Microsoft competitor launches public sector group

[Frank Cox, PMP]

As a longtime Microsoft Project user and public sector / state government IT
systems project management officer, I read with interest an article that
appeared on the Chief Project Officer magazine website today (11/7/06)
titled, "Primavera Launches Public Sector Group and New Project Management
Software Solution for Government". I wonder what is or will be Microsoft's
response to one of its challenging competitors in the project management
market--especially given the competitor's sharp focus on supporting increased
accountability, effectiveness, and efficiency in state government projects.
Corresponding support from Microsoft for Microsoft Project users in
government would be welcomed. Source Article:
http://www.chiefprojectofficer.com/news/156

 

[Rod Gill]

Hi,

Reading this, I would say this is a Primavera attempt to respond to Project
Server 2007 and Portfolio Server 2007!!

It is a big mistake to believe that Government projects are 'different' from
private projects. The only difference is in the BBF (Beaureaucratic
Buggeration Factor) required to get things done and large firms can rival
government organizations in this!!

The only specific I saw was creating a 'green' Exhibit 300 submission. That
can be handled by templates and workflow processes and if project schedule
data is required, then automating it is easy.

Support for Government users should already be available, Project has always
been about how it is implemented, not what it can do. For example this
report talks a lot about Earned Value (EV). I'm sure Primavera does a great
job calculating it, as does Project. However, if the PMs do not schedule
accurately and there is no time sheet that automatically updates your
schedules, then the value of EV is marginal or useless! How the solution is
implemented and the training, processes and governance that is setup is
vital. People, Process, Tools.

Implementing Project Server (and undoubtedly Primavera) is 1% installing the
software then 99% working with people and processes and then customizing
tools to make the whole system work. An off the shelf system is very
unlikely to work well for all organizations.

--

Rod Gill
Project MVP

NEW!! Project VBA Book, for details visit: http://www.projectvbabook.com

 

[Frank Cox, PMP]

Rod, thanks, great replay. As usual your perception and insight are
terrific; however, I need to add that over the years and through what seem
countless hours of practice in the field it has occured to me that much of
what is written and most of what is produced to support project managers has
had a general "for profit" orientation. This orienation has caused PMs in
public sector organizations large and small to spend a lot of extra time
translating and interpreting and modifying communications, tools, techniques,
products and so forth in order to tailor them for public sector application.
I respect and mean no offense to those at Microsoft that already support in
this area, but the company could get more squarely behind the rapidly
expanding practice of project management in government at all levels in the
United States, and for a lot of good reasons these days that have to do with
vital requirements such as pandemic flu preparation and response planning
projects, transportation congestion relief projects, security projects, etc.
In my state we have several hundred certified practitioners among tens of
thousdands of supported state employees and their organizations. Multiply
this in a proportional way out across the 50 states and the territories. The
Project Management Institute (PMI) has acknowledged that government projects
are different enough to justify two releases of the "Government Extension to
a Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge" (PMBOK Guide). I have
also worked in industry (manufacturing), in higher education, and in the
military, and I do agree with you about the "BBF" as you put it. But back on
message: Microsoft and PMI are partnered. Perhaps these two giants in the
world of PM could collaborate a bit more thoroughly and develop and produce
and distribute something like, say, a Microsoft Project Guide customer
tailored to support public sector projects. I am sure that the fine minds at
Microsoft can also come up with a good list of additional ways to beef up
support for public sector project management--and public sector projects, the
type that in aggregate get funded by massive amounts of money each fiscal
year through general revenue, federal grants and other funding that,
ultimately, comes out of tax pyaing citizens' pockets. Sorry ... (I'm
climbing down off my soapbox....)

 

[Rod Gill]

No problem! I'm safely on the west side of the Pacific so can't feel any of
the spittle dropping from the soap box!!

Certainly here in New Zealand, Project and Project Server can just as
readily be customized to meet commercial as Government organizations. I have
implemented Project Server in both and the problems are only a matter of
scale. However, our largest organizations wouldn't even be micro
organizations in the US, so I cannot comment on specifics you have
experienced.

We are developing custom workflow add-ones for Project Server to suit our
market. I have no doubt Microsoft partners can do the same for the US. In
particular I have often highlighted the need to customize the project
interface so 'local' jargon can replace things like Project's Units.

--

Rod Gill
Project MVP

NEW!! Project VBA Book, for details visit: http://www.projectvbabook.com