Tài liệu 10 Minute Guide to Project Management Part 5 pptx

Lesson 10. Choosing Project Management

Software

In this lesson, you learn the kinds of software that are available, the capabilities of software, which

software functions are crucial, and guidelines for selection.

With the Click of a Mouse

Project management software today is available at a variety of prices, offering a wide variety of

functions. You can use software to plan, initiate, track, and monitor your progress. You can

develop reports, print individual charts, and at the push of a button (or a click of a mouse) e-mail

virtually any aspect of your project plans to any team member, top manager, executive, or

stakeholder.

Whereas earlier versions of PM software focused on planning, scheduling and results, tools for

analyzing 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 project

management software has at least five distinct differences from more widely known and used word

processing, 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 Alone

Project management software went from being expensive and crude, to less expensive and highly

functional, to even less expensive, but confusing. When Harvard Project Manager was launched in

1983 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 generate

Gantt charts, PERT/CPM charts, and a variety of other charts and tables. It was considered an

integrated project planning and control package and sold for as little as 30 percent of the price of

its clunky, less functional predecessors.

In the two decades that followed, competition among PM software vendors heated up, prices came

down, and functionality went sky high. Many packages now are harder to learn and use. Consider

your own experience in using word processing, database, or spreadsheet software. Aren't there

earlier versions of current programs that were easier and more convenient? You were able to pop

them 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 plus

the 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 of

software, then your decision is already made. Your quest becomes mastering that software—or at

least 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?