Rob TaylorIT Director| Sight & Sound Ministries IncRonks, Pa, United States
My team wants to allow multiple users to edit a single Project file simultaneously and I'm not finding a product that allows that. I'm also questioning if it is a good practice or should we reassess our processes / workflow?
I apologize, I should have qualified that we have a 31/2 year build process for our Shows and every item that goes into a Show will be noted and processed within the Project file (literally thousands of line items). We've been using Project locally however are now exploring with MS Project Online. With multiple PM's from different disciplines needing to access the file during the course of the 31/2 year process this is our quandary. I am inclined to believe that we have some work to do around our processes as well as finding the right tool to compliment them.
Looking specifically to see if Project Online is the right tool for us and whether the idea of concurrent access to the 'Master' file is the right way to proceed.
Rob TaylorIT Director| Sight & Sound Ministries IncRonks, Pa, United States
May 09, 2019 11:05 PM
Replying to Keith Novak
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Google Docs will do that. I used it for papers in graduate school. You could actually see that another classmate was working on their part of the project while I was working on my own (reassuring). I have no idea about security for office use however.
Generally, processes are designed around it. It introduces some very fundamental computing challenges such as it's very easy for things to get out of synch and one person can be undoing another person's work if you're not careful. Serial flow is always easier to manage than parallel.
It's less of an issue in an agile environment where you might consider the kinds of errors experienced minor and you can sort them out after you have a useful product. It's the difference between "Get it right the first time." and "Get it running and then we can work out the bugs."
Thanks Keith, philosophically I agree there are things to be addressed. I should have noted that we're looking for a Project Mgmt. specific tool that will allow for thousands of items within a single Project file over the course of a Show build which for us is 3+ years. We have multiple PM's from different disciplines needing access to the file which is our challenge. Saving Changes...
Rob TaylorIT Director| Sight & Sound Ministries IncRonks, Pa, United States
May 10, 2019 11:26 AM
Replying to REINA KALISH
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SharePoint and OneDrive allow simultaneous editing.
Thanks Reina, I should have given more info. We're familiar with these products and use each of them however they would not suffice for the Project Mgmt. we're needing. Saving Changes...
Rob TaylorIT Director| Sight & Sound Ministries IncRonks, Pa, United States
May 10, 2019 9:55 AM
Replying to Colin Kenning
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You asked the question is it good practice? - there are a few points here in relation to PMP framework.
1. Is there an audit trail to show who changed what, when? (depends on the solution)
2. Who is the Responsible and Accountable for the Project document ? (given that they have no real control, and the document while versioned, is never locked unless rights are removed)
If you are running a classic waterfall project these might be important to consider. In an agile or Scrum approach, working software is more important than correct documentation, and the Team is collectively responsible and accountable.
Thanks Colin, I should have noted some of the points I edited in my post. I agree with your approach however it is more process related than merely a solution to fit our current process. Saving Changes...
Rob TaylorIT Director| Sight & Sound Ministries IncRonks, Pa, United States
May 10, 2019 6:20 AM
Replying to Drew Craig
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Office 365 also will allow that. Its a benefit to have the option to collaborate on a single instance of a document; whether simultaneously or via check-out/check-in. Different scenarios will drive different needs.
Andrew thanks, I should have given more context so I edited my post. We're O365 deployed however looking for a very specific PM software and acknowledging that we need to review our current processes also. Saving Changes...
Rob TaylorIT Director| Sight & Sound Ministries IncRonks, Pa, United States
May 10, 2019 8:29 AM
Replying to Kiron Bondale
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Rob -
Confluence is another option which would provide a good basis for establishing a persistent knowledge base vs. a bunch of disparate project documents.
Kiron
Thanks Kiron, we are Confluence users however I realized I needed to give more context so edited my first post. We have a definite need for PM specific software based on number of users and the lengthy process we run. Saving Changes...
Rob TaylorIT Director| Sight & Sound Ministries IncRonks, Pa, United States
May 10, 2019 7:58 AM
Replying to Abolfazl Yousefi Darestani
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Office 365, Google Doc
Thanks Abolfazl, I edited my post to give more context. We are O365 deployed however needing a specific PM software. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
May 10, 2019 5:01 PM
Replying to Rob Taylor
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Thanks Sergio, I'll take a look there. We are a highly creative company so we're not driven by many deep standards unless there is applicable wisdom in doing so. In this instance I believe it to be worth pursuing.
The key success factor to be successful with innovation and creativity is to use standards to not waste time in thinking what it has been proven just for things that are basement, not strategical. Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
It has to do with traceability. When you have simultaneous editing going on at the same time, it becomes difficult to identify the source of the information.
Even when we use OneNote, we usually allow a limited number of updaters. The consumers will have the benefit of their screens updating in real-time. Saving Changes...
