonized Economy Free Webinar!

By Rufran C Frago posted 01-30-2021
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This might interest some of you, an opportunity to learn something new forwarded to us by our Burns and McDonnell friend and colleague Ahsan Upal.   Summary:  As trends toward decarbonization and renewable generation gain steam, interest in hydrogen has reemerged as a potentially key technology in the evolution of the power industry. Join our webinar as Megan Reusser, Nick Lumley and Jane Newman-Ford discuss the many facets of hydrogen, as well as prospective end uses, market opportunities and technical considerations. Click the image below to register! BOOKS AUTHORED BY RUFRAN FRAGO Risk-based Management in the World of Threats ...
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Schedule Quantitative Risk Analysis: Duration Ranging

By Rufran C Frago posted 01-09-2021
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Everyone in the risk management community knows what schedule quantitative risk analysis is. It is what most of us in project management call the traditional method of quantification. One day, I decided to ask a group of subject matter experts about this. "What do you think is the best approach to duration ranging?" I have done and facilitated so many three-point activity duration estimating sessions that I have already lost count. Regardless of how many, though, I still ask myself, "Am I doing the three-point estimate correctly?" Professional Opinion There is a growing opinion from some risk management professionals that the "duration range" should only ...
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Quantitative Risk Simulation

By Rufran C Frago posted 01-01-2021
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Monte Carlo (MC) simulation is the name given to a method of analysis that runs iterations to produce a statistical result. The process is opposed to deriving a function that would give the required result (often an almost impossible task in anything but the simplest of plans). Latin Hypercube (LH) simulation is a stratified sampling method that gives outcomes nearer the input distribution theoretical values with less iteration. The two simulations do it differently, but many risk analysts call all simulations Monte Carlo. It is not a big deal to those who are not profoundly intertwined with the risk analysis process. Some risk professionals will call your ...
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Christmas Day Reflection : “It’s about God, Families and Friends.”

By Rufran C Frago posted 12-20-2020
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It is my prayer that many of you will be spending some great time with your respective close families and friends. In all the upcoming festive gatherings, make sure you don’t forget the grandparents who started you all! They are very much a part of each family unit that came to be. They’d be thrilled with even just a call from their kids and of course, from their loveable, innocent and amazing grandchildren. In this challenging time of the pandemic, togetherness can be expressed in many ways. To those belonging in the same household, it's an opportunity to savor the closeness that many can't enjoy. Enjoy a few days with the people you truly care about. ...
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How to Visualize Risk Probability

By Rufran C Frago posted 12-07-2020
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Probability is a measure of uncertainty of risk consequence. If the impact is zero, then the logical consideration is gone. There is no risk because it will not happen.  If the probability is above zero, then the consequence might happen—the greater the possibility, the greater the chance of the subject consequence from happening. One way to visualize risks is to look at the picture of a situation or the situation itself. Hold it in front of you and imagine that you are there. If you are in there, ask yourself why? What is your purpose for being there? Are you there on behalf of an enterprise? Are you there to help or to document what is happening? What ...
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How to Visualize Risk

By Rufran C Frago posted 12-05-2020
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Mark is boarding a plane and heard one passenger in front remarked in jest that the chance of the aircraft reaching its destination is 50%. It is just a joke to that person but not to him because he is a serious risk practitioner. The statement demonstrates the probability component of risk. Probability is the certainty or uncertainty of something happening. Since risk is widely known to be the effect of uncertainty on an objective, the objective of reaching the destination is only 50% certain. Another way of looking at it is by saying it is 50% uncertain. What can be some of the possible consequences a passenger might be thinking? A new passenger ...
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Updating the Project Schedule

By Rufran C Frago posted 11-13-2020
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Not so long ago, two Project Controls Directors of a client company debated how cumbersome it was to update an extensive construction schedule. One of the directors believed that updating  need not be done  by their Senior Planning & Scheduling Specialist but by someone their junior. With a smirk on his face, Tommy Itsimple (not his real name) said, "Believe me, construction schedules can be updated by an encoder. Easy! Our planning and scheduling specialists spend seventy to eighty percent or higher of their time updating. In a sense, the company pays them too much. They were just encoding information provided by our contractors! No skills needed for ...
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Remembrance Day Reflection : Acknowledging the courage and sacrifice of our heroes

By Rufran C Frago posted 11-11-2020
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Let’s stop for a bit today from whatever we are doing and think about this special day. The awesome pride and inspiration our heroes brought to the present generation strengthens the resolve of all freedom-loving people of the world. Nations owe them this day of remembrance. We must reflect on their sacrifices in their fight to preserve liberty and justice for all. We are all fortunate recipients of their ultimate gift, freedom. Without them, we won’t be here to pursue our professions. There wouldn’t be an AACE community, no avenue to promote best practices, and healthy sharing of knowledge. God bless their souls! There are those who never received recognition, ...
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Schedule Quantitative Risk Analysis (Traditional Method)

By Rufran C Frago posted 11-05-2020
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Schedule quantitative risk analysis (SQRA) is a process of calculating the overall probability or chance of completing a project on time and on budget. Quantification uses various approaches and methods. Duration ranging is the most popular one, and often referred to as the “traditional method” of schedule risk analysis. It is simple and easy to understand. New and upcoming project managers, leaders, planners and schedulers would love to wrap their heads around this special risk-based knowledge area and will enjoy reading this book. I want the readers to confidently embark on schedule quantitative risk analysis without apprehension, with the absence ...
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Children’s book on Risk Management for all professionals

