Is MS Project what I need?

[TomJones]

I work in a small municipal planning office. We are looking for software to
manage development projects brought to us by developers. We need software
that will allow us to create a repeatable process that shows all the
different steps for several different types of different developments. We
need to have a central place where any staff member can quickly assess the
status of any ongoing project. Since the MS site for project & answer center
has a dearth of info on technical questions, I am posting some questions
here, in the hopes that current users will be able to help me.

We currently use MS OS's & Office. How well does Project integrate with
these, especially in regard to automatically schedule & email (w/outlook)
tasks to the proper people?

How well does project handle document management, like letters, excel forms,
scanned images, etc.?

We do not want to hire a consultant to set the software up for us. How steep
is the learning curve?

Thank you. I am currently slogging through the demo; I'm sure I'll have more
questions.

 

[Rick Roszko]

Before you mentioned automatically e-mail tasks
and document management, I was going to say,
yes use MS Project.

Okay, I am a MS Project Server consultant so
my answer comes from that angle. What you
want to do is get MS Project Server. This will
do scheduleing, basic document management,
risks, issues and a ferw other things you can
use.

Now, what is your timeframe? Now now now,
or can you wait till December or even Janauary?

The new Project Server will be hitting the
market by then. Of course, you will be on the
bleeding edge of a totally revamped piece
of software which will have hiccups (like
any new software)...

Or, you can go with MS Project Server 2003.

And yes, you will need to get consultants to
do this. You need someone who can spec out
the hardware and install the software but
you also need someone who has *used* the
product and is a project manager; oh and
by the way, a trainer!

Why? Installing this is hard. Setting up the
software is hard (need to interview the managers
and users to see what is needed and then making
proto-types to test). All project managers (i.e.
MS Project 2003 Professional) need to be trained.
All users (or "resources") need to be trained.

You said "municipla office". License costs will
probably be prohibitively expensive. (I'm
ignoring hardware costs here...)

-MS Windows 2003 Server
-MS SQL 2000
-MS Project Server 2003
-MS Project 2003 Professional (per project manager)
-Client Access License or "CAL" (per user/resource)

And then, you do need "verified experienced"
consultant(s) --- as in call the reference(s) to
see how the previous install went. This doesn't
install just by sticking the CD in and hit
next, next, next, finish...

No, seriously, I had to clean up garbage
installed by others so you must verify!

Hope that didn't scare you away too much!

Good luck...

 

[davegb]

Before you mentioned automatically e-mail tasks
and document management, I was going to say,
yes use MS Project.

Okay, I am a MS Project Server consultant so
my answer comes from that angle. What you
want to do is get MS Project Server. This will
do scheduleing, basic document management,
risks, issues and a ferw other things you can
use.

Now, what is your timeframe? Now now now,
or can you wait till December or even Janauary?

The new Project Server will be hitting the
market by then. Of course, you will be on the
bleeding edge of a totally revamped piece
of software which will have hiccups (like
any new software)...

Or, you can go with MS Project Server 2003.

And yes, you will need to get consultants to
do this. You need someone who can spec out
the hardware and install the software but
you also need someone who has *used* the
product and is a project manager; oh and
by the way, a trainer!

Why? Installing this is hard. Setting up the
software is hard (need to interview the managers
and users to see what is needed and then making
proto-types to test). All project managers (i.e.
MS Project 2003 Professional) need to be trained.
All users (or "resources") need to be trained.

You said "municipla office". License costs will
probably be prohibitively expensive. (I'm
ignoring hardware costs here...)

-MS Windows 2003 Server
-MS SQL 2000
-MS Project Server 2003
-MS Project 2003 Professional (per project manager)
-Client Access License or "CAL" (per user/resource)

And then, you do need "verified experienced"
consultant(s) --- as in call the reference(s) to
see how the previous install went. This doesn't
install just by sticking the CD in and hit
next, next, next, finish...

No, seriously, I had to clean up garbage
installed by others so you must verify!

Hope that didn't scare you away too much!

Good luck...

Then look for something extremely simple. Do it all in Excel. It won't
work very well, but will be cheap to implement. Unless, of course, you
want it to do all the things you list, and do them effectively. But
then you'll need that consultant, and not just for a day or two.
Getting things right costs money. Not wanting to hire a consultant to
set up and help you implement all you're asking for is like saying you
want to build a skyscraper but you don't want to hire an architect.
Best of luck!

 

[Joe]

Rick,

You mentiond a new version of Project Server is coming out soon (end of this
year). Do you know if there is any information on what is going to be new in
the latest version? Do you know what will be new. I am just curious.

Joe

 

[andrewbettany]

Hi Tom,

I woudl agree that you need to look at the server product to reap the
various benefits you need. How big is your office - if it is less than 75
users, then the most cost effective way would be to use SBS Server for this
as a dedicated Project Server.

HOWEVER.... if you have never used Project ever before, then before you
spend 10k on software and hardware, spend 200 bucks on the standalone
software, buy the MS PRess step by step book and get yourself aquainted with
the software.

That way you will appreciate what the software will and wont do, and it will
be a good apprenticeship for you. Heck, even set up some stand alone
projects for the company, and learn how to document a project properley.

If and when you decide to move up to the Project Server, you will be able to
help the consultant with the setup (of the resources etc), and this will save
you at least 50%.

Sure, get some quotes - you have nothing to lose, but also get some
experience of the product you intend to use.

Regards


Andrew in Sheffield, UK

 

[TomJones]

Thank you for the replies.

We already have MS Server, MS SQL, MS Office, and I believe we would be able
to house Project on the same server we use for SQL. We have MS certified IT
services that should be able to handle software/hardware issues and
installation.

I have already been in contact with people who have created apps for other
governemnt agencies but don't fit our needs. I was hoping project would fit
our needs without having to hire someone to set it up for us. If I have
priced it correctly, the initial purchase would be less than $7k, which is
more in line w/ our budget. We are a small organization.

We need a project management software that allows us to set up relatively
simple and recurring projects that coordinate different departments. We need
all users to be able to easily assess the status of the project. We need to
automatically alert a user if a task is assigned, finished, or changed.
Scheduling is a bear because only some tasks are dependent on our deadlines:
the rest are up to the developer's timetable, but we can deal with that. We
need to be able to tie interdependent projects together. We need to be able
to share and manage project-related documents: images, tables,
correspondence, etc. We don't really care about "resource" time management,
because we don't bill for these services.

I don't need to build a skyscraper, I need a workshed: small, efficient and
functional. So far, indications are that MS Project is not the application I
am looking for.

 

[Steve House [Project MVP]]

MS Project is fundamentally a schedule development and budget estimating
tool. It fits well into almost any project-oriented environment that uses
Critical Path scheduling. Server extends the stand-alone environment into
the enterprise and does it very well, but it's not for everyone. In many
situations it's overkill. In environments that aren't very well
"projectized" - i.e., haven't incorporated formal project management
principles into their business processes - its adoption can be a painful
process. Especially in organizations that have "rolled their own" ways of
doing things, there can be a clash between their informal PM structure and
the requirements of a more formal system.

The previous advice you got to get a copy of the MS Project desktop and a
copy of a good tutorial such as the "Step-by-Step" book from MS Press is a
good one. Get a good overview of MS Project and examine its functionality
and approach with an eye to compatibility with your existing business
processes and think about whre you can, or might want, to change your
methods so they align better with CPM methodology. This is a vital first
step in the decision process.