Project Management Software Discussions

Last time, I wrote about managing teams with mixed generations. And that happens to be what most times are comprised of today. Well, there is another gap to bridge here. It was part of the list of issues that senior staff often had with the newer colleagues and it was about their excessive use of technology. I think you all know what I’m talking about – constantly on their phone, super reliant on Google and often getting sucked into some sort of new gadget or software.

Don’t worry - there are plenty of upsides to having these young, technology lovers on your team. For starters, this generation is already tech savvy. They grew up using computers. So if you need to learn a shortcut, chances are that they’ll know it. Did you purchase new project management software? Sit one of them down, and while some features will require referring to a tutorial or formal training, they’ll get an idea of how to navigate within an hour or so. Another upside is that their comfort with technology sparks creativity in ways to use current software or implement new project software. What they love about software and technology is that it is constantly progressing. This keeps the passion high to constantly learn and try new things.

Of course, there are the downsides. Yes, it would be safe to say that these younger colleagues can be too attached to technology. The thought of leaving their smartphone’s side can give them anxiety and Google is the answer to all of life’s questions. They experience a sense of safety in being constantly connected to the outside world, whether they are in the presence of actual human beings or not. While anyone, regardless of their level of experience can easily get sucked into learning a new application, this younger workforce often forgets the importance of going back to the basics.

So how do you combat those downsides? Well, I’ll gladly admit that I’m not an official expert, but as someone who is part of this younger generation here are a few ideas.

Set clear expectations. What do you expect of them when diving into the technology or project management software? Give them clear deadlines and goals to meet. Without a set timeline, they'll get sucked in and never come out!

Explain the importance of face-to-face meeting. There is a big difference between reducing face to face meeting and eliminating them all together. I admit that I didn’t see why they were so important – but my boss would point out moments when brilliant ideas would come to light because the whole team was together. Small reminders like that have helped me to see why they make a difference and why I can’t always rely on email, phone calls or texts.

Let them share their best practices. Allow them to explain why they like a certain process, or explain how they came up with a new way to use an application. It will give them a sense of ownership and pride. And by opening that door, they will know that it’s only fair that they give senior staff the proper time and respect to hear about their experiences or thoughts on how to approach a project.

Those three things have worked on me – but if there is anything else you’d like to add… then feel free to speak up!

Janelle Abaoag, Project Insight

Most of the time, project teams have people with various levels of experience. Some have been managing projects for decades, some are still getting their feet wet and of course, there’s everyone else in between. But you already knew that. That’s why many organizations find it important to find project management software that has key project management functionality that seasoned project managers can benefit from, yet can still be easily adopted by the rest of the team.

However, I stumbled upon an article in this past issue of PM Network and it addressed mixed teams from a different angle. Aside from different levels of experience in project management, there was the generational gap as well. Some of the issues that older team members found with younger colleagues included poor work ethic, informality, excessive use of technology, need for supervision, etc. These differences often result in the separate generations not wanting to work together.

So what can a project leader do? Manage according the strength of each generation. This may involve communicating project updates or instructions in various modes of communication. But it’s important to reach your team in the way that is most effective. Play off of the each generation’s strengths. Such as giving younger colleagues the opportunity to develop new ideas and test the waters at the beginning of a project, and later on giving older workers the chance to apply their years of experience to refine the project to ensure it is delivered on time. Finding what works for your team like most new processes will require some trial and error, but I believe that in the long run, people from all generations will be work better together and be more proud of the projects delivered.

Janelle Abaoag, Project Insight

One of my favorite things about project management software and technology is the constant growth and progression. The products and software change and evolve at a rapid pace. Consumers constantly want more or wonder what’s coming up next, and the masterminds behind these products are always on their toes in attempt to stay ahead of the curve. In other words, everyone wants the latest and greatest technology and software available. While the ‘latest’ product simply means the last version released…what exactly defines the ‘greatest’? Yes, there is bound to be great arguments on all sides of the spectrum. Each individual and organization varies. Therefore, the goal is the find what software fulfills the need of what the greatest software would be for your team in particular.

I stumbled across an article in PM Network (Feb 2012) about ‘Capabilities vs. Benefits’. After reading over the list of differences, it became clear that both software companies and software buyers can become very feature centric. Think about it…project management software providers are constantly announcing new features, upgrading their interface, etc. These things are at first glance, attention grabbers and spark plenty of interest. While comparing the length and amount of boxes checked off on a list of ‘required features’ may sound logical, you have to ask you self…’how much is that additional feature truly worth?’ How do you measure that? It’s important to not lose sight of what your company goal is when purchasing project management software.

