I just took over as an IT Service Manager (it's just our company's way of saving money by not calling us PM's), and here is my challenge. I have IT prof. that go out onsite to customer's and do various installs, audits, etc. I am looking for good solutions to managing all of these so I can keep my team squared away, and efficeint. MS Project really doesn't seem to be the right choice for me, as while it covers the steps, it is a little to granular,and covers just one project at a time.One of my biggest challenges is the Engineers. they need to stay billable, but they need less chaos in thier lives and more cosistency then what they are recieving currently. For now I have constructed a bulletin board, but it can fill fast, (average 2 proj.s per eng. per week, equals about 40 proj.s a month, and I can't take it with me or show anyone outside the office. Is there anyone out there with a similar problem that has found a good solution?? Saving Changes...
Robert, I too am in a similar situation. Basically, as I understand you, you want visibility into resource allocation and utilization across the organization from one place. I am looking at QuickBase and Enterplicity as potential sources of solutions. I too would be grateful for anyone else's suggestions. Saving Changes...
It provides powerful project templates and process templates to kick-off projects with less effort and capture knowledge at project completion, embedded collaboration, supports various SDLC methodologies, finance management, risk management etc
It also has support for CMMI, process automation; process institutionalization is possible.
Take the product tour for more details. Saving Changes...
Sandeep ThoppilChief Technology Officer| CBS BotswanaGaborone, South East, Botswana
Hi Manoj, let me venture into your high level discussion with some small tips. I read the problem you are facing. Why cant you work on Scrum. Hybrid Scrum with your requirement and impose your engineers to fill it up. You review the Sprint updates and base line them to a report on a regular interval.
MS project can serve only as a high level plan in your case, probably u can use it to track overall progress. Take all the tasks defined in the MS project and again divide into sub tasks and make sprint back log. Saving Changes...
Sandeep ThoppilChief Technology Officer| CBS BotswanaGaborone, South East, Botswana
Sorry Robert Douglas, I guess I addressed the wrong person in my last post. Saving Changes...
I too have the same problem as Robert. Does anyone out there have a free tool. My company that I work for is quite tight in money and resources, but would appreciate if anyone has any capacity planning and/or project planning tool I can use to manage billable consultants. If you've got links/downloads or freeware tools or anything its appreciated.
I'm more interested in a capacity planning perspective where you can forecast the number of consultants doing the job for the month/quarter or six months.
Hello, correct me if my suggestion is wrong:
1. use the MS project for each projects.
2. consolidate into one master project, u should be able to link them.
3. use the high level portion of the project only.
4. use the resource sheet and calendar for scheduling/non billing can be done this way as well.
5. use the cost inputs for cost/budget tracking.
6. use the view to know that tasks for this week or next week.
7. extract to excel if needed to incorporate into another report.
8. I don't know if MS project have a limit on data that u need into it, but i think 40 projects is doable.
9. besides, all of them are not at the same time, right? Concurrent, hence one should be closing at point b, while point c will just be starting; hence in the latest version, you will have only the latest and most complete data.
Let me know your thoughts. Saving Changes...
Mark Price PerryBusiness Driven PMO Evangelist| BOT InternationalOrlando, Fl, United States
Dear Robert,
Re your comment: "I have constructed a bulletin board, but it can fill fast, (average 2 proj.s per eng. per week, equals about 40 proj.s a month, and I can't take it with me or show anyone outside the office. Is there anyone out there with a similar problem that has found a good solution?"
It sounds like you have both an application need and a mobility need. Have you considered using a Pocket PC? You can put your BB in Excel and take it with you where ever you go. Or, you can get one of the many Pocket PC project management or task management kinds of tools. They provide basic functionality, are very cheap, and even sync with MS Project. It doesn't sound like your projects are overly complicated in terms of requiring a sophisticated project management application. I suspect that even MS Project is overkill.
Great post and replies. It's a joy to hear of new tools and ideas and to learn from others..!
