Project Management software tools
There have been arguments and counter arguments over which Project Management tool are the best for an organization. Needless to say that there is no straight answer and it depends upon your requirement, the industry segment you are in, complexity level of your projects and so on. Project Management requirement of a manufacturing unit, software development outfit and an EPC contractor can not be same. Most of the Project Management work is done offline when you decide upon WBS (Work Breakdown Structure).
Before employing any Project Management tool, an organization is expected to do a lot of spadework. One basic thing is to be understood by all project planners. These Project Management software tools are just aids. They can not be the project manager in themselves.
Though there are hordes of good Project Management software tools available in the market but here we are limiting our discussions to three MS Project, Primavera and SAP PS. Most of the organizations which employ Project Management software tool, rarely utilizes the tool even to its even 50% capabilities.
Earlier version of MS Project had some issues but the latest version of MS Project 2007 along with Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 and Microsoft Project Web Access provides very good repertoire of all Project Management features. In addition MS Office Project Server is integrated with MS SharePoint Services though which every designated user can get access to the detailed information about the project.
Primavera had always been a very good Project Management tool. After it has been taken over by Oracle in Oct 2008, there is strong likelihood that in addition to its integration with Oracle Financials and PeopleSoft, more and more integrated features will arrive from the synergy of these two giants.
SAP brings along with it a strong R&D and experience of best practices in Project Management. SAP Project System (PS), integrates well with other SAP R/3 modules and has access to the central data for all practical purposes.
All three Project Management software tools are good and each of them carries with them all the essentials of good Project Management software.
But one point must not leave the minds of project planners that before employing a Project Management tool, the planners must resort to lots spadework offline in understanding the projects and breaking down it in to implementable activities, their relationships, resource (people, materials and equipment) allocations etc. Project Management tools have helped organizations but only in such cases where organizations are prepared and trained their workforce. An organization must develop in house skills and should not be dependent on outside consultant for project planning. Because, no one can better understand work processes and project requirements, than the organization itself.
May also like to read: Managing projects without project management tools
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