Earned Value Requires a Scheduling System

In order to implement any form of earned value project management, two absolute rules have been discussed. First, you must define what it is you are about to do; that is, you must scope the entire project. The second requirement deals with the placement of the defined scope into a fixed time frame so that performance can be measured throughout the life of the project. Some might suggest that these two rules are not unique to earned value management, that they are fundamental to all good project management ... period. We would agree completely. Earned value simply requires that fundamental project management principles be employed.

Just how important is scheduling to earned value applications? We need to understand this issue in order to put earned value implementation on a proper footing.