My advice would be to look at a feature and decide whether or not it is ‘non-negotiable’. Your team or company is looking for new project software for a reason- what problems are you aiming to fix? And will this feature contribute to improving the process? Prioritize those benefits to ensure that after implementing new software, your team can look back and know what features contributed to improving the bottom line.

Janelle Abaoag, Project Insight

So you purchase project management software, all the training necessary has happened and everyone is pretty well versed in how they are supposed to use it. It gets even better- people are actually logging into the project management system and updating their tasks, submitting time or whatever makes managing projects easier for the organization. Now what?

Well, nothing is ever really that easy. Challenges always occur, such as changes in internal business processes, new hires having difficulty adopting and much more. So how do you combat those possible challenges?

One way that was brought up during our latest User Group was the idea of holding a ‘Lunch & Learn’ session within the organization. Each month, they host a lunch and team members take turns training the team on a certain process that requires the use of Project Insight. What kind of benefits should you expect?

• Introduction to new short cuts. Overtime, users find their own short cuts and develop their own preferences in regards of how they like to view reports or update projects in the project software.
• Keep the knowledge fresh. Not everyone will do everything in the project management software every day. We acknowledge that some areas of the software will only be used occasionally and team members will not always remember how they did it before. These lunches will give people a chance to keep information fresh and at the top of their mind.
• Software is always changing. Yes, new features and the progression of a product are always great – but new additions can go under the radar. By meeting regularly, features that have been added to improve usability can be presented to everyone else.

Is there anything else that could be added to this list?

Janelle Abaoag, Project Insight

It doesn’t matter what project I’m assigned to or what type of decision is being made. Wondering ‘What would the customer do?’ is normal part of my thought process. With every software update, added webinar series or email sent – that question crosses my mind. At the end of the day, I, myself, am an end user. Not just of project management software, Project Insight – but of all the other applications that I live and breathe in on a daily or weekly basis. Bottom line: your customers’ satisfaction is a top priority. The definition of a customer does not stop at the official decision maker, but it continues onto every end user that logs into the project software. That includes all roles – team members, project managers, schedulers and even executives logging in to view a few reports.

How do I answer that question?

Like I said, I’m an end user myself. I make sure to take note of what changes I absolutely loved and of course, I always make note (and sometimes voice my opinion) when changes are not so smooth.

I’ve written a post about ‘Why User Groups and Conferences are Worth It’ (there was also a part 2 and part 3). And I really can’t stress enough how help those have been. Not just to the team at Project Insight, but everyone who was able to attend discovered something new about the software and ways to improve how they manage projects.

Keeping in touch with all customers – old and new. Your veteran customers will know your software the best. Nurture that relationship, it always pays off in the long run. And for the new customers – well, we all know that implementing new software can be challenging. Being an ever present supporter is something that they won’t forget.

What other ways do YOU answer this question?

Janelle Abaoag, Project Insight

There is always hesitation coming from every direction when it comes to purchasing new software for an organization. It doesn’t matter kind of software it is or even the price. At the end of the day, it’s about what will benefit your department or organization the best. Time and time again, we’ve analyzed and formulated the best ways to implement software to your team. But what about after the official roll out? What about after they’ve attended all the proper trainings…and maybe even some webinars on their own shortly after for a quick refresher?

Aside from outstanding usability and features that make your life easier, I believe that what can set good project software apart is how easy it is to get help after. Aside from Project Insight, our own project management software, I use several different applications on a daily basis. Some required some heavy training, some simply took up a couple hours of an afternoon as I perused the user manual and watched a few videos. But what I noticed after a few months of getting used to newer software was that every now and then, I needed a quick reminder on how to do something or I encountered something unexpected. With that said, finding the ‘help’ section was not always a pleasant experience. Some community or help sections required a separate login, some were completely outdated and some were almost non-existent. Here is a short list of things that I believe make the whole ‘help yourself’ mentality come to life a little better:

- Easily available from EVERY page in the software. No one wants to leave their current page or train of thought.
- One login to access all information. I think we can all agree that we have too many different user names and passwords to remember.
- Current information. I acknowledge that software is constantly changing and being updated. Therefore, so should articles, videos and user manuals.
- Keep it visual. Not everyone can read a manual front to back and not need a screenshot or video to keep it exciting.
- Open up the conversation. It may take some time to get the ball rolling, but allow your customers and users to have a voice. Allow for comments and forums to exist for honest feedback and suggestions- after all, sometimes, customers just want to be heard.

Anything else you’d like to add to this list?

Janelle Abaoag, Project Insight

There are afternoons when I’m scooting along, thinking that I’m really on top of things, and then I see an email pop up that says “Are you finished with _______ yet?” Upon reading this question, I am either:

1. Elated typing “YEP here it is!!!!” and attaching it to the email as fast as I possibly can…OR
   
2. Frantically checking my work and progress to see if I can finish my task within the next hour

An ongoing hurdle is managing my time effectively and prioritizing my growing task list the best I can. Something that I’ve found works for me is looking ahead to see what week is a little busier than most. This way, I can get a jump start on whatever project adds on to my normal workload on weeks that are less hectic. So how do I look ahead and get an accurate view of what’s to come? A huge strength that I believe Project Insight has is the resource allocation reporting. And as an everyday user, a small thing that I find to be rather delightful is the ‘My Allocation’ view.

From the My Allocation section, I can see what my workload looks like for the upcoming week, month or whatever I’d like to see. Not only can I see how many hours of work I have assigned to me for the time period selected, but I can drill down deeper to see what projects and tasks I will be focusing on. Don’t get me wrong, being able to see WHY I have 10 hours of work assigned to me on one day is really important. But I think my favorite part about this section is being able to choose the time frame.  This is because every person has their preference and everyone organization has their process – it’s always a little different. Having a project management software that is flexible in regards to being able to customize it to the way you would prefer goes beyond the system administrators and project managers…it’s for us every day, normal team members too!

Janelle Abaoag, Project Insight

Accurately tracking time against projects and tasks is a common challenge that organizations encounter. Finding project management software that has the ability to track time and generate reports to view time logged against particular projects and tasks the way you would prefer is a hurdle in itself. However, getting team members to actual input their time is half the battle.

I’ll even let you in on a little secret. As a team member over here at Project Insight, entering my time and submitting it in a timely manner was not an easy thing for me to adapt! Implementing any type of software has its challenges, and this one was my personal challenge. I can’t exactly put my finger on why I was (or still am sometimes) so terrible about it. It could be several things: lack of motivation, not liking the idea of stopping to update something every fifteen minutes or so, etc. So how did I beat the Time Entry Blues?

My projects are comprised of several small tasks that vary in length. Some will require fifteen minutes, and others take up to 20 hours over a month period of time. I have learned to rely heavily on using my Project Insight portal page. I’ve customized it to show only what I need to see- too much information can be overwhelming. Simplicity is the key to keeping focus on what is important.

While I am already promoting simplicity – here was a simple fix: setting weekly appointment on my calendar to submit my time. Sometimes, going back to the basics is exactly what you need.

Ask your boss why you need to do it. Besides the importance of accounting for your time and assuring that you’re doing what needs to be done…there is a reason. Having a thorough understanding of why is enough to be motivating in many situations. Are you being overloaded with too much work? Are you tasks or projects being underestimated in regards to how long it will take you? The questions are endless, and being able to track this information will provide you and your team with some answers. The result?  Hopefully a more manageable workload and enjoyable and less stressful day at the office.

Janelle Abaoag, Project Insight

It’s a new year in the offices of Project Insight and what better way to kick of the year than with brand new projects???  Yes, internally, we use our very own project and portfolio management software to manage the several projects we have going on throughout the year. Of course, like any other organization, we have unique projects that we take on a case by case basis. However, we have projects that continue throughout the duration of the year that require the use of recurring tasks or tasks that last up to weeks.

Without the ability to see the current status of a task or last comment made in the project management software, then I would be encountering a flood of hourly (not daily) emails and several face-to-face meetings each week! Just the thought of having to track down the other resource put on a task, or constantly checking in with my boss to see if something has been officially approved stresses me out- and that’s just from my point of view.

