In earned value management, which metric indicates the difference between earned value and planned value?

In earned value management, which metric indicates the difference between earned value and planned value?

• A. Schedule Variance
• B. Cost Variance
• C. Cost Performance Index
• D. Schedule Performance Index

Answer: (A)

Schedule Variance measures the difference between earned value and planned value. It is calculated by subtracting planned value from earned value, so EV minus PV. A positive result means you’re ahead of schedule, a negative result means you’re behind, and zero means you’re on track schedule-wise. The other metrics use different comparisons: Cost Variance looks at earned value versus actual cost, while the performance indices are ratios (EV/PV or EV/AC) that describe efficiency rather than the direct difference. So the metric that shows the gap between what was planned to be earned and what has actually been earned is Schedule Variance.

Schedule Variance measures the difference between earned value and planned value. It is calculated by subtracting planned value from earned value, so EV minus PV. A positive result means you’re ahead of schedule, a negative result means you’re behind, and zero means you’re on track schedule-wise. The other metrics use different comparisons: Cost Variance looks at earned value versus actual cost, while the performance indices are ratios (EV/PV or EV/AC) that describe efficiency rather than the direct difference. So the metric that shows the gap between what was planned to be earned and what has actually been earned is Schedule Variance.