Read the case study, Tree Trimming Project, and answer the following questions, submitting the answers to these questions and a scheduling variance based upon the data below: WilmFence is a large timber and Christmas tree farmer who is attending a project management class in the spring, his offseason.

When the class topic came to earned value, he was perplexed. Isnt he using EV? Each summer Wil hires crews to shear fields of Christmas trees for the coming holiday season. Shearing entails having a worker use a large machete to shear the branches of the tree into a nice, cone-shaped tree.

Wil describes his business as follows:

I count the number of Douglas fir trees in the field (24,000)

Next, I agree on a contract lump sum for shearing with a crew boss for the whole field ($30,000)

When partial payment for the work completed arrives (5 days later), I count or estimate the actual number of sheared trees (6,000). I take the actual as a percentage of the total to be sheared, multiply the percent complete by total contract amount for the partial payment [(6,000/$30,000 = 25%), (.25 x $30,000 = $7500)].

Questions:

Is Wil over, on, or below cost and schedule? Explain.

Is Wil using earned value? Why or Why Not (explain)?

How can Wil set up a scheduling variance? Create a scheduling variance tool for him to utilize.