Considering MS Project

[R Jansen]

I work for a small company looking at software to help us manage our growing
list of projects. We're considering MS Project and have downloaded the trial
version. Does anyone have advice on how to get started, how to get trained,
or if there are any other products that might work better for us? Also are
there any features we should look at before diving more deeply into the
program? We're experienced in project manangement but not in software so any
advice would be helpful.

Thanks,

 

[Jim Aksel]

Before you do anything, define your requirements. What does success look
like? What do you want the software to do for you? Is it enterprise wide?
How many projects? Do they have to integrate? What size staff can you have to
utilize it? Who will need access (every desk top, only Project Managers,
Accounting?)

What systems must it iterface with? Do you have separate cost accounting
systems and will they be required to interchange data with the Project
Management Software?

What do your customers and management expect the software to do for you?
What software do they use (it is probably Project). Does your customer have
any reporting requirements for cost and schedule that the software may help
you with?

There are plenty of products out there --- some are fantastic, others are
just plain expensive. Some are useless. You can do a Google search on
"Project Management Software" or scheduling.

Take a look at the URL in my signature block.... go there an find the
Companion Products. There are a multitude of products that excchange data
with Project, compete with Project, or expand its capabilities. Lots of good
information there, give it a look see.

OK, I don't work for Microsoft but this is their forum. So, do some
reseach, try some products since most have free trials. Sorry I am not being
of more help, but I think there are a lot of questions to answer before
anyone can say "This is the correct product for you" .... I will say this ---
MS Project is a great tool, I use it (and some others) nearly every day.
Project is probably the Ford F150 Truck of the business ....everyone has
heard of it, most people can use it, it is not too expensive per seat. It
works hard, gives good results and the files can be shared. There are others
out there that are far more expensive that do less, or more --- just don't
know what wil meet your needs.

Training -- lost of it out there. There are people in this forum who will
be glad to come out and teach it to you. There are lots of consultants
(including us, click on my name) that can help you. Books are available for
Project on Amazon, or even at Borders, Barnes & Noble, etc (Sorry, I don't
know where you live -- they are just large book stores), even the office
supply wharehouses. OK, same can be said for the competition.

After all is said and done, it really comes down to --- What do you want it
to do for you? Once you define what you want it to do, then go searching for
products that meet the need.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim
It''s software; it''s not allowed to win.

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project

 

[davegb]

Before you do anything, define your requirements. What does success look
like? What do you want the software to do for you? Is it enterprise wide?
How many projects? Do they have to integrate? What size staff can you have to
utilize it? Who will need access (every desk top, only Project Managers,
Accounting?)

What systems must it iterface with? Do you have separate cost accounting
systems and will they be required to interchange data with the Project
Management Software?

What do your customers and management expect the software to do for you?
What software do they use (it is probably Project). Does your customer have
any reporting requirements for cost and schedule that the software may help
you with?

There are plenty of products out there --- some are fantastic, others are
just plain expensive. Some are useless. You can do a Google search on
"Project Management Software" or scheduling.

Take a look at the URL in my signature block.... go there an find the
Companion Products. There are a multitude of products that excchange data
with Project, compete with Project, or expand its capabilities. Lots of good
information there, give it a look see.

OK, I don't work for Microsoft but this is their forum. So, do some
reseach, try some products since most have free trials. Sorry I am not being
of more help, but I think there are a lot of questions to answer before
anyone can say "This is the correct product for you" .... I will say this ---
MS Project is a great tool, I use it (and some others) nearly every day.
Project is probably the Ford F150 Truck of the business ....everyone has
heard of it, most people can use it, it is not too expensive per seat. It
works hard, gives good results and the files can be shared. There are others
out there that are far more expensive that do less, or more --- just don't
know what wil meet your needs.

Training -- lost of it out there. There are people in this forum who will
be glad to come out and teach it to you. There are lots of consultants
(including us, click on my name) that can help you. Books are available for
Project on Amazon, or even at Borders, Barnes & Noble, etc (Sorry, I don't
know where you live -- they are just large book stores), even the office
supply wharehouses. OK, same can be said for the competition.

After all is said and done, it really comes down to --- What do you want it
to do for you? Once you define what you want it to do, then go searching for
products that meet the need.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim
It''s software; it''s not allowed to win.

Visithttp://project.mvps.org/for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project






- Show quoted text -

Adding a note to Jim's comments here....

I'll start by caveating myself and acknowledging that I've never used
P3. I have been "exposed" to it some years ago and know something
about it's capabilities as compared to Project's. To extend Jim's
metaphor, if Project is the Ford F150 of the scheduling world, P3 is
the Haulpak. One of those big mining trucks that can carry hundreds of
tons of ore from the mine to the primary crusher. And P3 costs almost
as much as one of those Haulpaks!

Project is capable software now, and far more user friendly than P3.
One of Project's biggest advantages is that there are classes and
consultants in any major city that can help you get started. With P3,
you're pretty much limited to flying someone in when you need training/
consulting unless you're lucky enough to find someone local. And
you'll need help a lot more often with P3.

Of course, there's also SureTrak, P3's little brother, a competitor to
Project. It follows forces good scheduling practice far better than
Project, but is hard to find support for.

Regardless of which route you take, be careful when you select a
trainer/consultant. There are a lot of people out there who read Pyron
or someone similiar and are now "experts" who haven't a ghost of a
notion how to apply scheduling software on a real Project. Make sure
you find someone who has some PM background other than reading a book
or two.

Hope this helps in your world.

 

[Darell.CK]

I work for a small company looking atsoftwareto help us manage our growing
list of projects. We're considering MS Project and have downloaded the trial
version. Does anyone have advice on how to get started, how to get trained,
or if there are any other products that might work better for us? Also are
there any features we should look at before diving more deeply into the
program? We're experienced in project manangement but not insoftwareso any
advice would be helpful.

Thanks,

Hi!
I had the same issue of choosing the right software for my team half a
year ago. My main problem with it was its inability to work smoothly
with several projects. Another problem was the lack of collaboration
capabilities. We tried several online tools and then stuck with Wrike.
You should check it out at www.wrike.com. It works perfectly for us.
It's really easy to use, even for my unskilled associates. I track
tasks by just writing e-mails and adding (e-mail address removed) to
recipients, and the system creates a task in my personal workspace on
the Web. The task can be shared with a group, and each group member is
able to make changes on his part of the work. Collaboration and task
assignment is based on e-mails, so no training is required.
It's Web-based so I can use it at home too, which is very important
sometimes.
There are also some useful features, like overdue task notifications
or time-line charts, that make your life easier.
Hope this will help you out.
It has certainly proved it's worth to me.