10 Minute Guide to Project Management Part 5

Lesson 11. A Sampling of Popular Programs. In this lesson, you learn which software programs are popular, what vendors have to say about their own programs, and how to get in touch with vendors.
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10 Minute Guide to Project Management Part 5Lesson 10. Choosing Project ManagementSoftwareIn this lesson, you learn the kinds of software that are available, the capabilities of software, whichsoftware functions are crucial, and guidelines for selection.With the Click of a MouseProject management software today is available at a variety of prices, offering a wide variety offunctions. You can use software to plan, initiate, track, and monitor your progress. You candevelop reports, print individual charts, and at the push of a button (or a click of a mouse) e-mailvirtually any aspect of your project plans to any team member, top manager, executive, orstakeholder.Whereas earlier versions of PM software focused on planning, scheduling and results, tools foranalyzing your progress, finding critical paths, and asking what if questions were lacking. CAUTION Today, there are so many options in and among so many vendors that the problem is finding your way through the bewildering choices.Bennett Lientz and Kathryn Rea in Project Management for the 21st Century observe that projectmanagement software has at least five distinct differences from more widely known and used wordprocessing, database, and spreadsheet software: ● PM software is used far less often than other categories of software. ● Fewer people use PM software, although project participants and stakeholders usually do see the generated output. ● PM software allows for more customization than many other types of software. ● PM software tends to be more expensive than commonly used, widely known types of software. ● Fewer people in your work sphere are likely to know how to use PM software.Leave a Good Thing AloneProject management software went from being expensive and crude, to less expensive and highlyfunctional, to even less expensive, but confusing. When Harvard Project Manager was launched in1983 it represented a breakthrough in PM software. Its main focus was on project budgeting,scheduling, and resource management. With Harvard Project Manager you were able to generateGantt charts, PERT/CPM charts, and a variety of other charts and tables. It was considered anintegrated project planning and control package and sold for as little as 30 percent of the price ofits clunky, less functional predecessors.In the two decades that followed, competition among PM software vendors heated up, prices camedown, and functionality went sky high. Many packages now are harder to learn and use. Consideryour own experience in using word processing, database, or spreadsheet software. Arent thereearlier versions of current programs that were easier and more convenient? You were able to popthem in, learn them in a day or so, and go on your merry way.Today, with expanding megabyte counts, it seems that the vendors need to have everything plusthe kitchen sink. This gives them the opportunity to design splashy ads listing umpteen features.Realistically, how many people are true power users who would use all of the advertised features? CAUTION Whereas the Harvard Project Manager could be learned in as little as a day if you were diligent, current PM software can take as much as five days of your time, if you are starting from square one and have no PC guru or mentor nearby to steer you along.Whose Choice Is It?Certainly, if your organization, department or division already uses or prefers a certain type ofsoftware, then your decision is already made. Your quest becomes mastering that software—or atleast the parts of it that are crucial for you to know. TIP If a brand of PM software is the preferred choice in your workplace, and other projects employ such software, you are relatively fortunate. Other project managers or staff will know how to use it and can serve as ad-hoc software gurus to you.With no experienced users in your work setting, some important questions arise: ● What kind of software should be chosen? In choosing PM software a rule of thumb is to choose a popular and very well-known package. The price is likely to be highly competitive, people around you would have either heard of the vendor or have heard that the software is widely known, and you wont have to spend a lot of time defending your decision! ● Who should learn it? If you and you alone will have responsibility for learning the software, you need to build time and expense into your budget—it will take you time to learn it or to take a course, and your time has a cost. TIP The Project Management Institute at http://www.pmi.org/ and the Project Management Control Tower at http://www.4pm.com/ each offer a wide variety of books, audio-visual materials, tra ...