Project Management Tools
16 January 2009
The work of evaluating existing internal project management tools is completed in the two steps shown in this diagram:
1. List Tools 2. Evaluate Tools
| n | List tools. In listing the tools, the PMO team makes a comprehensive list of all tools from external sources. | | n | Evaluate tools. Once a tool is listed, it is evaluated by gap analysis. If the tool meets requirements, there is no gap, and the tool is acceptable as-is. If the tool does not meet requirements, then it is classified into one of the three other categories discussed above: needs small changes; needs significant revision; or, must be replaced. The specific work required to make the tool acceptable is also described.
|
Here are the two steps needed to list tools. 1. Identify tools from external sources, such as vendor's tool packages under consideration and sources of free tools. 2. List each tool, giving it a unique identifying number.
Once each tool is listed, it can be evaluated using these four steps: 1. Identify relevant requirements, including all general requirements and applicable specific requirements. 2. Perform a gap analysis. 3. Write work needed to close gaps. 4. Evaluate quantity of work and categorize process by the amount of work to be done.
Here is an example of a gap analysis for some external project management software tools: | Gap Analysis for External Tools2/1/2007 | | ID # | Source(Status) | Name | Requirements | Gaps | Evaluation (Notes) | | MPMM-time-01 | Method123 | Time Management Process | 1. TR-012. TR-023. TR-034. TR-07 – all instructions must be clear and usable | 1. No gap2. No gap3. No gap4. Extensive modification from general guidelines to our specific instructions | Needs significant revision – provide detail to match our organization. (This will be true of all external tools for this process.) | | MPMM-time-02 | Method123 | Timesheet Form | 1. TR-012. TR-023. TR-03 | 1. No gap2. No gap3. No gap | Acceptable as is, just add standard footer | | MPMM-time-03 | Method123 | Timesheet Register | 1. TR-012. TR-023. TR-03 | 1. No gap2. No gap3. No gap | Acceptable as is, (footer already added) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
This evaluation could be part of a process to determine if MPMM™ is the most cost-effective tool available.
Copyright © Method123 Ltd 2000-2012
|
