Project Management/Client Information

[Davepriceatl]

We are a small landscape architecture/construction firm. We want to use
OneNote to have Notebooks for clients/projects where we can keep everything
there - pictures of jobsites, weblinks to products, proposals (in excel),
copies of emails etc. so that everyone can access the data. We don't have
sharepoint, but have a common server where we can share the notebooks.

It seems a creative and collaborative way for us to work with clients. We
can take notes, streaming ideas for their design and products to specify into
their construction. We looked at Basecamp, which I know is similar yet
different. I'd rather use OneNote.

Is anyone using OneNote for this type of thing? Does anyone have a comment
whether this is a good idea or bad idea? Thanks for your help!

Dave

 

[John Guin [msft]]

One place to look is www.microsoft.com/evidence, and search for OneNote.
There are many results availabe - most are in education with other businesses
represented as well.


There may be other case studies released as we complete them. Keep your eye
on my blog (link below) for information that may be more relevant to your
needs as well.

 

[Tille]

Why do you like OneNote? I personally think that it lacks a
collaborative element. You cannot share information easily. My team
didn't like Basecamp as well, it lacks some important project
management features. Now we're with 'Wrike' (http://wrike.com). It's an
email integrated tool that perfectly works with our Outlook inboxes. It
allows us to create tasks by sending messages to each other and to the
system. It saves a great deal of time. You might want to try this one.
:wink:

 

[Kathy Jacobs]

OneNote lacks a collaborative element???? What version of OneNote are you
using??? OneNote's shared notebooks are the very definition of
collaboration - one notebook that everyone can work in at the same time,
automatically syncing as needed. If that isn't good enough, then check into
the live sharing sessions where you are all working on the same notebook in
real time. And it integrates with Outlook via tasks, calendar items, email,
and contacts.

Can you tell us what collaborative elements you need that aren't there? It
is quite possible that you just haven't found the equivalent in OneNote yet.

(Unless, of course, you are trying to sell wrike via this forum. In that
case, it would be much better to take the comments else where.)

My two cents only.

--
Kathy Jacobs, Microsoft MVP OneNote and PowerPoint
Author of Kathy Jacobs on PowerPoint
Get PowerPoint and OneNote information at www.onppt.com
or on my blog, http://geekswithblogs.net/VitaminCH/Default.aspx

I believe life is meant to be lived. But:
if we live without making a difference, it makes no difference that we lived

 

[Keith French]

My experience is that you can use MS Excel with multiple
spreadsheets (or worksheets)to cover the basic needs of every project.
The Spreadsheets can be linked to every common project and client
project. It may sound complicated at first but as your company grows
they can also form the basis for use in a web base management tool such
as "Enterprise".

(The Spreadsheets are finite pieces of project data that can be used as
project monitoring tools.

I also be belive stongly in the Use of MS Word to compose project scope
then copy paste to Excel in preparation of fee and copy paste same scope
to MS Project in preparation of your Project schedule.

The basic project forms (Scope, Fee and Schedule) should be accessible
to staff but protected, so they can not be changed without permission)

I seriously doubt that one piece of Software will work, unless you can
afford to set up with Enterprise or a similar a web-based system that
contains a permissions system just like ACAD.

I also agree that everyone use Outlook as the team communication tool.
Day to day monitoring is the most important management tool at you
disposal.

in using MS outlook you must set up a system of communication that 1)
Points to problem(s)
2) Proposed solution(s) (this should also include an estimate of the
probability of sucess for the solution if the problem is complex and
beyond a yes/no answer) and
3) A time frame for management review before implementation.

Does this sound like work? :redface:

If you need more info please contact me.

 

[John Guin [msft]]

Oh, and here is a case study just released today about a small robotics
company using OneNote.
http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/casestudy.aspx?casestudyid=4000001729