Planned, Expected and Actual

Planned, Feasible and Actual

Unlike traditional project planning tools, used for the creation of the plan, the DFR Planner in Synthesis is not only used to create the plan, but also automatically tracks, monitors and updates the entire plan as time progresses and as actions are completed. This is done through the simultaneous use of three different date and data sets, namely Planned, Feasible and Actual.

• Planned dates and data hold the original dates and data (start end, duration, cost etc.) put in the planner.
• Actual dates and data hold the final actual dates and data as recorded by the team on task/action/gate completion.
• Feasible dates and data are automatically and continuously updated based on how the project progresses.

In the ideal scenario, where each item is completed on-time and exactly as planned, all three are the same. In the real world however this is rarely the case. As an example consider the following example:

• Assume a project has two gates, A and B, and gate B has A as a precedence.
• Each gate has one action item below it namely Action 1 and 2 respectively.
• Assume 7 day work weeks and no holidays.

Then, the hierarchy would be as follows:

• Project

• Gate A

Action 1

• Gate B

Action 2

Initial Planning

If we define Action 1 to start on May 1 and run for 10 days, and Action 2 to start after Action 1 is completed and also run for 10 days then our plan would be as follows:

Project	Planned			Feasible			Actual
	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End
	May 1	20	May 21	May 1	20	May 21	?	?	?

Gate A	Planned			Feasible			Actual
	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End
	May 1	10	May 11	May 11	10	May 11	?	?	?

Action 1	Planned			Feasible			Actual
	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End
	May 1	10	May 11	May 1	10	May 11	?	?	?

Gate B	Planned			Feasible			Actual
	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End
	May 11	10	May 21	May 11	10	May 21	?	?	?

Action 2	Planned			Feasible			Actual
	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End
	May 11	10	May 21	May 12	10	May 21	?	?	?

Not that at this point, Planned and feasible are identical.

After the Start of Action 1

Now assume that Action 1 was started on May 3 instead of May 1 as planned. Then the plan would automatically be shifted as follows:

Project	Planned			Feasible			Actual
	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End
	May 1	20	May 21	May 1	23	May 23	May 3	?	?

Gate A	Planned			Feasible			Actual
	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End
	May 1	10	May 11	May 1	13	May 13	May 3	?	?

Action 1	Planned			Feasible			Actual
	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End
	May 1	10	May 11	May 1	13	May 13	May 3	?	?

Gate B	Planned			Feasible			Actual
	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End
	May 11	10	May 21	May 13	10	May 23	?	?	?

Action 2	Planned			Feasible			Actual
	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End
	May 11	10	May 21	May 13	10	May 23	?	?	?

Specifically the late start of Action 1 would push the feasible end date of Action 1 forward and automatically cause other related dates to shift (in orange). 

After the Completion of Action 1

Now assume that Action 1 was completed on May 12 (a day earlier than feasible. Then the plan would automatically be shifted as follows:

Project	Planned			Feasible			Actual
	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End
	May 1	20	May 21	May 1	23	May 23	May 3	?	?

Gate A	Planned			Feasible			Actual
	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End
	May 1	10	May 11	May 1	13	May 13	May 3	?	?

Action 1	Planned			Feasible			Actual
	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End
	May 1	10	May 11	May 1	13	May 13	May 3	?	?

Gate B	Planned			Feasible			Actual
	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End
	May 11	10	May 21	May 13	10	May 23	?	?	?

Action 2	Planned			Feasible			Actual
	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End
	May 11	10	May 21	May 13	10	May 23	?	?	?

Specifically the late start of Action 1 would push the feasible end date of Action 1 forward and automatically cause other related dates to shift (in orange). 

xxx

Action 2	Planned			Feasable			Actual
	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End
	May 1	10	May 11	May 1	10	May 11	?	?	?

1. In creating the plan we set the project start date to be May 1st 2020. We then start with the first action, Action 1 in May 1 and expect it to be completed in 10 days or by May 11.
   1. Gate A then also starts on May 1 and ends on May 11
   2. Gate B and action 2 cannot start

Project	Planned			Feasable			Actual
	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End	Start	Duration	End
	Mai 1	10	May 11	May 1	10	May 11	?	?	?

End Section

Basis, Impact & Discussion

Basis for Modification	Basis Discuss
Impact on V8/V9 Users	Impact Discuss
Discussion	Comment on this feature, or discuss it in the Synthesis Discussion area of our Discussion Forums.
These pages are not intended to replace, or be used in-lieu of the official software documentation. They are working/developments notes intended to facilitate communication between the user community and the development team. Features and specifications listed here are for discussion purposes and their final implementation in may be different than the specifications presented here.