S-CURVE

S-CURVE
In project management terms, an s-curve is a mathematical graph that
depicts relevant cumulative data for a project—such as cost or man-
hours—plotted against time.

An s-curve in project management is typically used to track the

progress of a project. In today’s fast-paced business climate,
ensuring that a project is on schedule and on budget is paramount
to its success.

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⬗ “
Man Hours versus Time
⬗ Costs versus Time
⬗ TYPES
Baseline S-curve
⬗ ActualOF S-
S-curve
⬗ CURVES 
Target S-curve
⬗ Value and Percentage

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RESOURCE
MAN
CONSUMPT
HOURS
ION
VERSUS
TIME S-
CURVE
⬗ The Man Hours versus Time S-curve is appropriate for projects that are
labor intensive. It shows cumulative man hours expended over time for
the duration of the project.

⬗ As man-hours are a product of manpower and working hours, these may

be adjusted together or individually in an attempt to keep the project on
schedule.

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COSTS
VERSUS
TIME S-
CURVE
⬗ The Costs versus Time S-curve is appropriate for projects that
contain labor and non-labor (e.g. material supply / hire / subcontract)
tasks. It shows cumulative costs expended over time for the duration
of the project, and may be used to assist in the calculation of the
project's cash flow, and cost to complete.

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PROGRE
SS
TRACKIN
BASELI
GNE
S-
CURV
E
Prior to project commencement, a schedule is prepared outlining the
proposed allocation of resources and the timing of tasks necessary to
complete the project within a set time frame and budget. From this
schedule, a Baseline S-curve is generated. This S-curve reflects the
planned progress of the project.

If the project requirements change prior to commencement, the

Baseline Schedule may require revision to reflect the changed
requirements.

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TARGE
T S-
CURVE
⬗ This
Following
S-curve project commencement,
reflects modification
the ideal progress of theif Baseline
of the project all tasks are
Schedule is usually required. Changes are continually
completed as currently scheduled. In an ideal world, the Target made to the
S-
Production
curve Schedule
will meet (which is
the Baseline originally
S-curve at thetheendsame as the
of the Baseline
project (On
Schedule).
Time, The production
On Budget) or finish schedule
below and reflects
to the theleftactual
of the progress
Baseline of S-the
project(Early,
curve to date, and any
Under revisions
Budget). made it
In reality, toistasks yet to commence
not uncommon for theor
not yetS-curve
Target completed. Fromabove
to finish this schedule,
and to thea right
TargetofS-curve may be
the Baseline S-
generated.
curve (Late, Over Budget).

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ACTUA
L S-
CURVE
⬗ The production schedule is updated on a regular basis throughout the duration of
the project. These updates include the revision of percentage complete for each
task to date. Using this information, an Actual S-curve may be generated.

⬗ This S-curve reflects the actual progress of the project to date, and may be
compared with the Baseline and Target S-curves to determine how the project is
progressing. During the project, the Actual S-curve will terminate at the Cut Off
Date. This is the date the Production Schedule was last updated.

⬗ At the completion of the project, the Actual S-curve will meet the Target S-curve.

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VALUE AND
PERCENTA
GE S-
CURVES
⬗ S-curves may be graphed as absolute values, or as percentage values
versus Time. Value S-curves are useful for determining Man Hours or
Costs expended to date, and Man Hours or Costs to complete.

⬗ Percentage S-curves are useful for calculating the project's actual

percentage complete against target and baseline percentage complete,
and for calculating the project's percentage growth (or contraction).

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 GENERATING S-CURVES
Percentage S-curves may be used to calculate
important project benchmarks on an ongoing
basis, including:
⬗ PROJECT
Project percentage growth (Target and
Baseline S-curves)
⬗ ProjectBENCHMA
percentage slippage (Target and
Baseline S-curves)
⬗
RKS
Actual percentage complete against Target
percentage complete to date
⬗ Actual percentage complete against
Baseline percentage complete to date

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HOW IS AN S-CURVE
GENERATED?

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To generate a Baseline S-curve,
a Baseline Schedule is required.
The Baseline Schedules should
contain the following information for
each task:
• Baseline Start Date, Finish Date
• Baseline Man Hours and/or Costs
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To generate Actual and Target S-
curves, a Production Schedule is
required.
The Production Schedules should
contain the following information for
each task:
• Actual Start Date, Finish Date
• Actual Man Hours and/or Costs
• Actual Percentage Complete
 WORKED
EXAMPLE

To better understand
how S-curves are
generated, consider a
simple project \
comprising three
tasks.
A Baseline Schedule
prepared using MS
Project for this project
is shown below.

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 BASELINE MAN HOURS
VERSUS TIME S-CURVE
To generate a Baseline Man Hours versus Time
S-curve, two sets of calculations are performed.

⬗ Calculate the duration in days for each

task 
i.e. Baseline Duration = Baseline Finish
Date - Baseline Start Date + 1
⬗ Calculate Man Hours per day for each task 
i.e. Baseline MHs per Day = Baseline Man
Hours / Baseline Duration

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The second set of calculations is performed for each day in the Baseline Schedule.
 
