From Frederick Chapleau Wiki

Contents 1 About the PERT Toolbox 1.1 Great, but... Why? 1.2 What's that software 1.3 The Philosophy 2 The Product 2.1 Features 2.2 Change Log 2.3 Feature Request 2.3.1 Business 2.3.2 Technical 3 Download 3.1 License 3.2 Pre-requisites 3.3 Download Location

About the PERT Toolbox

Great, but... Why?

Ever wonder how to estimate a risky project, but without having to comit yourself of the non-flexibility on saying "3 days"? Just give your manager/client an estimate that give them the overview of the risk, without including it in your estimate by over-padding them. PERT estimation evaluate the project and a standard deviation based on the risk.

This implementation is not a complete implementation of the PERT estimation techniques, with critical path, and activity predecessors etc. It's just a simple tool to evaluate more accuratly small, risky projects.

The calculation are done using the 1-4-1 rule (DOD-NASA PERT-Cost Guide, 1962), and all the data are included in the report, to be sure that you have everything you need.

What's that software

The PERT Toolbox is a simple software to generate estimate based on the PERT estimation technique. After defining a project (tasks) you can enter risk associated with that project. Based on that, we generate 3 values.

• Optimistic estimate, is based on the project's tasks, without any risks.
• Pessimistic estimate, is based on the project tasks with all the risk taken in account.
• Probable estimate, is a pondered risk, based on the risk contengency X the risk occurence, plus the actual project's tasks

After having this 3 values, we can generate the PERT estimate.

The Philosophy

The philosophy behind the PERT estimation is simple. Estimate a probable timeframe, an optimistic timeframe and a pessimistic timeframe. The PERT estimation will "ponderize" the result by ajusting your probable timeframe in a 4 on 6 ratio, and both the pessimistic and optimistic ratio on a 1 on 6 ratio.

After that the estimation of the standard deviation will be the difference between the optimistic and the pessimistic, on 6 ratio.

For more information, check out the real Wikipedia.

The Product

Features

An overview of the features:

• Project Information
• Task Management
• Risk Assessment
• Assumptions included in report
• PERT Risk Estimate
• Report Generation (text & html), with cut & paste compatible with Microsoft Office
• Flexible Work days and weeks

Change Log

• v1.0.0 - Initial release | Frederick.Chapleau 3:06, 6 October 2008 (UTC)
  • A simple form
  • HTML & Text Generation based on 3 values, entered by the user

• v1.1.0 - MDI & Simple Risk Management | Frederick.Chapleau 17:24, 25 October 2008 (UTC)
  • Multiple Document Interface
  • The 3 values are now based on a list of task and risks.
  • Save & Load of Project

• v1.1.1 - Who's Online Added | Frederick.Chapleau 01:09, 31 October 2008 (UTC)

• v1.1.2 - Misc UI Improvment | Frederick.Chapleau 11:39, 31 October 2008 (UTC)
  • Minimize to Tray
  • Close to Tray

• v1.2 - Complete HTML Generation | Frederick.Chapleau 17:05, 1 November 2008 (UTC)
  • Fixed estimation, based on the calendar
  • Added Assumptions on the project estimate
  • Generated HTML Include tasks, risks and assumptions
  • Change terminology to use the PERT Standard

• v1.2.1 - Fixes | Frederick.Chapleau 21:01, 17 July 2009 (UTC)
  • Stability fixes
  • File association fixes

Feature Request

Comming in future releases... contribute, if you want more! :)

Business

• Activities Predecessors
• Project / Workpackage / Activities / Tasks definition
• Global Calendar, and Project Specific Calendar
• Resources
  • Resources Pool
  • Capabilities Management
• Cost Estimation based on resources
• Risk Registry and Follow up
  • Log Book
  • Graphics
  • Visual Priority
  • Risk History (evolution)
• Monte Carlo Estimation & Graphics
• Priority Handling, based on risk occurence and Impact
• Customizable 1-4-1 constant

Technical

• Project publication (HTML)
• Project DataSheet (PDF)
• Risk Log Book (Report)
• Risk Follow Up Emails
• Central Server
• Custom Forms for Project Entry
• Custom Control (red-green picker) for Risk Impact

Download

License

The software is distributed under my Freeware EULA.

Pre-requisites

The .NET Framework 2.0 is required to run the software. Just click on the link on the download page, if you don't have it. The .NET Framework 3.0 is not required, but it's recommended to install it, for future release.

Download Location

You can download it here