PROJECT MANAGEMENT

SOFTWARES
Project management software is a term covering many
types of software, including scheduling, cost control and budget
management, resource allocation, collaboration software,
communication, quality management and documentation or
administration systems, which are used to deal with the complexity of
large projects.

TASKS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

1. Scheduling:
One of the most common tasks is to schedule a
series of events, and the complexity of this task can vary considerably
depending on how the tool is used. Some common challenges include:
Events which depend on one another in different ways or
dependencies
Scheduling people to work on, and resources required by, the
various tasks commonly termed resource scheduling.
Dealing with uncertainties in the estimates of the duration of
each task
Arranging tasks to meet various deadlines
Juggling multiple projects simultaneously to meet a variety of
requirements

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2. Calculating critical path:

In many complex schedules, there
will be a critical path, or series of events that depend on each other,
and whose durations directly determine the length of the whole
project (see also critical chain). Some software applications (for
example, Dependency Structure Matrix solutions) can highlight these
tasks, which are often a good candidate for any optimization effort.

3. Providing information:
Project planning software needs to
provide a lot of information to various people, to justify the time
spent using it. Typical requirements might include:
Tasks lists for people, and allocation schedules for resources
Overview information on how long tasks will take to complete
Early warning of any risks to the project
Information on workload, for planning holidays
Evidence
Historical information on how projects have progressed, and in
particular, how actual and planned performances are related.
4. Error detection:
Critical path programs vary wisely in their
capability to detect and diagnose network errors and inconsistencies
such as loops, non-unique activities, improper time estimates, and
excessive terminal events. Programs for the updating functions also
differ in error detection and treatment.

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5. Report generator:
Although most programs provide their
output in certain fixed format, at least a few programs permit a high
level of flexibility in format. By means of report generator routines,
the user may select the information which he wishes and may specify
the columnar sequence of the field.
6. Updating facility:
The earliest critical path programs did not
provide for network updating by exception. Now, almost all the
popular programs provide for updating. This feature is not only more
convenient and economical, but it facilities accuracy in
determining .he updated status of the complex project.
7. Graphical output:
The higher the level of management the
greater is the demand to see the charts rather than tabulated data.
Some critical path programs include routines that prepare bar charts
of selected activities, "drawings" the bars on the time-scale by
reception of some characters. Other programs w i l l plot graphs of the
distributions of their sources. Very few programs will generate
network diagrams directly from the computers.
8. Resource allocation:
Project manager must be concerned
with proper utilization of men, equipment and facilities to avoid
overloads and idle periods that cause delay. New computer programs
have been written which schedules the unavailable resources to avoid
over loads and minimize delays.

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ADVANTAGES OF COMPUTER SCHEDULING

The most obvious advantages to be derived from the user of a
computer lies in the ability of the machine to process large volumes of
data with low risk or error and in short space of time. These
characteristics enable a planner to produce his schedule with an aped
and accuracy, which should otherwise be impossible. If a change in
project circumstances is foreseen, then it is only computer and a new
revised schedule can be calculated with in a few hours. Normal and
mutual processes could not hope to complete with the speed of the
machine. Computer programs assistants will soon become ubiquitous
in virtually all project management organizations. The challenge for
managers is to use the new tools in an effective fashion. Computer
intensive work environments should be structured to aid and to amplify
the capabilities of managers rather than to divert attention from real
problems such as worker motivation.

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APPROACHES TO PROJECT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

1. Desktop:
Project management software can be implemented as
a program that runs on the desktop of each user. This typically gives
the most responsive and graphically-intense style of interface.
Desktop applications typically store their data in a file, although
some have the ability to collaborate with other users (see below), or to
store their data in a central database. Even a file-based project plan
can be shared between users if it's on a networked drive, and no two
people want to access it at once.
Desktop applications can be written to run in a heterogeneous
environment of multiple operating systems, although it's unusual.
2. Web-based:
Project management software can be implemented
as a Web application, accessed through an intranet or extranet using
a web browser.
This has all the usual advantages and disadvantages of web
applications:
Can be accessed from any type of computer without installing
software
Ease of access-control
Naturally multi-user
Only one software version and installation to maintain
Typically slower to respond than desktop applications
More limited graphical capability than desktop applications
Project information not available when the user (or server) is
offline.
Some packages do allow the user to "go-offline"
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3. Personal:
A personal project management application is one
used at home, typically to manage a lifestyle or home projects. There
is considerable overlap with single user systems, although personal
project management software typically involves simpler interfaces.

4. Single User:
A single-user system is programmed
with the assumption that only one person will ever need to edit the
project plan at once. This may be used in small companies, or ones
where only a few people are involved in top-down project planning.
Desktop applications generally fall into this category
5. Collaborative:
A collaborative system is designed to support
multiple users modifying different sections of the plan at once, for
example, updating the areas they personally are responsible for such
that those estimates get integrated into the overall plan. Web-based
tools, including extranets, generally fall into this category, but have
the limitation that they can only be used when the user has live
Internet access. To address this limitation, client-server-based
software tools exist that provide a Rich Client that runs on users'
desktop computer and replicate project and task information to other
project team members through a central server when users connect
periodically to the network and other tasks.

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6. Integrated :
An integrated system combines project management
or project planning, with many other aspects of company life. For
example, projects can have bug tracking issues assigned to each
project, the list of project customers becomes a customer relationship
management module, and each person on the project plan has their
own task lists, calendars, and messaging functionality associated with
their projects.
Similarly, specialized tools like Source Forge integrate project
management software with source control (CVS) software and bugtracking software, so that each piece of information can be integrated
into the same system

CRITICISMS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

The following may apply in general, or only to specific products:

May not be derived from a sound project management method.
For example, displaying the Gantt chart view by default
encourages users to focus on task scheduling too early, rather
than identifying objectives and deliverables.
Focuses primarily on the planning phase and does not offer
enough functionality for project tracking, control and in
particular plan-adjustment.
Does not make a clear distinction between the planning phase
and post planning phase, leading to user confusion and
frustration when the software does not behave as expected. For
example, shortening the duration of a task when an additional
human resource is assigned to it while the project is still being
planned.

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Offer complicated features to meet the needs of project

management professionals, which must be understood in order

to effectively use the product. Additional features may be so

complicated as to be of no use to anyone. Complex task
prioritization and resource leveling algorithms for example can
produce results that make no intuitive sense, and over
allocation is often more simply resolved manually.

Some people may achieve better results using simpler

technique, (e.g. pen and paper), yet feel pressured into using
project management software by company policy (discussion).
Similar to PowerPoint, project management software might
shield the manager from important interpersonal contact.
New types of software are challenging the traditional definition
of Project Management. Frequently, users of project
management software are not actually managing a discrete
project. For instance, managing the ongoing marketing for an
already-released product is not a "project" in the traditional
sense of the term; it does not involve management of discrete
resources working on a something with a discrete
beginning/end. Groupware applications now add "project
management" features that directly support this type of
workflow-oriented project management. Classically-trained
Project Managers may argue whether this is "sound project
management." However, the end-users of such tools will refer to
it as such, and the de-facto definition of the term Project
Management may change.
When there are multiple larger projects, Project Management
Software can be very useful. Nevertheless you probably should
not use Management Software if you run a single small project,
as Management Software will take too much time.

SELECTING PROJECT
MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE
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Selecting project management software is a challenge due to:

The existence of a large range of software and
Very little independent information available about many
of the packages.
There are usually fewer problems when selecting planning and
scheduling software, as only a small number of packages have
achieved good market penetration in Pakistan and much known
about them.
Other types of softwares (such as Take-off, Estimating,
Document Management/Control and Cost Control software) selection
is a different issue, and there is quite a lot around and not much
information about them.
The selection process:
Main principals of this system are:
_ Avoid spending hours creating a massive software
specification (as if you were going to develop and write your own
software system). Instead, keep the specification as a simple checklist
of features that you are looking for.
_ Minimize the time that it takes the software vendors to
understand your requirements by developing a simple specification.
This assists the vendor in establishing if it has a product that may be
useful to you.
_ Arrive at a full short list of software products. There are a
number of methods to find out what software is available on the
market. I often find companies do not get a full list of software that
may suit their needs. Make sure you are confident that you have
explored all the possible options before you start short listing
vendors.
INTRODUCTION TO PRIMAVERA PROJECT PLANNER
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Major Features of Primavera Project Planner (P3).

