A Review of Analytical Models , Approaches and Decision Support Tools in Project Monitoring and Control

This article reviews the problems, approaches, and analytical models on project control systems and discusses the possible research extensions. The authors focus on literature in Earned Value Analysis (EVA), optimization tools, and the design of decision support systems (DSS) that will contribute to helping project managers in planning and controlling under uncertain project environments. The review reveals that further research is essential to develop analytical models using EVA metrics to forecast project performance. It also suggests that DSS should be model-driven, function as early warning systems, and should be integrated into commercial project management software. Citation: Hazir, Ö. (2015). A review of analytical models, approaches and decision support tools in project monitoring and control. International Journal of Project Management, 33(4), 808–815. Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (1667027960). Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/ docview/1667027960?accountid=40390

[1]  Terry Williams Towards realism in network simulation , 1999 .

[2]  Avraham Shtub,et al.  Managing Stochastic, Finite Capacity, Multi-Project Systems through the Cross-Entropy Methodology , 2005, Ann. Oper. Res..

[3]  Alberto De Marco,et al.  An Earned Schedule-based regression model to improve cost estimate at completion , 2014 .

[4]  Kleanthis Sirakoulis,et al.  The effectiveness of resource levelling tools for Resource Constraint Project Scheduling Problem , 2009 .

[5]  Allan D. Chasey,et al.  Improving the cost and schedule control system , 1999 .

[6]  Ofer Zwikael,et al.  The Effectiveness of Risk Management: An Analysis of Project Risk Planning Across Industries and Countries , 2011, Risk analysis : an official publication of the Society for Risk Analysis.

[7]  Roman Słowiński,et al.  DSS for multiobjective project scheduling , 1994 .

[8]  N. Trautmann,et al.  Resource-constrained scheduling of a real project from the construction industry: A comparison of software packages for project management , 2009, 2009 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management.

[9]  Avraham Shtub,et al.  Project Management: Processes, Methodologies, and Economics , 1994 .

[10]  Mooyoung Jung,et al.  Modeling and analysis of project performance factors in an extended project-oriented virtual organization (EProVO) , 2010, Expert Syst. Appl..

[11]  Tzvi Raz,et al.  Optimal timing of project control points , 2000, Eur. J. Oper. Res..

[12]  Avi Parush,et al.  Simulation‐based Learning in Engineering Education: Performance and Transfer in Learning Project Management , 2006 .

[13]  Adolfo López-Paredes,et al.  Simulating the dynamic scheduling of project portfolios , 2010, Simul. Model. Pract. Theory.

[14]  Urs Buehlmann,et al.  A spreadsheet-based decision support system for wood panel manufacturing , 2000, Decis. Support Syst..

[15]  F.T. Anbari,et al.  Earned Value Project Management Method and Extensions , 2003, IEEE Engineering Management Review.

[16]  Eugeniusz Nowicki,et al.  Optimal control policies for resource allocation in an activity network , 1984 .

[17]  Avi Parush,et al.  Simulator-Based Team Training to Share Resources in a Matrix Structure Organization , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management.

[18]  Mario Vanhoucke,et al.  On the dynamic use of project performance and schedule risk information during projecttracking , 2011 .

[19]  Nicholas G. Hall Project management: Recent developments and research opportunities , 2012 .

[20]  R. Macchiaroli,et al.  Timing of control activities in project planning , 1998 .

[21]  Jonathan Burton,et al.  Timing of monitoring and control of CPM projects , 1993 .

[22]  Mario Vanhoucke,et al.  Using activity sensitivity and network topology information to monitor project time performance , 2010 .

[23]  Leila Moslemi Naeni,et al.  Monitoring project duration and cost in a construction project by applying statistical quality control charts , 2013 .

[24]  Chao Fang,et al.  A simulation-based risk network model for decision support in project risk management , 2012, Decis. Support Syst..

[25]  Vijay Kumar,et al.  Optimal allocation of testing effort during testing and debugging phases: a control theoretic approach , 2013, Int. J. Syst. Sci..

[26]  Lisa Ingall,et al.  Exploring Monte Carlo Simulation Applications for Project Management , 2007, IEEE Engineering Management Review.

[27]  E. Kim,et al.  A survey of decision support system applications (1995–2001) , 2006, J. Oper. Res. Soc..

[28]  Mario Vanhoucke,et al.  Measuring Time: Improving Project Performance Using Earned Value Management , 2009 .

[29]  Homayoun Khamooshi,et al.  EDM: Earned Duration Management, a new approach to schedule performance management and measurement , 2014 .

[30]  Willy Herroelen,et al.  Project Scheduling—Theory and Practice , 2005 .

[31]  Jan Węglarz,et al.  Project Scheduling with Continuously-Divisible, Doubly Constrained Resources , 1981 .

[32]  Terry Williams,et al.  The contribution of mathematical modelling to the practice of project management , 2003 .

[33]  Neil Hardie,et al.  The prediction and control of project duration: a recursive model , 2001 .

[34]  Öncü Hazir,et al.  Effects of the information presentation format on project control , 2011, J. Oper. Res. Soc..

[35]  G. Thompson,et al.  Optimal Control Theory: Applications to Management Science and Economics , 2000 .

[36]  Didier Gourc,et al.  A decision-making tool to maximize chances of meeting project commitments , 2013 .

[37]  Jack R. Meredith,et al.  Project Management: A Managerial Approach , 1989 .

