An
increasing number of companies are considering implementation of specialized
software to more efficiently manage and track their projects. Certainly, they
have many different types of project management software from which to choose.
Yet, not all this software is created equal. Some are difficult to use and
others, too simplistic to provide the level of reporting companies need to make
informed decisions about projects.
Given the assortment of products available,
what should project managers look for in software? Project management experts
at TeamDynamix agree that managers should limit their search to software with these
six key capabilities.
1) The smart
project manager seeks high project intelligence. The software needs to be able to report on and
analyze in detail exactly what is happening with a project. On-the-fly
reporting and analysis enables managers to capture the specific data they need
to make the right decisions to help projects succeed. This level of customized
reporting also offers documentation that provides important lessons for similar
projects down the road.
2) Look for a
system able to track time like clockwork. Planning tasks is a start, but
project managers also need to know where and how time devoted to these tasks is
actually spent. Managers should look for a system that makes it easy for users
to track time on a weekly cycle. Time
tracked on a less-frequent basis is less likely to be accurate and will not
paint a true picture of performance.
3) Software
that reports time against small steps is a big step forward. Project managers want a system that can report time
against tasks and issues, not just against projects. Granular time-tracking
creates benchmarks on repetitive tasks and enables managers to develop cyclical
methodologies.
4) It’s
simple: seek user-friendly software. One of the most important things to look for
in project management software is usability. Usability is the single biggest
factor in getting the team behind a project management initiative. Ideally,
companies provide people a simple Web-based interface and let them run. Most people think their jobs are difficult
enough without having to learn complicated project software.
5) Progress is
a matter of process. Many systems do
not support repetitive project processes, requiring companies to start every
process from square one. The best systems enable project templates which can be
used to fine-tune repetitive projects.
6) Pick a
Partner with Expertise. Tools are
just tools. Someone needs to teach users how to handle them. Rather than
purchasing a tool box, companies should buy a solution, complete with people
who understand project management and have a strong background in it. They should look for the right tools, with the
right expertise behind them.