 Calculate the total Man Hours per Day for all tasks.
 Calculate the Year to Date Total for Man Hours per Day for all tasks.

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The S-curve is constructed
by assigning the Dates to
the X Axis, and the YTD
values to the Y Axis.

The resulting Baseline Man

Hours versus Time S-curve
is shown below.

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ACTUAL VERSUS TARGET
 
TARGET MAN HOURS VERSUS TIME S-CURVE
 
To generate the Actual and Target S-curves, a Production Schedule is required. A Production
Schedule for this project is shown below.

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 TARGET MAN HOURS
VERSUS TIME S-CURVE
To generate a Target Man Hours versus Time S-
curve, two sets of calculations are necessary.
The first set of calculations is performed for each
task in the Production Schedule.

⬗ Calculate the duration in days for each task 

i.e. Duration = Finish Date - Start Date + 1

⬗ Calculate Man Hours per day for each task 

i.e. MHs per Day = Man Hours / Duration

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The second set of calculations is performed for each day in the Production Schedule.

3. Calculate the total Man Hours per Day for all tasks.
4. Calculate the Year to Date Total for Man Hours per Day for all tasks.

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ACTUAL MAN HOURS VERSUS TIME S-CURVE
 
1.
ToDetermine
generate antheActual
Task ManStatus: Complete,
Hours versus Ongoing, Not Started.
Time S-curve, two sets of calculations are performed,
Complete: Taskscalculations
but before these that have a may
FinishbeDate prior to the Cut Off Date
performed, Date.needs to be defined. This is
Ongoing: Tasks
the date the that have
Production commenced
Schedule andupdated.
was last have a Finish Date
For this on or after
example a Cutthe
OffCut OffofDate.
Date 3rd
Not Started:2008
November Taskswillthat have a Start Date after the Cut Off Date.
be used.

2.
TheCalculate thecalculations
first set of Duration toisDate based on
performed for the Task
each taskStatus.
in the Production Schedule.
Complete: Duration To Date = Finish Date - Start Date + 1
Ongoing: Duration To Date = Cut Off Date - Start Date + 1 
Not Started: Duration To Date = 0.

3. Calculate Man Hours to Date for Complete and Ongoing Tasks. 

i.e. Man Hours to Date = Man Hours x % Complete / Duration to Date.

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The second set of calculations is
performed for each day in the Production
Schedule up to the Cut Off Date.

1. Calculate the total Man Hours to Date

per Day for all tasks.

2. Calculate the Year To Date Total for

Man Hours to Date per Day for all
tasks.

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 The Baseline, Actual, and
Target S-curves are usually
combined, as shown.

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⬗
“
S-CURVE ANALYSIS
Initial examination of the S-curves generated
above reveal the following about the status of
the project. 
⬗ The project has grown in scope. (The Target

⬗
ANALYSIS
S-curve finishes above the Baseline S-curve)
The project has slipped. (The Target S-curve
finishes to the right of the Baseline S-curve)
⬗ The project is behind schedule. (The Actual
S-curve sits below the Target S-curve at the
Cut Off Date)

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“
PROJECT GROWTH

Analysis of the Baseline and Target S-

curve data reveals the project has grown in
scope by 12 man-hours, or 14.29%.
 
 i.e. Growth = Target MHs - Baseline MHs =
96 - 84 = 12
 i.e. Growth % = (Target MHs / Baseline
MHs - 1) x 100% = (96 / 84 - 1) x 100% =
14.29%

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  “
PROJECT SLIPPAGE

Analysis of the Baseline and Target S-curve

data reveals the project has slipped by 1 day,
or 20.00%.
 
i.e. Slippage = Target Duration - Baseline
Duration = 6 - 5 = 1

i.e. Slippage % = (Target Duration / Baseline

Duration - 1) x 100% = (6 / 5 - 1) x 100% =
20.00%

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 PROJECT PROGRESS
 
According to MS Project, based on the Production Schedule the
project is 50% complete. MS Project calculates percentage complete
based on durations, and does not take into account man-hours
assigned to each task. Analysis of the Actual and Target S-curve data
reveals the project is 53.13% complete as of the Cut Off Date, while the
project should be 59.38% complete.
 
 i.e. Actual % Complete = (Actual YTD Man Hours @ Cut Off Date /
Target Man Hours) x 100% = (51 / 96) x 100% = 53.13%

 i.e. Target % Complete = (Target YTD Man Hours @ Cut Off

Date / Target Man Hours) x 100% = (57 / 96) x 100% = 59.38%

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 PROJECT STATUS
The project will finish late and over budget compared to
the Baseline Schedule. Progress to date (i.e. the Cut Off Date) is
behind schedule compared to the Production Schedule. Detailed
analysis of the project is required to determine why the project will
be completed late and over budget. Project growth and/or
slippage may be due to a number of factors, including
underestimation of effort in the Baseline Schedule, low
productivity, rework, variations (approved or not), etc.
In this example, variations may need to be raised to
account for the extra man hours expended, and an extension of
time claim raised for the later than planned completion. The
Production Schedule may need review to ensure tasks have been
updated accurately (especially with respect to true percentage
complete values), and ongoing and future tasks may require
revising.

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