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Dear Planning Planet Member,
Join the Global Community... if anyone wishes to help us get more planner-facing content into this newsletter in 2021 please do reach out to joint he team.
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SOME SAD NEWS FOR THE END OF 2020
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James J. O’Brien, PE, PMP, did not invent CPM. Nor did Thomas Edison invent the light bulb. But one developed the first commercially practicable incandescent light, and the other brought an academic oddity of a practical use for an electronic computer to the world. Jim graduated Cornell University in 1952. The mathematics and marriage to the computer of Critical Path Method (CPM) planning and scheduling was developed in 1956. Jim joined the team in 1958 and literally took this new tool for speeding project delivery to the moon by introducing CPM to NASA.
Jim’s first textbook CPM in Construction Management was published in 1964 and brought this concept to the world of construction. This text, now in Eighth Edition, is still considered the highest selling text of any of the McGraw-Hill Professional series. Jim also authored at least twelve other texts including upon Value Engineering and Change Orders.
Jim also helped found PMI, the Project Management Institute, and SAVE, the Society for Advancement of Value Engineering, and made many other contributions to technical and professionals associations. He created the nationally renowned construction consulting firm, O’Brien-Kreitzberg & Associates, Inc., then again bringing CPM to prominence to renovate and rebuild the cable car system of San Francisco.
No, Jim did not create CPM, but the name James J. O’Brien is synonymous with Critical Path Method and its use in project management.
Jim passed peacefully on December 31, 2020 at age 91.
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WEBINAR: COVESTRO – 90% TIME SAVINGS & INCREASED RELIABILITY VIA DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
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Covestro; As one of the world’s largest high-tech polymer material suppliers producing specialty chemicals for a broad range of applications including heat insulation foams and transparent polycarbonate plastics, they are utilizing project controls software as a part of their Corporate Digital Transformation Strategy. Covestro required a centralized single source of truth to standardize project control practices across its project portfolio, increase consistency of its reporting, and further increase forecast accuracy.
Read this case study to learn more.
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"PROVEN PRACTITIONER" A PLANNING PLANET PRODUCT
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Do you seek PROMOTION or do you want to better UNDERSTAND YOUR Stengths and SKILLS (in private) or do you seek that NEW ROLE?
Proven Practitioner provides...
ALL THE TOOLS YOU NEED
Go to Premium and sign up!
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XER SCHEDULE TOOLKIT
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Road & Railway infrastructure projects often involve large volumes of personnel, split into various teams and each tasked with their own role in the project. Projects of this nature require meticulous planning and real time information to keep the project on track and within budget.
XER Schedule Toolkit gives planners, project managers and the full team access to the project schedule in an environment they find easy to use and can derive value from.
The ability to track real time programme changes (whilst removing the need for printed & often inaccurate pdf files) helps to enhance the efficiency of operations and improves the visibility of the project.
Find out more here...
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Responding to COVID-19:
4 ways to Improve Project Controls During the Pandemic
Wednesday, 20 January
Join us to explore a digital full life cycle approach to project cost management during and after COVID-19.
About the webinar
2020 is now behind us, yet we are far from seeing the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. This world-changing event has implications for the industry and technical projects. Project controllers have already seen some effects firsthand. While the industry decision-makers cannot plan for all potential risks, they can prepare for exit strategies from this crisis by transforming their approach to project controls.
Register for the webinar to gain practical ideas that can help you respond effectively.
During the webinar, you’ll learn about:
- What COVID-19 means for project controllers
- The power of integrated project controls in the short and long-term
- Speeding the adoption of digital technologies: What can you do with Cleopatra Enterprise during and after COVID-19?
- A close look at the implications of the software system for cost estimating, cost controls, field change management, and benchmarking
Featured Speakers
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Vanessa Sutterlüti
Project Controls Expert, Cleopatra Enterprise
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Valentijn Kortz
Sales Executive, Cleopatra Enterprise
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Stephanie Ritchie
Project Controls Expert, Cleopatra Enterprise
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Digital Shutdown & Turnaround Management:
How Integration improves TA performance
Wednesday, 27 January
Join the conversation to benefit from the proven approach behind the successful turnarounds.
About the webinar
An integrated approach to digital shutdown & turnaround management is crucial for the success of turnaround projects.
During this webinar, you will see how a digital system that combines functionalities for scope management, work package management, scheduling, estimating, cost control and benchmarking serves as a powerful tool to transform shutdown and turnaround processes.
In this webinar we’ll cover:
- The role of advanced technology in standardizing and detailing work packages
- Estimating and budgeting AACE recommended practices
- Tendering & contracting techniques including bid evaluations for Turnarounds
- A look into digital field change management to control scope changes and change orders
- Closing the gap between cost estimation, cost control, and benchmarking
- Case study: How a major company using the turnaround cost management software Cleopatra Enterprise has overcome the challenges of managing a complex turnaround
Featured Speakers
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Jos van der Stelt
Director of Professional Services Cost Engineering Consultancy
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Bas Druijf
Senior Cost Engineer, Turnaround Lead Cleopatra Enterprise
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WHAT’S NEW IN ORACLE PRIMAVERA P6 VERSION 20 PPM
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What is New In Oracle Primavera P6 Version 20 PPM?
Oracle released Primavera P6 Version 20 PPM for download from their eDelivery web site in late 2020.
I have written a document that expands on the documents published by Oracle and outlines the changes a PPM user will see in the software and add some comments on the usability of the features click on this link>>>
Accelerate you understanding of scheduling software and advance your career with Eastwood Harris books and training material on:
- Microsoft Project,
- Oracle Primavera P6, and
- Elecosoft (Asta) Powerproject
More information and links to sellers at
our website>>>
Paul E Harris,
Director,
Eastwood Harris Pty Ltd
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ALTERNATIVE TO PRIMAVERA AND ASTA?
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A superior alternative to the "most popular" software for us as planners?
Spider Project
Spider Project offers numerous unique functional features and is the only PM software that optimizes resource, cost, and material constrained schedules and budgets for projects and portfolios.
Check it out here... Ask questions here...
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ARE YOU TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF PLANNING PLANET?
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MEMBERS
See who you know from within our 150,000+ membership pool!
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GUILD
Take a look at the worlds first and only competence based credentials supported by a career path, role descriptors, self-assessment tools and online compendium desk reference of best tested and proven tools and techniques for project controls practitioners.
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BLOG
Join other members who share their thoughts and ideas in the form of blog posts.
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FORUM
100,000+ questions and answers to the topics we struggle with (mostly software!) on a day to day basis.
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WIKI
A knowledge-base that can be contributed to or utilized by anyone with skills and/or interest in planning, scheduling or project controls. No Wiki page or article is owned by its creator or any other editor, and its content relies upon collaboration and teamwork. How can you contribute?
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BUILD TIMES
What is needed to come up with a production rate? A duration of time, the manhours involved, and an amount of work produced? Take a look and get involved.
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JOBS
This has been dusty and quiet place for some time now, BUT we have been liaising with recruiters, headhunters and talent managers plus a ream of corporate leaders to try to help us.
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ADVERTISERS
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