From earned value to green value, PMI Atlanta’s members were exposed to a couple of techniques and considerations for projects in last month’s Dunwoody Dinner Meeting. 

In the Professional Growth Meeting prior to dinner, we learned about the real reason that projects are subject to earned value. Earned value is a way to gauge the financial status of a project as well as the true progress in terms of both scope and budget. 

Earned value is still somewhat misunderstood as a tool for project managers, but it is a tool that is gathering momentum in both commercial and government projects.  A little known fact is that it has been required of Department of Defense projects since 1967. 
 
Speaking of green value, we learned from Tom Mochal of TenStep that green considerations are growing in the past few years. One of the most interesting portions of the presentation was a cost benefit exercise, clearly demonstrating that in some cases, green considerations serve to lower project cost. 

Certainly, as project managers we must consider organization environmental policy, or even create a project policy which addresses green considerations.  

Many of us were surprised to learn that, in some cases, it may not pay to require project teams to work outside normal working hours because of the cost to occupy a building. 

Green considerations will become even more prominent for project managers in years to come.