Solutions Manual for Successful Project Management 7th Edition Gido 9781337095471

APPENDIX A: PROJECT MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS



Appendix A: Project Management Information Systems


APPENDIX A: PROJECT MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS................1
Appendix Concepts......................................................................................................................... 2
Teaching Strategies........................................................................................................................ 2
Lecture Notes.................................................................................................................................. 2
1. Project Management Information System Features.................................................................2
1. Budgeting and Cost Management...................................................................................2
2. Communications.............................................................................................................. 2
3. Documentation Management.......................................................................................... 3
4. Integration and Customization......................................................................................... 3
5. Online Tutorials............................................................................................................... 3
6. Project Planning.............................................................................................................. 3
7. Project Portfolio Management......................................................................................... 4
8. Project Tracking and Control........................................................................................... 4
9. Report Generation........................................................................................................... 4
10. Resource Management............................................................................................... 5
11. Risk Management....................................................................................................... 5
12. Sales and Business Development...............................................................................5
13. Security and Access Controls......................................................................................5
2. Criteria for Selecting Project Management Information Systems............................................5
3. Advantages of Using Project Management Information Systems............................................6
4. Concerns about Using Project Management Information Systems.........................................7
5. Project Management Information Systems Vendors................................................................7
6. Summary................................................................................................................................. 7
Questions.................................................................................................................................... 8
Internet Exercises........................................................................................................................ 9
Optional Supplemental Activities............................................................................................... 10




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, APPENDIX A: PROJECT MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS




Appendix Concepts
Numerous project management information systems (PMISs) are available that help the user to
plan, track, and manage their projects. In recent years, PMISs have become very easy to use
and often can be customized to fit the needs of the user. A PMIS provides a powerful suite of
Web-based tools to support many of the topics covered in this text.

This appendix provides
0 A discussion of the common features available in most PMISs
1 Criteria for selecting a PMIS
2 A discussion of some advantages of using a PMIS
3 A discussion of some concerns about using a PMIS
4 A discussion of how to find vendors offering PMISs

Teaching Strategies
5 Project management information systems range for simple tracking software to complex
integrated systems. The systems have common features. Have students evaluate the
common features and determine what features are most appropriate for their project
situations.
6 Display several project management information systems to the class. Have the class
suggest industries or project types that could use the systems.

Lecture Notes
1. Project Management Information System Features
Some features of project management information systems include:
1. Budgeting and Cost Management
One of the most important features that a project management information system provides is
the ability to effectively plan and manage the costs of projects. Features often include:
7 Billing and billing methods
8 Cost-to-completion tracking
9 Earned value management
10 Multiple currency
11 Payroll integration
12 Percent-to-complete tracking
13 Project accounting and cost control
14 Project cost estimating
15 Time and expense reporting

2. Communications
The communication features of project management information systems have come a long
way. Most systems provide a suite of tools such as those noted below.
16 Automatic e-mail notifications
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, APPENDIX A: PROJECT MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS



17 Collaboration management
18 Customer collaboration
19 Discussion forums
20 Email integration
21 File attachments
22 Instant messaging and text messaging
23 International characters
24 Message center
25 Mobile access
26 Multiple languages
27 Online meetings

3. Documentation Management
One of the most important features of project management information systems is the ability to
document a project from beginning to end. The following is a list of some features that are
available to help.
28 Approval process and routing
29 Change order management
30 Contract management and automation
31 Meeting management and action items
32 Project charter information
33 Requirements management
34 Time-off requests

4. Integration and Customization
Most project management information systems allow for the customization of the user interface
and the reports to suit the particular needs of a project. In addition, they provide linkages with
many other popular information systems.
35 Customizable user interfaces
36 Importing/exporting
37 Multimedia integration

5. Online Tutorials
Online help tools for project management information systems often include very detailed
demos, online help, in-depth tutorials, and even full video presentations.
6. Project Planning
All project management information systems allow the user to define the activities and
resources that are needed to perform a project. The list below provides an overview of some of
the important project-planning features.
38 Network diagrams and bar (Gantt) charts
39 Project time estimating
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, APPENDIX A: PROJECT MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS



40 Scheduling
41 Task management and interdependencies
42 What-if analysis
43 Work breakdown structure

7. Project Portfolio Management
Many project managers today are running multiple projects and tracking significant issues
related to those projects. The list below provides some features that can help.
44 Issue management
45 Knowledge management
46 Multiple project management

8. Project Tracking and Control
Tracking progress, actual costs, and actual resource use is a fundamental component of project
management. Project management information systems allow the user to define a baseline plan
and compare actual progress and costs with those in the baseline plan. Most systems can track
tasks in progress, completed tasks, associated costs, time expended, start and finish dates,
actual dollars committed or spent, and resources used, as well as remaining durations,
resources, and expenses. Some of the features include:
47 Critical path analysis
48 Milestone tracking
49 Subcontractor tracking
50 Task priorities
51 Task reminders

9. Report Generation
The reports that new project management information systems can generate are:
a. reports on the project as a whole
b. reports on the major milestones
c. reports that provide a variety of information with respect to a date range
d. financial reports that show a full range of information
e. earned value analysis and management reports
f. resource allocation reports for each resource or group of resources involved in a
project
g. baseline-to-actual variance reports
The features provided by these systems thus include:
52 Customizable reporting
53 Dashboard indicators
54 Filtering
55 Real-time reporting
56 Sorting

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