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Engineering Management Services and Decision Precision® introduce:

PROAct ™ Version 3.3.2 for Windows

A process and software for proactively managing project risks and opportunities.

Finally! A way to creatively and consistently manage project risks and opportunities.

OVERVIEW

Okay, your projects are getting more complex and your timelines tighter. You deal with hundreds of uncertainties on modest to large projects. And controlling costs in an uncertain environment is more critical than ever.

    So how can we help?

PROAct is designed to help you systematically manage uncertainties - both risks and opportunities. This user-friendly software is an effective decision support tool which provides managers with a coordinated framework for identifying, assessing, monitoring, controlling and reporting issues related to project risks and opportunities.

HIGHLIGHTS

A flexible way to manage and track risks, opportunities, and actions.

• A life-cycle management tool.
• Decision support database stays on top of hundreds of risks and responses across an organization.
• Graphs and reports for prioritizing risks, uncertainties, and candidate actions.
• Qualitative or quantitative modes for assessing probability, impacts and action costs.
• Training courses and consulting available.
• Single-user, network and site licenses available.

THE PROAct UNCERTAINTY MANAGEMENT PROCESS

PROActively identify risks and opportunities and evaluate candidate actions.

• The PROAct method has been refined over 15 years of use.
• The original computer program, RiskAbate (for DOS), was released in 1990.

MANAGING RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Modern risk management focuses on understanding and controlling the following four uncertainty dimensions:


PROAct combines conventional risk analysis techniques with other proven management principles. Its development originated in the high risk project environment of the aerospace industry. Now, the technique and program are being widely accepted by industrial users of all types and sizes, their customers and associated government agencies.

FEATURING STRUCTURE TO MATCH THE ACTIVITY
Some uncertainties relate to qualitative project elements (aesthetics, environmental impact, human factors, etc.) while others are more readily quantifiable (part failure, late delivery, cost escalation, etc.).

PROAct accommodates judgments by one of two methods. The user chooses either: The non-numerical Qualitative Mode accepts qualitative assessments of probability, impact and cost (Low, Medium and High).

The Numerical Mode accepts quantitative estimates (% for uncertainty probability and $ inputs for impact and action costs). To accommodate planning uncertainties, this mode accepts probabilistic estimates (normal, triangular or uniform distributions) for each impact and action cost entry.

Both modes feature Decision Support Maps showing the Cost of candidate actions versus the risk-weighted Impact of risks and opportunities.

RISK FACTOR ANALYSIS

Risk Assessment Maps display the risk impact vs. probability, both before and after modifying actions. This powerful graphic displays status and progress-to-date and is especially useful for:

• Proposals
• Presentations
• Reviews
• Reports

The data-base supports modern project management practices.

PROAct accommodates both qualitative and quantitative assessments.

APPLICATIONS

Risk management is critical to any organization. The PROAct process
can contribute to successful project management in such industries as:

• Construction
• Manufacturing, R&D
• Environmental
• Aerospace
• Oil & Gas and Mining
• Retail and Distribution
• Medical and Pharmaceutical
• Computers and Software

Process-oriented managers will also be interested in using PROAct for functions such as corporate planning, capital investment decisions, organization development, and business monitoring.

COORDINATED DATA-BASE

All uncertainty parameters, including probability, impact costs, actions and action costs are entered and retrieved on just two screens. The data-base organization permits flexible sorting and display. Sorting variables include:

• Impact Cost
• Probability Range
• Responsible Person
• Location
• Business Phase
• Action Cost Range
• Dates of Entry and/or Revision
• Other User-Defined Category

The data-base is easily maintained.  PROAct is a powerful planning tool as well as a powerful status tracking tool. 

STATISTICAL COST ANALYSIS

Uncertainty implies potential cost impact! Cost variance is a complex function of the probabilistic estimates of all interacting Risks and Opportunities. PROAct uses Monte Carlo simulation modeling to generate frequency distributions for incremental costs about the base plan. The analysis incorporates Probability, Impact costs and Action costs to provide a statistical projection of your activities' risk-related cost profile.

The Cost Analysis Plots display distributions of project cost outcome about the baseline case. These show the project's cost uncertainty and any bias in the baseline estimate.

EXPERIENCE INSIDE THE PRODUCT

The PROAct process was developed by Jerry R. Gilland, an engineer and project manager with over 38 years of industry experience.  His career has been at Los Alamos National Laboratories and Ball Corporation.  Since 1989, Jerry has been consulting, teaching and developing PROAct.  He teaches project management at the University of Colorado.  He holds a BSEE from the University of Minnesota and an MS in Industrial Administration from Purdue.

PROJECT RISK MANAGEMENT TRAINING

• Engineering Management Services (Jerry Gilland) conducts a two-day Risk Management training seminar covering the PROAct methodology and detailed instruction in the use of the PROAct software.  These seminars can be held in your facility, or we will make all necessary arrangements in local facilities.
   
• Decision Precision (John Schuyler) conducts 1-to 10-day workshops on decision and risk analysis, economic evaluation, and project risk management concepts.  Typically sessions are 3 to 5 days and are designed to fit the needs and interests of the client organization.  John has over 23 years experience in analysis, engineering and management.  Since 1989 he has trained approximately 1500 people in 17 countries on six continents.  He is the author of Decision Analysis in Projects published by Project Management Institute (1997).

Either instructor can customize the seminar for your project or business environment. 

ORDERING  PROAct  Version 3.3.2

Single copies of  PROAct version 3.2  cost $495 each plus applicable taxes. Please call us for a quotation for quantities over 5. There is no charge for normal shipping within the United States and Canada. We provide a 30-day full money back guarantee if not completely satisfied.

Please let us know if you want more information about training or continuing notices of future product announcements.

Comparisons of PROAct to other simulation and project planning/scheduling tools.

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