Planning & Estimating Survey

What kind of projects are covered by your answers? (Tick all that apply)


	3. What is the typical size of a project covered by your answers? (Cost and Duration)


	4. How many people are involved in the part of your organisation to which your answers refer?

What information does your organization have about the accuracy of plans? (Choose one)

	Each project plan lives and dies with its own project.
	Some statistics are kept showing aspects of time, cost and/or performance against plan.
	In some parts of the organization we keep detailed and accurate records of each project’s results compared to plan.
	Throughout the organization we keep detailed and accurate records of each project’s results compared to plan.
	Our organization not only keeps detailed and accurate records of project results, but uses this information to improve the quality of planning.


	6. If your organisation does keep records, how do actual results compare with planned results?

Which of the following methods of planning are in common use in your organization? (Tick all that apply)

	No formal planning method
	WBS-based planning
	Product-based planning (as recommended by e.g. Prince 2)
	Full resource-based planning including resource commitments from resource owners (as incorporated in programmes such as Artemis Views).
	Scope-based planning to support Earned Value Management.
	Critical Chain.
	Other, please specify

How true are the following statements about the level of planning skills in your organization?

	Completely untrue	Somewhat untrue	Somewhat true	Completely true
Many project plans are prepared by people with only rudimentary project planning skills.
Project plans are compiled by project managers with input from subject matter experts
Project planning is carried out by skilled project planners, who are supervised by project managers.
Project managers in our organization have varied levels of planning skill.
Project managers in our organization prepare their own project plans.
Planning is recognised as a core capability, and project managers and their teams are highly skilled in both the art and the practice.

Which of the following methods of estimating are in common use in your organisation? (Tick all that apply)

	Separate estimating department (QS, Software metrics etc)
	Formal comparative estimating (compared with similar activities in the past)
	Informal comparative estimating (intuitively comparing with past performance)
	Database of past performance
	Database of standard parameters (e.g. duration or resource requirement of standard task element)
	Quantitative risk methods (e.g. Monte Carlo simulations)
	Formal estimating techniques (e.g. Function-point analysis)
	Standard project plan templates, with pro-forma durations
	Standard project plan templates, with pro-forma resource requirements
	Reference Class Forecasting
	Parametric estimating using sophisticated data libraries to identify Cost Estimating Relationships (CERs)
	Parametric estimating performed by specialist external consultants
	Other, please specify

10.

How true are the following statements about the level of estimating skills in your organization?

	Completely untrue	Somewhat untrue	Somewhat true	Completely true
Many project plans are prepared by people with only rudimentary project estimating skills.
Project estimates are provided to project managers by skilled subject matter experts.
Project estimating is carried out by skilled project planners, who are supervised by project managers.
Project managers in our organization have varied levels of estimating skill.
Project managers in our organization prepare their own project plans.
Estimating is recognised as a core capability, and project managers and their teams are highly skilled in both the art and the practice.

11.

How true are the following statements about how plans are used in your organisation?

	Completely untrue	Somewhat untrue	Somewhat true	Completely true
Plans are regularly used by all project team members to guide their activities and priorities.
Additional Comment
All project team members regard the project plan as a realistic representation of what activities will happen and when.
Additional Comment
All project team members regard the project plan as a realistic guide to activities, costs and resources.
Additional Comment
Progress against the project plan is regularly made visible to the whole project team.
Additional Comment
A current version of the project plan is used as the basis for all project decisions.
Additional Comment
The project plan is basically a cosmetic representation of progress.
Additional Comment
The project plan is used more for communication about the project than as an aid to decisions within the project.
Additional Comment

12.

How true are the following statements about how change control relates to planning and estimating in your organization?

	Completely untrue	Somewhat untrue	Somewhat true	Completely true
When changes are made to a project plan there are effective mechanisms for assessing the implications for planning and estimating skills and methods on the particular project.
Additional Comment
Our organisation requires regular project budgets to be submitted, and allows changes to incorporated that have not been subject to formal change control procedures.
Additional Comment
Our organisation collects and analyses information from all authorised changes to project plans and/or estimates.
Additional Comment
Our organisation collects and analyses information from all authorised changes to project plans and/or estimates, and uses this information to improve organization-wide planning and estimating.
Additional Comment


	13. What is the biggest problem that your organization faces with regards to project planning and estimating?

14.

If you would like to receive a personal copy of a brief report showing the findings of this survey please provide the following details: