posted
Hiya 'heads, I'm trying to get a better handle on some of the larger projects I'm working on and I'm looking for input on what works for you.
I'm not talking about a client that orders a couple of signs and needs them installed before their store opens. I'm talking about larger scale projects that require hundreds of signs and fixtures that would be installed throughout a campus.
My pain is trying to figure out an easy way to communicate with my clients and show them the progress of their projects via a project timeline. I would also like to be able to show them how delays on their end will effect the project timeline and delay completion of the project.
The current tools I have at my disposal are The Microsoft office suite - Excel, Outlook, etc. Our web site has some advanced features that allow client interaction, but to get it up to where I want it would be rather expensive.
Have any of you used project management software? This is another option I am exploring, but wouldn't even know where to begin because of all the different choices.
Thanks in advance,
Checkers
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
As i'm sure you know, all of these programs are only tools and your project plan and schedules must be constantly reviewed and updated or they are worthless.
Thanks, Steve
-------------------- Steve Racz Racz's Handcarved Signs Posts: 1078 | From: New Jersey | Registered: Jan 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
That's exactly my issue Steve, changes, delays or updates are killing me. Every little change takes too long to update. Right now I am trying to use a dry-erase marker board. My next plan is to switch to magnets or post-it notes. Heck, I might even try slatwall and put everything into grooves that could slide. I like the idea of Microsoft Project. Several others that I've spoke with also said it's good software. I'll also take a look at the link you posted. My ideal is to move to a web based application so our clients can see where we are in a project. More importantly, I need to easily identify milestones that they are responsible for and how delays on their behalf will hold up the project. I attempted to to this with word and excel, but within a week, the plan was already out of date. ed. Thanks,
Checkers
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Yep - you hit the nail on the head Checkers - keeping the darn things up to date is what takes work - it's a moving target - i would give my boss updates in the morning only to find that by lunch much of the info was wrong...
But Microsoft Project will be easier to keep up to date than Word or Excel and it will reflect the changes down the line in the schedule.
I tried various techniques of project management, including creating a Microsoft Access database but that was worse than Microsoft Project to keep up to date.
I never found a system that i was completely happy with.
As far as the web goes, one easy solution is to create a Adobe PDF of your Microsoft Project schedule and post it to your web site whenever appropriate. That way your clients don't have to have Microsoft Project to view it.
Thanks, Steve
-------------------- Steve Racz Racz's Handcarved Signs Posts: 1078 | From: New Jersey | Registered: Jan 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I've used Project Manager, Visio anmd a couplemof other cheaper versions that don't warrant mentioning. PM is the best. I'd use some 24" paper and pen plot your process to display in a prominent place, maybe make a mag or something for common tasks and interchangeble steps. Then you can change individual steps or the process from point A to zzz. Any why is a pain to keep up with.
posted
Hiya Santo, When you say Project Manager, I assume that you mean Microsoft Project? I finally bit the bullet last night and downloaded the trial version. It seems to be exactly what I need it to do, but my bosses supposedly can't justify the $600 cost. In the mean time I have 2 projects worth about $70k that are falling behind. If I was able to easily show how far behind we are and show the client the potential overtime charges they will be paying to get the project back on track, I would not have these issues. I'm going to try to get up to speed and make MS Project work. If it does what I'm lead to beleive, I'll be able to document and justify the expense real quick.
Thanks for the input,
Checkers
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
You could try searching http://www.sourceforge.org Everything I've pulled down from there has been very high quality open source software. The version of Linux Redhat I had installed 12 months ago on a previous machine came with a project planner that I used when opening my current business, it was more than adaquate but I can't remember the name of the it. HTH, David
-------------------- David Fisher D.A. & P.M. Fisher Services Brisbane Australia da_pmf@yahoo.com Trying out a new tag: "Parents are the bones on which children cut their teeth Peter Ustinov Posts: 1450 | From: Brisbane Queensland Australia | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Checkers, project managing software takes time to learn and to setup/update. In my opinion, most jobs are better managed with a good chart drawing program. You know your schedule. The problem is you have to redraw your chart with every change.
If you just need to draw timeline charts, you can use the snap to grid function in CorelDraw or something similar. Once you draw a grid box for the time length of the task, you can line up the tasks in the appropriate order. When a slip occurs, you drag and drop the tasks to the right and add a note as to the cause of the slip.
Just a thought, Vic G
-------------------- Victor Georgiou Danville, CA , USA Posts: 1746 | From: Danville, CA , USA | Registered: Dec 1998
| IP: Logged |
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic