There are two general approaches in project management software to planning and managing tasks and projects. 

1. One is a calendar based approach. 
2. The second is a task based approach. 

As a quick rule-of-thumb, a calendar based approach is best suited to planning and managing small projects with a relatively few number of resources.  Web based calendars and software offer a quick and intuitive way to see tasks over a period of time in a familiar format.  Calendars themselves are so common that people generally have an easy time in using web based calendars to schedule projects, tasks and resources.  Think of programs like Microsoft Outlook or BaseCamp.

Task-based schedules are generally better suited to managing and planning larger projects in departments or companies that compete for resources and whose projects fit into larger corporate project portfolios or goal-based initiatives. Web project management software that offers task-based schedules allow users to attach multiple attributes to the tasks themselves then plan their projects or get reports on projects or portfolios based on those attributes.  Think project management software like MS Project or Vertabase Pro.

These project management attributes can include task duration, resource allocation needs on the task, documents or digital assets that need to be managed or produced to complete the task. They can also include budgets, budgetary plans or constraints for resource allocation that can be measured, controlled and compared in a baseline. 

Besides seeing tasks or projects in a task-list or task-based schedule format, these project attributes can be represented in Gantt charts or other graphic representations, as well as shown on a calendar view. But once a project reaches a certain level of complexity, calendar views can get pretty messy, losing value as a tools to provide visibility on schedules, projects or project plans.

Read a recent post on some of the limits people are reaching with Basecamp.  They seem to apply to the general “software should do less” approach many people associate with Web 2.0. 

The philosophy of software that “does less” can actually create more work and aggravation once users, teams or projects scale up to a certain level of complexity. The approach starts to lose its usefulness.

At a certain level of scope or scale, people can benefit from project management software (and software designers) that “do more” in terms of details and thought out interface and functional architecture/workflow.

This applies to functionality contained in the project management software (like scheduling and project planning) as well as functionality which reaches outside to users or clients (like automatic email notifications and identity management or access level management). It also speaks to the value of more involved customer support and training, where the project management software company takes time to understand the work their customer does.

Web 2.0 is about useful tools.  “Do less” type software can certainly be useful and has its place (just look at the growth of Basecamp’s project collaboration tool). But these types of software are not one size fits all solutions. There are project management software solutions that offer similar benefits as Basecamp and other first generation Web 2.0 tools, but which are built to handle projects of a larger scale.

Are you comparing or evaluating project management software? Are you looking for an alternative to Microsoft Project or software like Microsoft Project?

Are you thinking about waiting for Microsoft Project 2007 to be released before making a decision? 

Based on initial ”sneak-peak” reviews of Microsoft Project 2007 project management software, doesn’t seem like much has changed.

In other words, if you like Microsoft Project project management software in general, and you’re using MS Project 1998 or 2000, this upgrade may be right for you. But if you’re waiting for some radical innovation in project management software or a reincarnation of MS Project in an easier to use, more web 2.0 type format, this misses the mark.

Carroll Consultants, a UK based project management consulting firm says:

“So in summary, there are some cosmetic changes and a couple of nice features but nothing to justify rushing out to buy the upgrade from Project 2003. However if you are still using Project 98 or 2000 it’s probably worth considering the upgrade once it ships.”

The principal at the company, John Carroll, has written numerous books on Microsoft Project like Microsoft Project in Easy Steps. He is currently at work on Microsoft Project 2007 in Easy Steps.  For more details on his thoughts on Microsoft Project project management software (and project management in general), check out his blog (and the link back to his company’s home page).

For those who don’t like Microsoft Project or are looking, perhaps, for web project management software, there are a number of alternatives, including the sponsors of this blog, Vertabase Pro.

Recent talk on the scalability of Ruby on Rails (RoR) to build a web application more advanced than Basecamp (by 37signals, the creators of RoR) e.g.  this from AKuAKu coming back from the Ruby on Rails unconference Rails Camp:

“The performance and scaling session which lasted about 5 minutes when no one could advance the high water mark for rails apps past basecamp.”

Reminds me of some earlier posts by Ben Forta, ColdFusion guru and related CF posts on the advantages of using ColdFusion (and ColdFusion on Wheels) to build larger scale apps.

To see a difference: in the project management software space compare Basecamp to Vertabase Pro (you can request a trial off the site). Vertabase Pro is written in CF.

Project management software generally falls into three categories. This article provides an overview of these categories and a broad review of some of the leading project management software in these categories.

