Here at Ten Six, we do a lot of EVMS implementations and it’s quite surprising that some folks haven’t heard of Empower by Encore Analytics. So, here’s a look at what it is and what it can do for you.
Empower is a browser-based analytical tool (apparently the first), focused on Earned Value Management analytics and reporting, that helps to quickly find problem areas, identify trends and display element-of-cost information. It can also graphically display schedule Gantt information.
It’s a great tool for providing insights to Project Directors, Project/Program Managers, Control Account Managers, Project Controls Manager/Staff and Organizational Compliance personnel.
Let’s take a look at some of the features.
Earned Value Management (EVM) Compliance Reporting
Empower supports:
- DOE PARS JSON CPP: Department of Energy (DOE) Project Assessment Reporting System (PARS) JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) Contractor Project Performance (CPP)
- DOE EVMS/IMS Data-Driven Metrics: Department of Energy (DOE) Earned Value Management System (EVMS) / Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) Data-Driven Metrics
- DOD IPMDAR CPD: Department of Defense (DOD) Integrated Program Management Data Analysis Report (IPMDAR) JavaScript Object Notation JSON Contract Performance Dataset (CPD)
- DOD DECM: DOD Department of Defense (DOD) Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) EVMS Compliance Metrics
- NASA IPMDAR DRD: NASA Integrated Program Management Data Analysis Report (IPMDAR) Data Requirements Description
- NASA IPMR DRD: NASA Integrated Program Management Report (IPMR) Data Requirements Description
As we’ve already mentioned, Empower is a completely browser-based and requires no installation. It runs on all modern HTML 5/JavaScript-enabled browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer (version 9 and above), Firefox, Safari, Edge and Chrome.
Empower Standard Tripane Layout
You get a great Graphical User Interface (GUI) and shown in the screen shot below. The Empower main window is divided into three sub-windows or panes:
- Sort Window
- Chart Window
- Report Window
Figure 1 – Empower Triple Pane
Sort Window
Elements of a contract are shown in the Sort Window. The display of these elements can be sorted according to a variety of project metrics or the elements’ place in the project hierarchy. And, when elements are displayed, they can be customized by a variety of filters.
Chart Window
The Chart Window is shown in the lower left, typically shows a chart illustrating some metric of the project element that is currently selected in the Sort Window.
Report Window
The Report Window is shown in the lower right. This window will display a report related either to the entire project, or to the project element currently selected in the Sort Window.
Selecting a new element in the Sort Window automatically updates the Chart and Report Windows. In addition, selecting a new chart or report from the menu will replace the existing chart or report in the appropriate window.
Accessing and integrating external data
In addition to its own database, Empower can access a broad range of external project management data sources with its Custom Reports and eNotebook capabilities. When integrated with existing project information sources, Empower can provide a single launch point for all project management information.
The Empower application is typically installed on an internal server behind a corporate firewall. That said, Empower can also be available as a standalone implementation. This can be done either by installing directly on the user’s computer or by running Empower with Docker hosted on the user’s computer.
Empower uses most of the common databases including Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle and PostgreSQL. These database servers can be hosted on the same server as the Empower application or separately.
Empower Features
Empower gives Control Account Managers (CAM), Project Managers, Project Directors, Project Controls Managers, Project Control Engineers and Senior Management and Executives an understanding of the performance issues driving schedule and/or cost variances. Features include:
- Enhanced Element of Cost (EOC) analysis which graphically displays the EOC components of the budget (BAC), Forecast (EAC) and Cost Variance (CV).
- Correlation of work packages to control accounts during analysis and drill-down/up
- Correlation of schedule activities to control accounts of work packages during analysis
- Graphic display of schedule data at control account of work package level (baseline, current plan, progress and relationships)
- Streamlined Assistance Intelligence (AI) narratives that clearly articulate performance issues and the reasonableness of forecasts.
- Custom reports, such as Adaptive Touch Reports (ATR), can pull data from other corporate systems (i.e., work authorization, accounting, etc.) and to display key data in Empower’s unified interface.
- Alert CAMs of potential data anomalies likely to trigger audits/questions
- Quality of earned value data.
- Quality of schedule data
- Quality of the EAC
- Failure to maintain cost and schedule integration.
- Provide Program Control with a comprehensive set of anomalies for the entire project.
- Current Period
- Anomaly Trend Analysis
- Streamline the Variance Analysis (VAR) narrative generation and coordination.
- Enhanced editor with spell check
- Change tracking by user during the VAR generation process.
- Acceptance / rejection of changes (all or selected changes)
- Provide insight into EAC realism / quality.
- Reduce training effort and streamline user interaction.
- Combined earned value, schedule and CAM notebook type information in a single unified interface.
- Simplify the user interface with interactive filters, views, and single click sorting.
- Provide concise data validity and assisted intelligence that explains the condition, rules, and data relationships.
With Empower, program management stakeholders no longer require extensive training or a complicated PC installation to take full advantage of program performance data. This aids in the initiative-taking management of complex projects.