Free Earned Value Management Training
A quick Google for ‘free earned value training’ will return thousands of results. Have you got time to trawl through them all hoping to find the gems that will get you started quickly? Thought not… but you’re in luck because we’ve done it for you!
There is a lot of EV information out there on the internet, including this site, and we’ve sorted out the best of the best to bring you the sites that will help you learn more about earned value management for contractors.
1. Ten Six Consulting Website
Well, it would be remiss of us not to include ourselves in the list! As experts in earned value management training, we have a ton of free earned value resources and information on our blog. Our trainers regularly contribute articles and share their knowledge.
Popular articles include:
- What is earned value management: the complete guide
- EVM software: a buyer’s guide (this is the one to forward to your execs!)
- EV charts explained (includes examples)
You can also join more than 7,000 people and subscribe to our YouTube channel for hints and tips about using earned value management software like Primavera P6.
2. Department of Defense
The ADA IPM Division is a huge source of resource for you if you work on defense contracts. Acquisition Data and Analytics is home to Integrated Program Management (IPM) and their website is a treasure trove of information for people wanting to learn more about earned value management, which they call IPM.
The website is huge with plenty of rabbit holes to get lost in. We recommend you start with the current EVMS application requirements if you are applying EVM on a new contract. All the policies and guidance you need are also handily linked from the top menu.
For more general earned value training resources, check out their upcoming webinars. They have a large outreach program and slides are shared after presentations in case you are unable to attend live.
3. Department of Energy
The Office of Project Management at the DoE has a free 8-module EVM 101 tutorial. You can walk through the training online and it won’t take you that long. You’ll come away with a good understanding of the core principles and feel more confident discussing EVM with your colleagues.
Their website also has links to video training, an implementation guide and other useful resources.
4. NASA
We couldn’t make a resource list for project management excellence without including NASA. Their EVM handbook is worth a read, even if you don’t work in aeronautics.
We recommend checking out the glossary for easy-to-understand descriptions of all the main terms you need to know when working in an earned value environment.
If you are navigating around the site, be aware that project management comes under the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, so that’s where to start. EVM training is linked on the site but only available to NASA employees. However, the EVM homepage has lots of other linked resources including reporting guidance, handbooks and a brief tutorial that you can download as a PDF and use as a cheat sheet.
5. National Defense Industrial Association
Linked from NASA’s website is the NDIA’s pages on EVM. They are also using Integrated Program Management instead of the term EVM, and we expect more agencies and organizations will shift to this terminology in time.
If your organization is an NDIA member, you can access past webinar recordings. If not, don’t worry, they still have lots of resources. Navigate to the guides and resources page and browse through the links.
There is a lot to read here, and it’s practitioner, in-depth content. If you are just starting out on the journey to learning more about EVM with free online resources, maybe leave these ones until you have a basic grounding in the subject.
6. PMI
PMI has recently launched Standards+TM which is bite-sized resources for members. Search for ‘earned value’ and see what pops up. We found an earned value analysis report template, guidance on using earned value with agile teams, a knowledge check quiz question, and other relevant resources.
Overall, the PMI website has a lot of resources and articles but they are not specifically aimed at contractors, or even those working with EV on government projects. Pick and choose the resources from here that help your learning. You’ll only be able to access the public resources if you are not a member. Members can download the Practice Standard for Earned Value Management for free as a PDF.
Our recommendation is that the PMI website is a good resource for you if you are just starting out learning about earned value principles and want some introductory resources before you dive into contractor-specific guidance.
7. Defense Contract Management Agency
Finally, we wanted to share resources from the DCMA in this list, because it’s a one-stop shop for downloading EVMS compliance metric templates. These are advanced resources for practitioners rather than training resources, but if you are looking to improve your skills and get familiar with what is out there in use, then the artificial datasets and guidance will help you understand what is expected of EMV practitioners.
Bonus: College of Performance Management
The College of Performance Management does not provide free online training for earned value management, but if you are serious about building your network and skills, then it is worth considering becoming a member. They also have a small series of videos on their YouTube channel.
Despite all the online training for earned value that is free, there is one significant drawback: you have to make the time and put the effort in to access, interpret and understand the materials. EVM is a complex topic. That’s why many of our students prefer the experience of an introductory classroom or online earned value training course which gives them the foundations in the shortest possible time. Make sure you are focused on learning the things that matter the most in the field of project performance management and control.