Patent ID: 8489440

Claim:
A method performed on a processing device, comprising: storing, via the processing device, a simulation version of a project baseline, the simulation version comprising first objects that define elements of the project baseline; copying, via the processing device, the simulation version to create an operative version of the project baseline; augmenting, via the processing device, the simulation version by associating second objects with the first objects, the first objects being separate from the second objects, the second objects remaining separate from the first objects and apart from the simulation version, and the first objects not changing when the simulation version is augmented thereby maintaining an original version of the project baseline despite subsequent baseline changes; changing, via the processing device, the operative version to produce an updated project baseline by combining existing operative version data in the first objects with changes to the simulation version from the second objects, the operative version comprising third objects that correspond to combinations of first and second objects; wherein changes are effected only to a portion of the project baseline in the operative version that succeeds a time at which the operative version is changed; obtaining, via the processing device, an earned value for a project that corresponds to the project baseline to which the changes are effected, the earned value being obtained via the changed operative version; and providing an option to replan the project baseline in order to affect a timing of tasks occurring in the project baseline while holding the earned value constant.