By Rufran C Frago posted 10-31-2020
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“Risk, What are You? The Risk Management Book, Children’s Book for all Professionals.” Written for children of reading age with some guidance, young leaders, future managers and all professionals. Hope you’d all like the video and subscribe to be notified for related development and more to come. See the Youtube Book Video Introduction below to learn more. It is available in Amazon and various international outlets. Thanks all! Rufran C. Frago P. Eng., PMP, CCP, PMI-RMP Author & Illustrator About the Author Rufran C. Frago is the Founder of  PM Solution Pro , a Calgary  consulting ,  product , and  training  services firm focusing on project ...
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PM Solution Pro talks about Seavus ScheduleReader

By Rufran C Frago posted 10-25-2020
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PM SOLUTION PRO  entered into a strategic partnership with SEAVUS, a world-class software development and consulting company in July this year. SEAVUS has 15 offices supporting 4,000 clients in eight (8) countries. The partnership is designed to help further expand the footprint of the Seavus’ Schedule Reader/Schedule Cleaner toolset and to increase the value of the project and business services we provide to our clients.  Our business alliance creates an opportunity of adding “Schedule Reader and Schedule Cleaner” software solution to PM solution Pro’s consulting, technical, training and learning portfolios.  LET’S TALK ABOUT SCHEDULEREADER… Whether ...
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2020 CANADA AND EVERYONE! STAY STRONG ALWAYS!

By Rufran C Frago posted 10-11-2020
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Many of us are blessed with many things in our life that we seldom appreciate. Sometimes they are huge and other times they are small. Regardless of magnitude, Thanksgiving Day is the time of the year that serves well as a reminder to be thankful. Appreciate what you come to have and even what you’ve lost. In risk-based management, both embody change that can lead to new opportunities. Losing is not always to be considered a threat. It might surprisingly come out as a gain. Know that life is full of uncertainty. Embrace change and be part of it!  “Thanksgiving Day  is a national  holiday  celebrated in  Canada , the  United States , some of the  Caribbean ...
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Free Webinar: Tuesday, October 27 – Total Cost Management with EcoSys

By Jennie Cunningham Amos posted 10-08-2020
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Today would be a great day to register for our upcoming webinar: Achieving Total Cost Management with Ecosys! This is a free opportunity for members and non-members. AACE’s Total Cost Management (TCM) framework is a comprehensive body of work with principles, guidelines and approaches for successful project delivery. In this webinar, we showcase how the concepts of TCM align with the EcoSys Enterprise Performance (EPP) Solution Breakdown Structures (SBS) to provide a solution capable of improving project performance and supporting organizational goals and objectives. We’ll discuss: AACE Total Cost Management (TCM) Framework; Key process areas and deliverables ...
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Management of Schedule Quality - 2

By Rufran C Frago posted 09-27-2020
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#schedulequality #pmspblogs #rufranfrago #rbms #planningandscheduling #pmsolutionpro #schedulemanagement #riskmanagement Source: Frago, Rufran (2015).Plan to Schedule, Schedule to Plan.ISBN 978-0-9947608-2-1.Canada   About the Author Rufran C. Frago is the Founder of  PM Solution Pro , a Calgary  consulting ,  product , and  training  services firm focusing on project and business management solutions. He is passionate providing advice, mentorship, education and training through consultation, collaboration, and what he uniquely calls, student-led training. BOOKS AUTHORED BY RUFRAN FRAGO Risk-based Management ...
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Management of Schedule Quality - 1

By Rufran C Frago posted 09-23-2020
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Good schedule quality helps projects come up with good schedule risk quantification. The quality of input data drives the correctness, accuracy, completeness, and usefulness of the schedule. The rule is simple, garbage in-garbage out or GIGO. Quality of system output depends on the quality of system input. In this regard, Schedule Quality Management is a must. Source: Frago, R.2015.Risk-based Management in the World of Threats and Opportunities: A Project Controls Perspective.ISBN 978-0-9947608-0-7.Canada #rbms #pmsolutionpro #pmsp #planningandscheduling #schedulequality #qualitymanagement #rufranfrago #pmspblogs ...
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The Story of Two Bulls (Plan and Impulse)

By Rufran C Frago posted 09-11-2020
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A colleague in the oil and gas industry was trying to be funny that day and was delivering another one of his patented jokes. I do not usually take notice because I find myself always busy with work but the story resonated differently so I came closer, and to his surprise, I started taking notes. This bull story somehow relates to business strategy and acumen. I want to remember it and now I am sharing it to you. “Two bulls were walking side by side one day. The young one was full of enthusiasm. The older one, who was wiser, looked at other bull and shook its head. The two suddenly came across a herd of cows. The young bull said, "Let's charge down this ...
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Happy Labour Day 2020!

By Rufran C Frago posted 09-11-2020
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Labour Day in Canada is celebrated on the first Monday of September and it is a federal statutory holiday. It is a legal holiday also celebrated on the first Monday in September in the United States, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Canal Zone, and the Virgin Islands. Labor Day is a day set aside to pay tribute to working men and women. It has been celebrated as a national holiday in both the United States and Canada since 1894. #laborday #happylaborday #pmsp #pmsolutionpro #rufranfrago #pmspblogs #safetyfirst
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