Considerations When Buying Project Management Software

There are a wide variety of project management software packages available for your company to choose from. All the packages have the capacity to produce eye-catching charts and graphs. Software packages, that will run on your PC or network, are available in varying levels of complexity and at prices ranging from $25.00 to $10,000.00 or more.

Project management software packages can perform many tasks that, in the past, have proven to be very labor-intensive. Depending on the package your company chooses, the capabilities can be limitless.

The introduction of project management software packages helps companies reduce the amount of time and money spent on project monitoring and control. Since the software provides information more quickly, less personnel hours are required for these tasks. Therefore, personnel can concentrate efforts in more constructive, beneficial areas.

There are a number of other benefits to using software, including:

• the ability to track planned versus actual dates
• the ability to forecast effects of schedule changes
• the ability to calculate mathematical analysis and resource leveling
• the ability to examine schedule alternatives early
• the ability to design, simulate and enhance schedule control processes
• the ability to monitor multiple projects simultaneously

Project management software ranges in price from $25.00 to more than $10,000, so you will want to know what type of user you are before you go shopping. The most basic questions to raise before you shop for project management software are:

• How many projects is your company managing at one time?
• How much time and money does your company have to invest in a software package?

High-end users manage multi-projects, and schedule and track many people simultaneously. Packages range in price from $2,000.00 to $10,000.00 or more and require a lot of time to master the features.

Mid-range users may have two project running at once. Projects can have up to 2000 tasks. The cost can range from $200.00 to $500.00 for packages that offer a range of planning, scheduling and tracking tools.

Low-end users can automate the basics for under $100.00. The basics would include tasks like developing plans, occasionally preparing status reports, and producing simple Gantt and PERT charts.

In addition to knowing what kind of user you are, you also need to know how you will plan and manage your projects. Is your company one that emphasizes work or durations? Having this information on hand will affect how easy a software package is for you to use.

Consider resource-driven scheduling when you want to plan and track using detailed work estimates. For instance, if a project will take 592 person-hours to complete, you will need to purchase software that provides scheduling based on work.

Consider schedule duration if you want to focus on the duration of the project. For example, if the project will take an employee 2.5 months to complete, you will need to ensure that your software provides efficient handling of durations.

A key point to keep in mind is that your company's needs will dictate the software you choose. To ensure your time and money is spent wisely, decide on your user type and management style prior to making this investment.

Choosing Project Management Software

Project management is enhanced and facilitated when you use project management software. Project management software is available to perform everything from project planning, scheduling, to payroll.

All project management software packages have the capacity to produce eye-catching charts and graphs, such as Gantt charts, histograms, milestone charts, and tables. With regard to scheduling, these packages can:

• schedule and track people working on multiple projects
• identify conflicting resource demands and allocate resources accordingly
• schedule and track dates
• make formal work estimates
• prepare status reports to monitor scheduled activities.

There are two main types of scheduling packages: resource-driven scheduling and duration-driven scheduling.
Resource-driven scheduling packages emphasize tasks. If, for example, you want to schedule and track your project based on the number of work hours, resource-driven scheduling software is your best bet. If, on the other hand, you typically plan your schedule based on task durations, you should purchase a duration-driven software package.

Both types of project management software produce schedules that show project dependencies as well as any leads or lags the dependencies might have.

Project management software is designed to simplify life for project managers. The trick to making this type of software work for you is to determine whether you schedule with an emphasis on work hours or task duration. This factor should drive your choice of software to ensure that the software you buy is compatible with your project management preferences.

Three IT Project Management Tools

Every trade has its tools. As an IT project manager, what do you consider to be your "tools of the trade?"

There are three tools used by IT project managers and team members that are key to the administration of a project. These three tools are project planning software, project estimating software, and presentation tools.

1. Project planning software
Project planning software helps your team define and manage the scope of the project. Many versions of planning software are presently available for project management. You should shop around to determine the best product for the various projects your company undertakes.

Planning software is a valuable tool for creating and managing schedules like Gantt or Pert-type charts and for facilitating communication between all parties involved in the project.

2. Project estimating software
Project estimating software is useful for compiling data, producing charts, managing resources and costs, and performing analyses. Spreadsheets are a common example of estimating software.

3. Presentation tools
Presentation tools help you visually deliver progress reports, produce user manuals, and prepare final reports. The specific needs of your project will help you determine the estimating software and presentation tool you will need.

By determining your project needs ahead of time, you will be able to identify key IT project management tools that will help you and your team effectively complete your next project.