| "An elegant solution to the wrong problem solves | | | | over time).Provide facilities to manage resource |
| nothing." | | | | allocations. This includes plotting both estimated and |
| - Bryce's LawINTRODUCTIONCommercial Project | | | | actual project assignments, as well as monitoring |
| Management systems (PM) have been available since | | | | "effectiveness rates."Be able to calculate critical paths |
| the early 1970's. As PC's proliferated in the workplace, | | | | of projects. |
| so did PM software, which also brought an | | | | REPORTING SUPPORT:The Project Management |
| ease-of-use element to project management. A | | | | system should... |
| multitude of PM products are now available on the | | | | Provide facilities to record and verify time on project |
| market, some expensive, and some very reasonably | | | | assignments.Provide for the recording of "Estimate to |
| priced. However, to say all PM packages were | | | | Do" (the amount of time remaining on a given |
| created equally would be a gross exaggeration. Each | | | | assignment). Note: This is different than "Percent |
| has a specific niche they address in project | | | | Complete." For background information, see: |
| management or target a specific industry.As I | | | | historical time data to be used in history reports and to |
| described in my article, "Why Does Project | | | | update estimating guidelines.Allow the recording of |
| Management Fail?", one of the main reasons for failure | | | | "out-of-pocket" project expenditures.Provide a |
| is because there is a lack of consideration for the | | | | scratchpad facility to record project notes as well as |
| magnitude and complexities of project management | | | | formal reports (e.g. Project Proposals, Cost/Benefit |
| and, consequently, there is a natural inclination to attack | | | | Analysis, Project Audits, etc.).Provide a standard facility |
| it in piece meal. As a result of the bulletin, I have been | | | | to generate a variety of project reports (a "report |
| asked as to what criteria I would use to evaluate a | | | | writer" facility is ideal). |
| PM package. Consequently, I have developed the | | | | CONTROL SUPPORT:The Project Management |
| following checklist for evaluating a PM package it its | | | | system should... |
| pristine form. I hope it will be of benefit to | | | | Post reported time to projects and to human |
| you.GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:The Project | | | | resources reporting it. Also, post time to information |
| Management system should... | | | | resources to monitor activity. For example, the Order |
| Support any type of project - large or small; not just | | | | Processing system had 2,342 hours reported when it |
| those limited to a specific part of the business (e.g, IT | | | | was created in 1985; 335 hours in 2000; and 246 hours |
| pplications). As such, it should be flexible in application | | | | in 2004.Provide various summary reports to analyze |
| and accommodate any | | | | projects and human resources, both by project and by |
| and all methods of work effort (new development, | | | | department.Provide the ability to bill end-users for |
| maintenance, and modification | | | | project costs (Chargeback). This includes chargeback |
| improvements).Distinguish between Direct, Indirect, and | | | | to multiple users at varying rates. |
| Unavailable activities.Promote the "Mini-Project | | | | COMPUTER-RELATED CONSIDERATIONS:The |
| Manager" concept.Provide an integrated approach to | | | | Project Management system should... |
| support all activities of project management, not just | | | | Be easy to install and test on the computer.Be |
| some; this includes Planning, Estimating, Scheduling, | | | | implemented as a cross-platform solution (operates |
| Reporting, and Control.Promote and enforce in-house | | | | the same on different computers) thus providing |
| project management standards; e.g., use of standard | | | | machine portability and independence from hardware |
| methodologies, labor rates, time reporting, detection of | | | | manufacturers. It should also be easily accessed by all |
| estimate/schedule overruns/underruns, etc.Provide a | | | | people participating in project management activities |
| universally applicable calendar and allow for the | | | | (conceivably the whole company) as an integrated |
| specification of a standard reporting cycle. | | | | approach.Be easy to learn and use. It should be based |
| PLANNING SUPPORT:The Project Management | | | | on industry design standards (e.g., GUI design |
| system should... | | | | standards, on-line Help, use of operating system |
| Support various Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) | | | | clipboard, etc.).Performs reliably and productively in |
| - not just a single methodology. This includes | | | | accordance with specifications.Provide for |
| controllable levels of WBS (number of levels of detail). | | | | multi-languages and multi-cultures, such as adapting to |
| Also, provides a library facility for reusable | | | | local customs for expressing dates, time (am-pm vs. |
| methodologies that can be automatically loaded upon | | | | military time), monetary values (Dollars, Pounds, Yen, |
| request. Ideally, the WBS can be tied to specific | | | | etc.), and accommodating foreign languages (including |
| information resources (such as systems, programs, | | | | the Asian Double Byte Character Set - DBCS).Provide |
| files, etc.) thereby enabling the ability to record and | | | | standard utilities for: |
| monitor time for a specific information | | | | Monitoring and Administering the system. |
| resource.Support internal project dependencies (work | | | | Security - to both administer the system, and login to |
| step-to-work step) and external dependencies | | | | input data. |
| (project-to-project).Allow for multiple projects, multiple | | | | Import/Export data in various formats (Ideally an open |
| human resources (both internal employees and | | | | interface should be provided). |
| external contractors), and multiple assignments for a | | | | File Management - to purge obsolete data, and |
| single human resource. (A "many-to-many" relationship | | | | backup files.Be provided by a vendor with a reliable |
| between projects and human resources).Provide a | | | | reputation for training, service and warranty. |
| Skills Inventory to track skills and proficiencies.Be able | | | | I have described a pretty encompassing system with |
| to manage project priorities and backlogs of user | | | | robust features. As such, a Cost/Benefit Analysis |
| service requests (business objectives). A "priority | | | | should be prepared to compare price versus the |
| modeling" tool is highly desirable to study the impact of | | | | system's value to the company.This evaluation |
| change. | | | | checklist should be used as a template and modified |
| ESTIMATING SUPPORT:The Project Management | | | | accordingly to suit in-house requirements. Good luck.For |
| system should... | | | | additional information on "PRIDE" Project Management, |
| Provide for both Detail estimates (for a specific phase | | | | see: |
| of a project) and Order-of-Magnitude (for the entire | | | | Bryce is the Managing Director of M. Bryce & |
| project).Allow multiple versions of estimates (after all, | | | | Associates (MBA) of Palm Harbor, Florida, a |
| estimates will inevitably need to be revised).Provide a | | | | management consulting firm specializing in Information |
| means to maintain estimating guidelines and generate | | | | Resource Management (IRM). Mr. Bryce has over 30 |
| tentative estimates accordingly. | | | | years of experience in the field. He is available for |
| SCHEDULING SUPPORT:The Project Management | | | | training and consulting on an international basis. His |
| system should... | | | | corporate web page is at: |
| Provide for automated calculations using | | | | can be contacted at: Copyright © 2006 MBA. All |
| "Effectiveness Rate."Allow multiple versions of | | | | rights reserved. |
| schedules (project schedules, like estimates, will change | | | | |