Basic Considerations in Buying Project Management Software
When looking for project management software, you may be wondering how to decide what you need. At the highest level, there are five broad categories of project management software that can be used for various functions. Listed below is a brief overview of these five types:
-Project and Portfolio Management Software
-Project Execution Software -Resource Planning and Scheduling Software
-Workflow Automation Software -Task Management Software
In the following paragraphs, we will discuss each type in more depth so that you have a solid idea of what they are and how they work. Remember, though, that these are general categories and what is listed below is not an exhaustive list of features. Keep in mind that project management software can be used for a variety of functions so you may find that what you want to do with it isn't exactly what is listed below. You should also look at the other categories of project management software (which will be discussed in future blog posts) because there are some overlaps and you may find that one particular type suits your needs better than others.
1. Project and Portfolio Management Software
This is the broadest category of project management software, covering all the functions performed when moving a project from initiation to the end of its life-cycle. This type of software is ideal for managing projects, programs and portfolios.
Some of the features that you may find in project and portfolio management software include the following:
-Business Case Development
-Work Breakdown Structures -Project Schedule Development -Cost Estimating -Resource Planner and Scheduler (Resource Pooling) -PERT/CPM/Critical Path Method (These are not necessarily part of the project management software itself but can be a component within it. Some software such as Microsoft Project comes with a built in PERT/CPM function while others may not. These tools allow you to manage the project from start to finish and the information can be used for your management, reporting and other things that you want to do.)
2. Project Execution Software
The next broad category of project management software is that which is used for actual project execution. This type of software allows the user to work with the project file (the one that you are using now) as well as supporting documents such as plans, schedules, etc. It also provides a mechanism for communicating with other people on the process and perhaps even report back to higher level managers on how it all went.
Some of the features that you may find in project execution software include the following:
-Provides a mechanism for driving your project from start to finish -Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is built into the software -Lists and Schedules to create for each work package in the WBS -Reporting capabilities for all of your WBS components (so, for instance, you can report on whether a particular deliverable was met on time or not)
3. Resource Planning and Scheduling Software
This type of software allows management to plan out the people needed at various aspects of the project. This planning process often includes forecasting when resource are actually going to be needed based upon past performance. Additionally, you can use this software to schedule the actual work that is supposed to be done and when it will be done.
Some of the features that you may find in resource planning and scheduling software include the following:
-Resource Pooling (This is not necessarily part of project management software itself but can be a component within it. Some software such as Microsoft Project comes with a built in PERT/CPM function while others may not.)-Resource Leveling (Again, not necessarily part of project management software itself but can be a component within it. Many applications allow you to automatically schedule resources based on actual performance rather than "what if" scenarios. This can help you to avoid underutilization or over utilization of resources) -Field Planning (Also not necessarily part of project management software but can be a component within it. Field planning is the process of writing out what has to be done, on what date and when it has to be accomplished. This will help schedule the work that needs to be done at various points throughout the project.
4. Workflow Automation Software
This type of software allows you to perform tasks at a high level that achieve your goals for the project efficiently and effectively. These types of applications may allow you to automate many things from data collection to reporting over time or before project completion or penalties applied for poor performance.
Some of the features that you may find in workflow automation software include the following:
-Data Collection -Reporting -Calendaring -Forms Management -Alerts/Reminders -Dashboards (These may be part of your project management software or they may be something extra. Dashboards are a way for you to monitor what is going on with your project. You can see things like current status, upcoming events, changes to plans and other things that affect the project as a whole.)
5. Task Management Software
This type of software allows you to break up any large project into smaller components, each with their own work breakdown structure. It also allows you to schedule and track the work that is supposed to be accomplished as well as how it is going to be done.
Some of the features that you may find in task management software include the following:
-Allows for easy breakdown of projects into smaller tasks -Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is built into the software -Lists and Schedules to create for each task within the WBS -Reporting capabilities for all of your WBS components (so, for instance, you can report on whether a particular task was met on time or not)
This type of software should allow you to break information down into smaller components so that it is easier to manage and track. It should also allow you to schedule the work that needs to be done and what is going on at any given period of time.
6. Project Portfolio Management Software
Project portfolio management software allows you to manage a number of different projects or programs that are all managed at the same time.
Conclusion:
Although each project management software has its own strengths and weaknesses, we have found that the best is ProjectWise. It has the ideal features for implementing the new approach of Lean Six Sigma project management, which requires effective project portfolio management and integration with enterprise-wide applications such as SAP, Oracle and Microsoft. The newest version of ProjectWise includes a number of special features that make it ideal for implementing Lean Six Sigma:
-Expert System -Software Requirements Management (SRM) tool. This system helps you determine what you need to do to bring your software up to date with more recent definitions.