Primavera Project Planner is Computer Software used to
schedule construction projects in a better way. Its major features are:
Types of Activities.

P3 provides several types of activities, each modeling a different set

of circumstances in a project. For some types of activities, we enter
duration; for other types of activities, P3 calculates duration.
Task Activity.
P3 schedules a task activity according to the base calendar
assigned to the activity. We designate an activity as a task activity if
we are not assigning resources to the activity, or if the assigned
resources should be scheduled according to, the activities base
calendar; rather than each resource calendar.
Independent Activity.
We designate an activity as independent if we plan to use
resource calendars and driving resources. In an independent activity,
resources work according to their own resource calendars, and for
their own durations. P3 schedules an independent activity according
to predecessor logic and the times its driving resources are scheduled
to work.

Meeting Activity.

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Meeting activities require that all resources work together

simultaneously as a team to complete the work. They are useful for
scheduling meetings and any activities where resources cannot work
independently.
Milestone or Flag Activity.
We use milestones to indicate the beginning or end of a
major event or phase, or any other important point in your project.
Use flags to signal the start or finish of an activity or group of
activities. Milestones and flags have no original or remaining
duration. You must assign actual dates to milestones. P3 schedules
milestones and flags according to the activities base calendar. In the
Bar chart view, milestones appear as diamonds in the Bar area, and
flags appear as flags. In the PERT view, start and finish milestones
and flags are represented by an activity with only one end, depending
if the activity is a start or finish milestone or flag.
Relationships.
A Critical Relationship is any relationship that
connects two critical activities. A delay in a critical relationship can
delay the project. P3 high lights critical activities in red. We can
change the critical color of bars.
A Driving Relationship exists between two activities when
the start or completion of the predecessor activity determines the
early dates for the successor activity.
A Nail-Driving relationship exists when a predecessor
activity does not drive the start or finish of the successor activity.
CONSTRAINTS.
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A constraint is a restriction imposed on the start or finish

of an activity or project. Use constraints to account for external
conditions or to more accurately reflect project requirements.
For example, use constraints to restrict or distribute
float to critical segments, control stand-alone activities in a network,
smooth resource usage, or eliminate resource conflicts.P3 identifies a
date constraint by displaying an asterisk (*) next to the date in the
Activity columns. If the constraint is an expected finish constraint, P3
displays an asterisk next to the original and remaining durations. The
schedule dates, however, do not reflect the constraint date until we
schedule the project.
Types of constraint are:

Early start.
Early finish.
Late start.
Late finish.
Start on.
Expected finish.
Mandatory.
Zero total float.
Zero free float.

Constraint Limitations:
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An activity can have a maximum of one early date

constraint, one late date constraint, and one duration or float
constraint. If we assign constraints to milestones, we can assign only
certain types of constraints to each type of milestone.
For example, apply a start constraint only to a start milestone
and a finish constraint only to a finish milestone. On the other hand,
assign zero free floats and zero total float constraints to milestones.
Constraints cannot be assigned to flag activities.
Target Plans
A target is a project plan that we can compare to the
current schedule to measure progress. The simplest target plan is a
complete copy of the original schedule. As the project progresses, we
can use the target as a benchmark or baseline for comparing the
target dates, resources, and costs to those for the current schedule.
We can also create another plan (Target 2) to compare performance
against the current schedule after each update period. Once the
project begins, progress is recorded by updating the schedule and
actual costs at regular intervals. Record of progress is direct in P3.
The target budget is used to calculate earned value and to
help plan the additional resources and funding to complete the job.
After updating a project, we can quickly evaluate progress
and performance on screen. Use a layout that shows current and
target bars to identify tasks that start or finish later than planned. For
detailed reporting, create schedule and activity matrix reports and
resource and cost graphics, Run the earned value report to analyze
cost and schedule variance.
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Work Break Down Structure (WBS) Codes