Most of my tasks are ‘recurring’ and part of year-long projects. The Project Insight Portal page and calendar view are what I live and breathe in to keep all of my tasks and projects in order. I can easily click on a task from my customized portal page to enter time, or quickly glance at my calendar to get a quick overview of what I have coming up. I think the main thing that has made this all extra easy for me is having the options to show what I want to see. I hear and read about how important flexibility in project management software is. However, I don’t think I really understood the exactly what they meant until my workload grew and filtering the information visible to me became a lifesaver. Just because I see less doesn’t mean that I can manage my work less efficiently. In fact, I think it increases my efficiency because the information that matters to me is all I see – no need to search or scan the screen. Sure, maybe I shaved a good minute or two off and those sound small, but trust me, it all adds up!

Janelle Abaoag, Project Insight

This past week was the re-launch of our project management webinars! I’ve been so lucky to have been working with such awesome partners for the past few years in putting these together. Over that time, I’ve seen the popularity of webinars increase dramatically. And the team here, at Project Insight was completely on board. Since then, we’ve managed to grow the amount of webinar series presented and more importantly- expanded the topics to beyond what may interest only project managers.

First, we covered the ‘PM Basics’ – or the fundamentals of what project management was. The goal is for anyone that uses project management software, to see a great benefit in taking the time to configure any settings and get to know a new product. But the quick realization that team members that are not project managers were also using our software. This forced us to think a little further outside the box a little. Portfolio and project management applies to several areas of an organization and each resource plays their own part. So the thought was, why not extend the training out to everyone else?

After that, the ‘project management’ webinars began to address leadership and communicating in the workplace as well. Both of those things are topics that anyone in a company can find useful and improve from learning. What’s even better is seeing the audience expand beyond only the project managers. I guess my boss has been right all along…project management is cool and whether you are formally called a ‘project manager’ or not – managing projects is something everyone does at some point in time.

Janelle Abaoag, Project Insight

This past week, I ventured off to Colorado to run a Project Insight Denver Users Group. It was a huge success and while I’ve already given my two cents on the importance of user groups, I’ve realized another reason why they are important during my flight back home. If you think I’m going to write about how it’s an excellent way to get your customers to tell you about how much the love managing their projects in your software or give you frank feedback on the latest additions – you’re wrong. And if you think maybe I’m going to elaborate on the topic of how finally being face-to-face with people you email or call on a regular basis does wonders for your relationship (which it really does), once again – you’re wrong. So then what exactly did my epiphany consist of?

The most genius and inventive ways of managing projects and collaborating using Project Insight come from the customers. I walk into these user groups excited for the different organizations to learn from each other and share ideas. But I realized that just because the team here develops the software and even manages every single project within it too – it doesn’t mean that we know it all! Here, at Project Insight, we work with companies of every type and each one manages projects in their own way. After simply listening in on the various types of projects, I was most interested in learning about how the software is used to prevent mission critical mistakes that could be extremely costly, or how truly effective managing resources schedules can be. Nothing makes me happier than knowing that our project software has made project management (and business life in general) something more enjoyable in the long run.

Janelle Abaoag, Project Insight

I recently posted about mobile technology and what it may mean for the future of project management software. I began to build a short list of what I think might change, but then I got thinking a little further. Bottom line, I believe that mobile technology will increase the amount of people that will interact with the project software. That notion of course, is great! The more people that participate in managing schedules, updating tasks or entering time will capture more information and in time lead to improved processes. However, while implementing new software out to more people has plenty of upsides, there will be just as many challenges along the way.

When I refer to mobile technology, I am referring to everyone within an organization or in a particular department having uniform mobile technology hardware and software. This way, they would all be accessing the same information in the same way on the same device.

Therefore, before you even get started…some concerns would include the following:

•  Determining which device works best for your team. Take into account functionality…where will they be taking it and how easy to use is it?
• Set a goal. Why even take the step to go mobile for your team? What would you like to accomplish as a whole by taking this next step? 
• Train your team. Sure, a lot of us are rather tech savvy and thoroughly enjoy new toys to become familiar with. But you want everyone to be using the software and technology in the same manner. It will take time for everyone to get used to – and we are all a little different.
  
• Separating business from personal fun. With the internet accessible from almost anywhere on mobile devices, how do you ensure that it is being used for the correct purpose? Or what type of restrictions would you apply to your program? Once again, this is probably something you would tailor to your team – but it is definitely worth thinking about.