For the PM Specialist
There are a ton of project management software tools designed to assist the theoretician or to adhere to project management theory or to a particular project management body of knowledge or approach.  Project management software solutions in this realm can measure risk factors against difference risk tolerances on a project, they can provide multiple baselines on different factors on a project, they can calculate the impact of deviations or variances, or earned value at different points of a schedule. They offer a ton of hard-core project management metrics and functionality. They are often used for large capital projects (like construction of a bridge, building a space shuttle or power-plant).

These tools vary in the functionality they offer or their complexity (like Primavera, Artemis or PlanView). But they all rely on a fundamental assumption that the project manager needs complicated project management software or a super robust, theory based project management toolbox.  Then the project manager or project management office will disseminate that data to people who need to know. No-one will make a move without consulting the project manager or project management office. They are the people ultimately in charge of process improvement, metric measurement and control of project priority and status.

Project Collaboration (without Specific PM Features)
Then there is a range of project management software solutions that give very little information about changes in key  project variables (the project plan, defined tasks durations and resource allocation). Instead, they focus or connecting people with a basic level of information or ways to organize that information online.  These are tools like Basecamp. In its place, Basecamp and Basecamp like software, offer ease-of-use and easy-adoption, which has made Basecamp one of the most popular project management type software packages out there. Though Basecamp is better classified as a project collaboration tool. The relative thin-ness, as it were, of the application, has also made it a target for small software developers or software companies to copy or replicate.

PM for a Wide Audience
Then there are tools that fall in the middle, like Microsoft Project or MS Project Server.  Software tools like those offer a middle-ground on complexity when it comes to planning and seeing the impact of changes in the project performance variables mentioned above.  But there is a trade-off in “out of the box” type ease-of-use for the addition of these project management features in their software. Most of these software offerings require some level of training and customer support.

The middle range is being augmented and made more accessible by the introduction of online or web project management software solutions.  These project management software tools offer a broad range of functionality (with varying degrees of complexity) and a range of ease of use. There are even tools which seek to mimic MS Project online, exactly, believing that the main problem with Microsoft Project or Microsoft Project Server (or tools like it) is that its not offered on-demand or in a software as a service type model.

Other companies in this category believe that there is room for improvement in a project management software product itself and that the Microsoft Project model is not the end-all/be-all in project management software functionality.

In this camp, you’ll find companies like Vertabase Pro (the company behind this blog).  The idea behind these project management software products is to offer alternatives to Microsoft Project. More recently, these project management solutions are also an alternative to Basecamp and Basecamp like Web 2.0 type project management software or strictly project collaboration products.

In comparing the software in this space, the most obvious difference between MS Project and Vertabase Pro is that the latter are native web-based, offered in a software-as-a-service type model (as well as giving someone the option to install it on their server).  The next difference you’ll see in a comparison of these project management software tools is the range of functionality compared against the level of ease-of-use or ease of adoption they have targeted.  In their flagship project management product eProject seems to have targeted a more complicated, project management theory based type of functionality, which comes at the price of a certain level of ease of use.  Vertabase Pro, on the other hand, has targeted a more practical, real-world level of project management functionality in its project management software, in order to gain usability and ease of adoption. Of course, each company, project management office and user has their own specific needs and should find the project management software tool that offers the right combination for them. But its important to keep in mind that any product in this category will require some degree of training. So make sure to evaluate the training and customer support of any potential project management software provider.

Project planning and project scheduling can be valuable tools in business intelligence (BI) or business performance management (BPM).

On the solutions side, project management software, particularly easier to use online project management software tools can generate powerful business intelligence and process optimization conclusions.

A previous post discussed the three key variables used to set a realistic due-date.

1) A defined process
2) Defined task durations
3) Resource availability/performance

These three keys, along with the due-date itself, are really all variables that can be used to make sophisticated, well-informed business intelligence or project decisions.

You can use any three of these variables to solve for the value of the fourth, like a mathematical equation -project algebra.

Project Plan as Reality Check
In the first case discussed above, we assumed to know the value of all variables, including the due-date, which is the desired outcome. The project plan or schedule in this case was more like a reality check than the solution to a particular problem.

Project Plan to Find a Due-Date
But in other cases, a project manager or team leader may be trying to figure out when a realistic due date is, so they map out the particular tasks or steps that need to be taken, plug in the amount of resources available, plug in the duration each task should take and presto, get a due-date or expected delivery date for the project.