[38]  Jennifer A. Farris,et al.  Evaluating the Relative Performance of Engineering Design Projects: A Case Study Using Data Envelopment Analysis , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management.

[39]  Raafat Elshaer,et al.  Impact of sensitivity information on the prediction of project's duration using earned schedule method , 2013 .

[40]  Gad Vitner,et al.  Project Control: Literature Review , 2006 .

[41]  Didier Gourc,et al.  Towards a multi-dimensional project Performance Measurement System , 2010, Decis. Support Syst..

[42]  Christer Carlsson,et al.  Past, present, and future of decision support technology , 2002, Decis. Support Syst..

[43]  Quentin W. Fleming,et al.  Earned Value Project Management , 1996 .

[44]  Prasanta Kumar Dey Decision support system for risk management: a case study , 2001 .

[45]  Rolf H. Möhring,et al.  Decision Support and Optimization in Shutdown and Turnaround Scheduling , 2011, INFORMS J. Comput..

[46]  Xiaoqing Frank Liu,et al.  An intelligent early warning system for software quality improvement and project management , 2006, J. Syst. Softw..

[47]  Mario Vanhoucke Measuring the efficiency of project control using fictitious and empirical project data , 2012 .

[48]  Matthew J. Liberatore,et al.  Factors influencing the usage and selection of project management software , 2003, IEEE Trans. Engineering Management.

[49]  Jan Van Damme,et al.  Project scheduling under uncertainty survey and research potentials , 2002 .

[50]  Ofer Zwikael,et al.  Prediction of project outcome The Application of statistical methods to earned value management and earned schedule performance indexes , 2009 .

[51]  Heinrich Kuhn,et al.  Designing decision support systems for value-based management: A survey and an architecture , 2012, Decis. Support Syst..

[52]  Chih-Wei Chang,et al.  Monitoring the software development process using a short-run control chart , 2012, Software Quality Journal.

[53]  Klaus Werner Schmidt,et al.  An integrated scheduling and control model for multi-mode projects , 2013 .

[54]  Christopher A. Chung,et al.  A Statistical Project Control Tool for Engineering Managers , 2001 .

[55]  David L. Olson,et al.  Multi-Criteria Decision Support , 2008 .

[56]  Amir Azaron,et al.  Time-cost trade-off via optimal control theory in Markov PERT networks , 2007, Ann. Oper. Res..

[57]  Kenneth R. Baker,et al.  PERT 21: Fitting PERT/CPM for use in the 21st century , 2012 .

[58]  José Manuel Galán,et al.  A new approach for project control under uncertainty. Going back to the basics , 2014 .

[59]  Matthew J. Liberatore,et al.  PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN CONSTRUCTION: SOFTWARE USE AND RESEARCH DIRECTIONS , 2001 .

[60]  Rema Padman,et al.  An integrated survey of deterministic project scheduling , 2001 .

[61]  Franco Caron,et al.  A Bayesian Approach to Improve Estimate at Completion in Earned Value Management , 2013 .

[62]  Denis F. Cioffi A tool for managing projects: an analytic parameterization of the S-curve , 2005 .

[63]  Reha Uzsoy,et al.  Executing production schedules in the face of uncertainties: A review and some future directions , 2005, Eur. J. Oper. Res..

[64]  R. Alan Bowman Developing activity duration specification limits for effective project control , 2006, Eur. J. Oper. Res..

[65]  Ramesh Sharda,et al.  Model-driven decision support systems: Concepts and research directions , 2007, Decis. Support Syst..

[66]  A Gonik,et al.  On-line control model for network construction projects , 1997 .

[67]  Gad Vitner,et al.  Using data envelope analysis to compare project efficiency in a multi-project environment , 2006 .

[68]  Nachiappan Subramanian,et al.  A review of applications of Analytic Hierarchy Process in operations management , 2012 .

[69]  Luís Vladares Tavares,et al.  A review of the contribution of Operational Research to Project Management , 2002, Eur. J. Oper. Res..

[70]  Willy Herroelen,et al.  A hierarchical approach to multi-project planning under uncertainty , 2004 .

[71]  Konstantin Kogan,et al.  Optimal control in homogeneous projects: analytically solvable deterministic cases , 2002 .

[72]  Mario Vanhoucke An Overview of Recent Research Results and Future Research Avenues Using Simulation Studies in Project Management , 2013 .

[73]  Gad Vitner,et al.  MPCS: Multidimensional Project Control System , 2004 .

[74]  Mario Vanhoucke,et al.  A simulation and evaluation of earned value metrics to forecast the project duration , 2005, J. Oper. Res. Soc..

[75]  Adolfo López-Paredes,et al.  An extension of the EVM analysis for project monitoring: The Cost Control Index and the Schedule Control Index , 2011 .

[76]  Ching-Chih Tseng Statistical analysis for comparison of overall performance of projects using Weibull analysis on earned value metrics , 2011 .

[77]  Ozgur Turetken,et al.  A model-based DSS for integrating the impact of learning in project control , 2009, Decis. Support Syst..

[78]  F. T. Dweiri,et al.  Using fuzzy decision making for the evaluation of the project management internal efficiency , 2006, Decis. Support Syst..

[79]  Amir Salehipour,et al.  Evaluating fuzzy earned value indices and estimates by applying alpha cuts , 2011, Expert Syst. Appl..