One way to build a project is to outline it based on a
hierarchy of project components called a work breakdown structure
(WBS). To use this approach, we start with the overall project goal
and divide the work into work packages, and then by activities within
each work package. Once we define the WBS, we can group activities
by WBS code or outline activities by WBS levels.
Activity Codes.
New projects contain a predefined set of activity codes.
We can enter values for these codes, change them, or delete them. We
can define activity codes and values or create our own set of standard
activity codes for all projects. Code activity IDs to expand sorting
capabilities.
Once we assign activity code values to activities, we can
organize the Bar chart or PERT view by any activity code. We can also
highlight bars by code to emphasize specific activity groups.
Activity and Resource Calendars.
P3 provides base calendars, resource calendars, and a
global calendar. Each project has a global calendar and at least one
base calendar named calendar 1. The global calendar enables to
specify non-work periods, exceptions to non-work periods, and
holidays for the entire project and all its resources.
Each resource has a calendar that defines when the
resource is available without regard to the quantity of the resource.
We can use resource calendars to indicate personnel information,
such as vacations, and equipment information, such as lease dates.
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Calendar I is the default base calendar to which P3 assigns

all activities and resources unless we add other calendars and
specifically assign activities or resources to them.
Major Features of Microsoft Project
A successful project has four phases and the project plan at its heart:

Define the project.

Build the plan.
Track and manage the project.
Close the project.

To manage the project by using Microsoft Project, one should proceed

as follows:
Define The Project.
You can't hit the target if you can not define it. So, identify
the objective. The objective should be measurable. Define a definite
end to the project, and include any assumption about and constraints
on the project.
To prevent problems later, be sure everyone affected
agrees lo your definition of the objective.

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Build The Plan.

Once you know where your project is going, you need to
figure out the best way to get there. To do that, you will gather project
information such as a list of the tasks that need to be done and
estimates for how long each task will take. Then, you will enter
Microsoft Project. As you enter information, Microsoft Project creates
a plan for getting your project done.

Working From The Project Plan

The project plan is the heart of your project, ft in an
online model that tells what is going to be done, by whom, and when.
Probably the most important part of the plan is the project's schedule,
which includes the dates when each task will start and finish, how
long each task will take, and the length and finish date of the project
as a whole. The project plan may also include information about costs
and about the use of project resources.
Enter Project Start Date
The project start date is the earliest date that any work
can begin on your project. When you initially enter tasks, Microsoft
Project schedules each task to begin on the project's start date. Later,
you indicate whether the task must start later than that date.

List Important Tasks

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Generally, a task should be less than 2 weeks in length. It

should large enough to be a significant chunk of work, but small
enough that you can track its progress regularly and identify
problems early. Enter tasks the approximate order that you expect to
do them.
Enter Time Limitations
For each task, you will need to estimate how long the task
will take to complete. This estimate is entered as the task's duration.
Accurate durations are the backbone of your schedule. So it is usually
best to have to person who will actually do the work provide the
estimate.

Assign Resources
You tell Microsoft Project which resources will work on
each task. A resource can be single person or piece of equipment, or it
can represent a set of people or equipment.
You don't have to assign resources in Microsoft Project,
but your project plan will be far more accurate if you do. Microsoft
Project factors resources into the schedule and provides information
to help you better manage them, such as whether they will have to
work overtime and how much each resource has cost you to date.

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Track And Manage The Project

Once your project starts, Its up lo your team to execute
the plan. Nevertheless, you will need to keep close tabs on their
progress, because you will undoubtedly encounter problems you
didn't expect.
By keeping Microsoft Project up to date, you can see the
latest status of the project and identify and resolve problems early on
that might affect your projects success.
Set A Base Line
Once you complete the initial process of creating a plan,
entering tasks, establishing dependencies, assigning resources, and
fine-tuning your schedule, you are ready to set a baseline plan. By
comparing the information in your baseline plan to your updated
schedule during the course of the project, you can identify and solve
discrepancies. After the project ends, you can use the baseline plan to
schedule similar, future projects more accurately.
Every project is a learning experience. To make the most
of your experience, create a baseline plans that represents your
expectations for the project. The, if you track actual progress in
Microsoft Project, you can use the baseline to compare your original
plan for the project with the actual course of the project. You can see
which tasks started earlier or later than planned, exceeded their
original budget, take longer than planned and so on. You may be able
to use this information to prevent problems on future projects Find
make better time and budget estimates.