Using a Project Plan for Resource Allocation Decisions
Or, a project manager may be interested in finding out how many people or resources it will take to finish a project by a specific date. In this case, the project manager or planner maps out the steps it takes to complete the project, holds the due-date as fixed, plugs in how long each step or task needs to take to get the project delivered by the defined due-date and therefore figures out how many people they need on each task so that those tasks can be completed in time to meet the due date. Presto -like magic.

Using Planning for Process Improvement
This can even go a step farther, into the realm of process optimization, corporate or process restructuring or overall business performance management and improvement by holding all other performance variables constant and having the process itself be the variable for which the manager is looking to solve.

This is the classic problem faced by competitive business everyday. How can we do what we need to do better?

Sometimes the question is how can we do it with the people/resources available, sometimes the question is how can be do it will less people or different people or faster. But it’s the same equation. The plan, project management, and project management software, can be crucial tools of business intelligence and for improved business decision making and overall business performance management.

A due-date separates a project from a goal.

A goal is something you’d like to accomplish. Once you put a due-date on it, it becomes a proejct. Once you put a due-date on it, you can begin to plan the steps necessary to accomplish that goal.

3 KEYS TO SETTING A DUE DATE
There are three keys to set a realistic due-date:

1) A well-defined process;
2) Clearly understood task durations and;
3) The availability of resources.

A Well-Defined Process
To set a due-date, the process for doing, delivering or accomplishing X needs to be clearly defined and well understood. This process is the framework or map, on which all the other project planning variables hang.

Task Durations
To set a realistic due-date in a planning project or planning process the duration, or length of time it takes to accomplish a particular task needs to be clearly defined and well understood.

Resource Availability
A third key variable in planning a project is that the resources, people power, skills and time will be available to perform the specific tasks needed on the particular days when they are needed.

HOW TO SET A DUE-DATE
These three key assumptions, a well-defined process, clearly understood durations and resource availability/performance, are the underpinnings of a project planning process.

(Not surprisingly, they are also the three key variables that change during a project and which can put a project at risk.)

Project managers, planners or task schedulers can work backward from a due-date. They can say if the project has to be done by X day, that means that these 5 (for example) particular tasks have to be done in a certain order and by such and such a time. Therefore, step 1 has to be done by this date, step 2 by that date, etc..

Alternatively, project managers, planners or schedulers can calculate a due-date by holding some of these variables constant and letting the due-date fall out from there.

For example, if you know you have a specific number of people and therefore a particular task will take X days to complete, you can use duration as your input, lay it out over defined process (which is your task list) and shazaam, out comes your estimated due date.

BENCHMARKS FOR SETTING DUE DATES
It can take a lot of background information and/or experience to know the right parameters to enter for each of these project performance variables. This is where a good project manager shines through. More generally, a large part of core management, planning and overall strategic or business management is about dealing with changes in these three performance variables.

There is a whole body of literature, project management theory and research which discuss these project performance variables, the three keys. This body of project management knowledge covers knowing how to monitor, control and deal with changes in these project performance factors.

There is also extensive research in certain fields and industries on project performance benchmarks for those industries. Unfortunately, though, this project management research is relatively small compared to the different kinds of businesses out there. And even if this body of project management research were larger, its value might be limited since companies and departments often do projects in different ways.

(One of the most researched and benchmarked areas in project management is IT and software development. For example, there are excellent comparisons of the performance of different project management methodologies, project planning approaches, programming languages, etc. on the overall effectiveness, quality and budget costs of software development projects. The U.S. Department of Defense’s Data and Analysis Center for Software (DACS) is a good source of this kind of information and other hard-core software project performance data.)

THE REALITY OF DUE-DATES
Project management theory and research is valuable and in the hand of a skilled practitioner can make a difference in the performance of projects.

But sometimes, even the most educated project management professional can get flustered by the challenges of delivering a project in the real world, particularly in a profit driven, resource constrained, business environment.

The practical art of project management, and management in general, shines through when there are constraints or limits on project performance variables -because you can’t always throw more people on a task (nor is it always a good idea) or you can’t always predict how long a task will take to get done.

Good project management and management in general, is knowing how to handle the curves in the road with finesse, how to manage changes in these key performance variables and still deliver the project (which is not always pretty).

Due-dates are often driven by larger, business goals and customer demands.

But due-dates can also be a helpful tool in project planning and on-going management. They can help project managers understand risks that may jeopardize the success or on-time delivery of their project.