Earned value in five minutes
PV is what you planned to have done, EV is what you actually earned, AC is what you spent. CPI = EV/AC; SPI = EV/PV. Below 1.0 means over cost or behind schedule. EAC = BAC/CPI estimates final cost.
Resources
Guides for better delivery
Finding your critical path
The critical path is the longest chain of dependent tasks. Any slip on it delays the finish. NavExec highlights it in gold on the Gantt.
Hybrid Agile/Waterfall
Baseline phases and milestones waterfall-style, then run iterations inside build phases. Use Kanban for flow and Gantt for commitments.
DMAIC for process projects
Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control. Choose the DMAIC methodology when creating a project to keep phases visible.