Make sure that you invest in a project management software solution that is the right fit for your organization.
Buying a high end solution like Primavera or Planview is overkill for most small and medium sized organizations. At the same time, it would be inappropriate for a Fortune 500 organization to try to use BaseCamp in its global PMO. Some things to consider:
Make sure the vendor you are purchasing from has the right customer service model for your organization
For example, Basecamp offers only email support. That is great for some tech saavy, self starters, but insufficient for many less experienced teams, or teams that are new to project management. On the other hand, many high end providers, including Microsoft, charge for support on a per hour basis. Yikes! That can really bite into the budget!
Make sure the software you select is scalable
Nothing is worse than underestimating your needs, then having to move from a low end tool to a mid market solution in less than two years. You just finish implementing something simple and you find that you have nowhere to go in terms of robust feature set. The other challenge on this point is that often times, management will not fund the needed solution. They will say you have a system, live with it. The lesser solution turns out to be a 'band aid' that you are not stuck with (or is stuck on you).
Make sure the project solution is customizable
To add to the above point, if you invest in a solution that is WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get), then you won't have the luxury of customizing it for future, unknown needs. Having served the project management software market for over eight years now, I have yet to see any two customers use our software the exact same way. A good plan is to plan for the unknowns (as many of you more experience PMs know!).
Thoughts? Comments?
Cynthia West
Vice President, Project Insight