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A Checklist for Choosing a Project Management Software

June 9, 2010 | Author: PM Hut | Filed under: Computer Based Information Systems

A Checklist for Choosing a Project Management Software
By Anita Simmonds

There’s a lot of project management software out there, and it can be a minefield trying to choose one. I often do an analysis of current software for clients, and I don’t usually come up with the same answer twice.

The reasons for using the software are numerous and varied, and you need to consider some key questions before you make your decision.

I’ll tell you up front that if you are looking for the Holy Grail of project management software, something that will provide everything you need to make the delivery of your project easier, I doubt you will find it.

I’ll tell you the questions you should ask when making your evaluation. It will help you to make the best decision possible, and avoid a mistake which may be costly and a waste of time, none of which will be helpful to your project or your reputation.

Here’s your checklist:

  1. What will be culturally acceptable?

    Sometimes, ‘all-singing, all-dancing’ is what is needed, most times though you might just need a spreadsheet. What will people want to use?

  2. Are people expecting a system?

    A variation on the point above. Sometimes there is more faith in a ‘big ticket item’. People believe it will do the work for them.

  3. Are you using it as a change lever?

    Think about what behaviors you want people to adopt. If you want collaboration, consider web-based software.

  4. Can it be offline or do you need web based software?

    Where are your people working - locally, nationally - across the globe? If you have a virtual team then again, internet software may well be the answer.

  5. Does it need to be familiar?

    How much time and money do you have for training? If you need a fast solution, you should probably use what you have available. Lots of project management can be done using spreadsheets and word processed documents and templates. You can evolve that over time if you want to.

  6. Does it need to be compatible with other systems and software?

    Do you need to interact with existing systems - financial ones for instance? Or will you need to use data from systems in other organizations. This issue can be a real risk to a project, so you’ll need to think this one through.

  7. How much money have you got?

    Some of the best solutions I have devised for clients have been free. Not always, but expensive bespoke solutions often fall short of expectations, and then you’re stuck with them. Necessity is the mother of invention, so think creative!

  8. How simple is it to use?

    Einstein said to keep things as simple as possible, but no simpler. In my experience, that means really simple when it comes to project management software. Nobody’s got time to be getting their heads around new stuff - they’re under enough pressure getting on with the project.

  9. How flexible is it for your needs?

    As you and your organization get better at projects, your needs will change. However, what I tend to see is that organizations simplify their software and systems, rather than make it more complicated. Understand the extent to which your software will need upgrading - can you afford that.

  10. Will you need training?

    Another time and money issue. It may be that your organisation wants to get some accreditation as part of ‘doing’ projects, so think about that.

  11. What do you want it for/what do you want it to do?

    1. Holding information
    2. Planning
    3. Escalating, monitoring and reporting
    4. Collaboration
    5. Engagement

Each of those points can be provided by separate software, and that might be appropriate, or you might want to opt for software that will do the lot. You might be looking for a while though. I have never found something that does everything, and I run several different pieces of software for different clients and different types of project.

Wow - that’s a lot to think about isn’t it? But you should. There are stacks of pieces of software stuck on shelves and hard drives at the moment because no-one asked the right questions, and when you got the software it didn’t really do what you needed it to.

So I’ve given you a comprehensive checklist now - you won’t make that mistake, and your software will most definitely be a help not a hindrance.

Anita Simmonds is the publisher of Instant Guru Guides, Transformation Tools and Ready Made Methods - all designed to give you productivity and success Know-How NOW! To rapidly grow your expertise in project management, go to http://www.instantprojectmanagement.com.

(c) Copyright 2010 - Anita Simmonds. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 9th, 2010 and is filed under Computer Based Information Systems. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

2 people have left comments

Very interesting post.

What do you want to get as outputs (reports…)
How complete do you want the resources description to be?

Also important questions :)

Thx,

Louise wrote on June 21, 2010 - 6:28 am | Visit Link

With the rising demand for a more protected computer systems, we should also include to this list the integration of IT security to the project management software. Both LAN and WAN-based project management software are highly susceptible to online and offline attacks.

Your computers could be easily infected by malwares, spamwares, viruses, trojans, and the likes if your project management tool does not have a sophisticated IT security feature.

Amelia@ IT Management wrote on May 20, 2011 - 8:59 pm | Visit Link

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