p-factor error solved in P2Engine

After another weekend of intensive teamwork, we managed to identify and solve a problem with the p-factor calculation¹ in P2Engine.

Our P2Engine solution is used for academic research. During this research, hundreds of projects are simulated and all EVM data are analysed. In certain cases, there seemed to be an unexplicable glitch in the p-factor curve.

The problem was this: EVM calculations strongly depend on costs (= value) assigned to activities. Some projects did not earn value from their start, so the p-factor was not correct.

Consequently, remember the first simple rule of EVM: There should be value for earned value!!

^{1. For more information about the p-factor, see http://www.pmknowledgecenter.com/content/earned-value-management-measuri....}