Janelle Abaoag, Project Insight

As if technology doesn’t evolve at a fast enough speed, I plan on discussing the progression of project management software for the up and coming. And by ‘up and coming’, I mean the next generation of people who will be managing and leading projects to help their companies move forward. I came into the project management (and software) world about three years ago and the change I’ve witnessed is hard to miss!

Of course, the important stuff, such as the back bone of what makes software functional and meet the requirements of the team that will be using it will always be a top priority.

Does it track time and expense? What about planned vs. actual costs? Or proposed costs? What kind of reports can I make?

Those questions will always be huge factors in finding the right project software for your team. One of my favorite things about software is that it’s never truly ‘complete’. It’s a product that will always change and improve as time passes. Features will be added (or removed) and it will change visually in many ways. Believe it or not – it can be exciting stuff! Once upon a time, I wrote a blog about project management and social media. At that point in time, I was pretty split in half. I could definitely see the pros and cons for integrating a more social media-like feel to project management software.

However, as I get ‘older’ and I see friends that I grew up with moving up into leadership roles, I can’t help but wonder - what will matter to us when we look for software? Sure, people can scoff at the scrolling and constant newsfeed in Facebook, but that’s what our future project managers might be used to. In other words, it’s what they will prefer. Maybe not everyone wants to see pictures of everyone who is currently updating tasks or projects at this point in time, but what if the next set of leaders want to see that in their software? For example, right now having a tabbed menu bar (i.e. Microsoft Office) seems to work and be popular. Who knows, that might change and navigating strictly from a side menu will be the top pick.

I’m not saying that everyone should switch up their roadmap and incorporate social media features into the near future. But I am saying that it is worth a second thought.

What do you think?

Janelle Abaoag, Project Insight

Last week some of us over here at Project Insight attended the Southland Technology Conference in Long Beach, CA. This was without a doubt one of their biggest turn outs and with the excellent line up of keynote speakers and great topics for the breakout sessions, I would expect nothing less. Usually, I am busy tending to our table, meeting with customers, various webinar attendees and anyone who would like to learn more about our project management software.

However, this time around I was lucky enough to attend some of the sessions and take home some ideas to mull over.  A topic that caught my attention was mobile technology and luckily, it was covered rather extensively. The growing marketing for all things mobile cannot be missed. It’s everywhere. Almost everyone has smartphone with access to email and the internet.

So what does that mean for project management software? 

It means that the use of online project software has gone beyond simply being accessed at a desk through a web browser on a desktop or laptop computer. Thanks to advanced mobile technology, a team member does not have to wait until they are back at their desk to update tasks and manage projects. They can simply whip out their smart phone and do it all from there. Real-time data just acquired the ability to be even MORE ‘real-time’.

It means that it’s no longer just for organizations with teams located across the globe. Actually, it’s not even just for teams that have people working in different offices in the same state. The invitation to manage and update tasks, enter time and more can now be extended to those that spend more days out on the field, another job site or while traveling. Basically, project software can now be rolled out to more people.

It means by that developing for usability goes beyond ‘how many mouse-clicks’ and navigation on a monitor. This one might be a stretch. But as a smartphone addict, I have to stand by it. As if it’s not difficult enough to develop something that is easy to use and get the hang of, now I tack this task on! But as a software lover (and occasional tester), I can be opinionated when it comes to usability. The way a person navigates on a smartphone is a LOT different than the way they navigate on a computer screen. Therefore, what is intuitive when using a mouse usually is NOT when using your thumb on a touch screen.

The list can go on…care to add anything?

Janelle Abaoag, Project Insight

In the previous post, I talked about how companies that are still in the process of building a project management cycle can benefit greatly from attending a user group or conference. These can serve as a place for the organization to learn more about project management in general, or as a place to find some ideas on to take back and apply internally. So onto the next…

#2 You probably don’t use every feature made available

Yep, it’s true. Who knows if using every single feature is even necessary? But there is also a high probability that there is a currently unknown feature to your team that would be extremely helpful! When searching for project management software, most teams have already mapped out what they need. In other words, a list of requirements to ensure that they purchase software that can meet all of their criteria. What often slips one’s mind would be the room for progression in an organization’s project management process. That’s where the idea of collaborating on ways to manage projects will come in handy.

A simple example could include an organization being interested in learning more about using resource allocation to manage the growing number of employees, and maybe a new report will help executives in the long run. Any other examples you would like to add?

Janelle Abaoag, Project Insight