Adjust The Plan

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As you update your project plan, you may uncover

problems, some of which may threaten your project's success. For
example, if a critical path task finished late, the schedule may show
that the project will finish late. You will need to adjust the plan lo
solve the problems that arise.
Close The Project
Planning and managing project is a learning experience.
No. matter how well you planned at the beginning, by the end of your
project, you will find your plan has changed from the original version.
To make the most of your experience, use the information you have
kept in Microsoft Project to compare your original project plan with
the way the project actually progressed.
The Process of MS. Project
One may require some more information about Microsoft Project such
as,
"How does MS Project create schedule?" and
"How do I display project information?" etc.
How does the MS. Project creates the schedule?
Task Start As Soon As Possible
Usually, Microsoft Project calculates the date when each
task will start, scheduling tasks as close to the project's start date as
possible. Some of the factors that influence when a task can start
include: Dependencies, such as the task cannot start until another
task finishes. Constraints you have placed on the task, such as

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requiring that it start on or before a specific date, days when work is

not done at your organization, such as weekends.
MS Project Calculates Durations
Microsoft Project calculates task durations with the formula durationwork/resources, where:
Duration is the actual amount of time to task completion.
Work is the effort required to o the task.
Resources are the number and allocation of labour/equipment to the
task.
Initially, you estimate a task's duration. Microsoft Project
then adjusts it based on the resources assigned and the work they are
doing. For example, if you change the two full-time people assigned to
a 2-day task so they work only half time, Microsoft Project changes
the task's duration to 4 days.

Critical Path Determines Project Duration

The critical path is a series of dependent tasks that must
be done on time for the project to finish on time. The critical path
determines the length of your project and when it will finish. If any
task on the critical path is delayed or takes longer than expected, it
will delay [he project's finish date. Shortening or eliminating tasks on
the critical path can make your project finish sooner

Soft wares Used for Project Planning.

The following soft wares are available for project planning and
evaluation.
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 4C for Windows
Artemis Prestige
CASCADE
Innate
KERNEL-PMS
Microsoft Project
Open Plan Professional
Panorama Planner
PMW
Power Project
PRIMAVERA
-

P3 Primavera Project Planner

Sure Track

Expedition

Project/2
Project Scheduler 6 for Windows
Normally in Pakistans Industries P3 and MS project are used.
Primavera is
user defined software, which gives full control of
Management and Planning of a project in the hand of a Planning Engineer.
Thus enabling the Planning Engineer to exercise his, full command,
knowledge, expertise, and field data to manage the project. Furthermore here
we present a comprehensive comparison showing the credibility of
Primavera Project Planner over MS Project Planner. This shall give you
knowledge of how the two work in managing a project.
Personally, we recommend Primavera Project Planner as it gives more
options to the user and is data base type software with Multilanguage
support. It has the capability to handle large projects with no difficulty and
has an easy and encouraging aspect.
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Comparison between Primavera & MS

Project
Sr.
No.

PRIMAVERA

MS PROJECT

Strong multiple Project support.

Weak support.

Activity Code System.

Descriptive system.

Organization of activities like activity codes Support up to three

and WBS has infinite capability.
stages only.

Printing of colorful reports for presentation No such option.

purposes.

Multiple users support.

No such option.

Network and user ID option.

No such option.

Tracing of project from different Very less option

presentation like BAR CHART, PERT, presentation.
HISTOGRAM views.

Histogram can show cumulative resources No such option.

in different color codes.

Multinational reporting capability

of

No such option.

(26 languages)
10

Much more efficient for large Projects.

Ideal for Small Projects.

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