As we (finally!) near the end of 2009, some of us are starting to spare a few minutes to think ahead to 2010 and how we can do a better overall job of work management, specifically with regard to our project based work load.
Obviously, there are a whole lotta pieces (tasks) to each project puzzle, and each has to be logged and tracked and monitored and put into place, because one task typically depends on the successful completion of another. It’s the accurate monitoring of these dependencies that can make or break a project, and this says to me that the use of PPM software is one very good way to help insure a successful outcome.
Dependencies are the relationships that exist between project tasks; each successive task depends on the successful completion of the previous task. There are four types of process dependencies (Finish to start, finish to finish, start to start, and start to finish) and three types of causal dependencies (logical, resource-related, and preferential). When you have a small cookie-cutter project with a straight-line set of tasks all being done by a team in one location, the list of tasks and logical flow (logical finish to start dependency) could be posted and updated on a whiteboard.
But what if you’re handed a complex, multi-faceted, multi-year, multi-geo project with dependencies that run the gamut? You could still write all the tasks and due dates on a whiteboard, but how will you track them? And how will the team members and execs in other offices know what’s going on? This is when online project management software for tracking and collaborating becomes not only a good idea, but a necessity.
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There are a lot of business project management software programs out there, and you will want to select the one that has the most value for you and your company. To learn how Mover’s Suite Software tracks multiple dependencies as their implementation process moves from one stage to another, CLICK HERE.
How does your team handle the issue of task dependencies? Please comment in the space below and share your experiences.
