Quality Software Project Management

Chapter 28. Post-Performance Analysis

“How are we doing?” “Are we doing the best that we can do?” “How should we change what we are doing to do it better?” At key points in the execution of a project plan, it is crucial to look back and evaluate how you got where you are. Techniques such as buffer management and earned value management can tell you about the real progress you are making on the product development front, but a periodic formal assessment of your operating processes, called a post-performance analysis (PPA), can tell you what corrections to implement for the next stage in your project plan. It also provides a breather of sorts for your team and allows closure for the stage just completed. Of course, doing this at the end of the project ...