PMs in the AM: Learn Earned Value Management by building a paper tower!
Session Description:
Earned Value Management can seem complicated when it is introduced through formulas and terminology alone. In this interactive session, Prof C turns EVM into something tangible by having participants build a paper tower and use their project to explore the fundamentals of measuring project performance.
Participants will work through basic EVM concepts and calculations while seeing how planned work, completed work, schedule, and cost come together to provide meaningful information about project performance. Along the way, the session will introduce more advanced EVM calculations and demonstrate how project managers can use them to better understand where a project stands and where it may be headed.
Participants should have: 8.5" x 11" paper, paper clips, tape, scissors, and a ruler.
What You Can Expect to Learn:
- Understand the basic purpose of Earned Value Management and why project managers use it.
- Perform basic EVM calculations using a simple, hands-on project.
- Interpret what EVM measurements can reveal about project cost and schedule performance.
- Gain an introduction to more advanced EVM calculations and the information they can provide.
About the Speaker:
J Scott Christianson, known to many of his students as “Prof C,” is an Associate Teaching Professor at the University of Missouri who brings project management, technology, and business concepts to life through practical, hands-on learning experiences. He has used this paper tower exercise successfully with students to make Earned Value Management more approachable and easier to understand, and brings that same interactive teaching style to PMI Mid-Missouri.
Talent Triangle PDUs:
| Ways of Working: | 1.0 |
| Power Skills: | 0.0 |
| Business Acumen: | 0.0 |
| Total PDUs: | 1 |
This allocation reflects the session's primary focus on leadership, communication, organizational culture, and trust-building, while also addressing the business and strategic impacts of trustworthiness within organizations.
Event Details:
| Event ID: | 20260915-01 |
| When: | Tuesday, September 15, 2026 (7:30 AM - 8:30 AM) |
| Where: | Online/Virtual - meeting link will be provided with registration |
