Project Management Software

[rwilcox]

What are the generally acknowledged strengths and weaknesses of Microsoft Project? If it is really the "lingua franca" of project management (as some would have me believe), what accounts for the continued existence of other project management software packages?

[KKohls]

I’m not sure I’d agree with your assessment of Microsoft Project as the standard project management software tool right from the start. My experience (borne out by a quick search on the web) would indicate that Excel is the software most often used for basic project management. There are a few templates and how-to’s on the web to help folks get started using Excel for that purpose.

Once you become a professional or full time project manager, you are generally faced with more complexity in the projects you are managing. Excel is just too difficult to use for that task. The next step is MS Project.

MS Project handles well the next level of solutions needed – Gantt Charts, Critical path, etc. It’s the obvious next step in providing these solutions. But after you begin to master Project, its limitations begin to show up. Ultimately, it’s the needs of the customers that end up driving the various software companies to come up with competing software to MS Project.

One of the first perceived weaknesses is that it doesn’t play well with others, so to speak. Thus, you won’t find (at present) MS project on the Mac unless you are using an emulator. With Macs resurging lately, this might be an issue for companies trying to keep both camps happy.

It’s also difficult (at present) to collaborate with others using MS Project over the web, which has sprung up a few packages and adds-on’s to allow that ability. Many don’t like the way MS Project “scales up” to the corporation level, so that’s where Primavera comes into play. Suddenly, cost is a big issue.

One of the major differences for me is the lack of Critical Chain support. You’ll have to get an add-on (Spherical Angle) or use Concerto from Realization for that type of work. There are probably one or two other tools that do this as well. With several big names using CCPM, it’s a wonder that Microsoft hasn’t added this ability.

And those in the Agile camp, who have a lot of different opinions on how well MS Project does this work. I prefer CCPM in the Agile environment, because I think CCPM handles variability better than Critical Path. I can't use MS Project "as is" for that.

Of course, you could write a very long white paper on this subject, and get lots of feedback, but that’s my two cents.

Kevin

[jhalls]

It really depends on the scope of the projects you will be managing. Microsoft Project is well known because they had a lot of money to throw out there with a recognizable name. Did they do a good job at the time for what it was? Yes.

These days there are many choices from general PM software to industry specific software, so you have a lot more to think about.

We choose a Web-based solution, which is a great way to go if some of your team works from different locations, different computers, etc... If you want to take a look, it is called ActiveFocus (the website was www.activefocus.net). They have a demo that is free if you want to play around with it.

Cheers,

Jordan

[wepouys]

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[SteveW]

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[rwilcox]

Since this thread is cautioning me that Microsoft Project is by no means the "be-all and end-all" of project management software, and since I've been hearing about a competitor product called "Hydra," what are its incremental strengths and advantages relative to Microsoft Project?

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[mfkhan]

Dear All,
I am student of Birmingham City University and am doing research on agile project management. I have designed a small survey. The average time to complete the survey is 5 minutes. I request you all, please participate in the survey and answer as many questions as possible. Also, I would be really thankfull if you forward it any IT or software Project manager you know.
Following is a link to the survey
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Also if you know any software project manger, IT manager ot IT team lead please forward it to them. I will really appreciate your valuable inputs.
Thanks for your time
Regards
Faisal