When is the best moment to implement Project Management Software

In this podcast, Ricardo talks about the support tools for project management and the best time to install them. He explains that much software on the market is excellent, but installing a project management tool without a defined methodological process can be a big mistake because the tool must be adapted to the work process.

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Episode transcript

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Hello everybody welcome to the five minutes bam podcast today; we like to discuss when is the best time to implement software to support project management, like Microsoft EPM, like Oracle Primavera, like clarity, this kind of tool. First of all, I'm a big, big, big, big fan of all these tools. I started my project management career in the Software site.

So I started my work thinking on the Software, and then I tried to study and understand the order site, but this was very dangerous; thank God that I found PMR that I found Project Management that could help me to understand the concept or something like critical path, like WBS, like Project partner in why this, because two is that right?

Great. Because the two speed up the process, the tools make my process much faster and much more precise in terms of communications and storage, backups and everything. But there was one big, big problem in the beak problem is that the software doesn't solve the problem. Sometimes the software creates problems with why I'm telling you this. Let me give you a small example.

Let's suppose that I don't know mathematics. I don't know. I don't know how to add numbers to subtract to multiply. I dunno this. And then you give me the latest version of Microsoft Excel. What do you think I will be doing for sure. I'll be doing mess fast, quick. Beautiful mess. Because if I don't know what is behind and the tool, I can not take advantage of that, and this will increase the problems.

So what I like, I have a very concrete opinion on that in my opinion, is that if you are thinking about implementing the tool, you can do this in parallel with a little bit of a delay from all the methodology and the hold, the process side, never ever do this before. Thinking about the processed white, because you will set up all the tools, but you don't know if this product he says that will set up and the technological side solve your problem.

So usually what I strongly recommend is that you start thinking is, what is the problem? What is the problem? Despite having the tools that I'm using? What is the problem that I need to solve in project management? What's the problem. And just ask her this. Maybe one, two months later, Dan, I can start looking up to the EPM and to the softer side; this will be a great solution for everybody. I have worked for several years implementing EPM, Microsoft EPA, and one of the best things is when the client knows exactly what does the problem that he needs to address is, then everything becomes much easier.

Imagine using AHP, and a lead key process like Microsoft has a building it's for me, one of the best, maybe the best ways of selecting projects, two portfolio or measuring criteria's. You mentioned that you don't know, this concept that you don't know what is behind them. And then you just plug Microsoft EPM and start using this. And Dan, by the end, you see a number 10, nine or 7.3, and you don't understand what is behind this.

I said this several times, these kinds of tools are very dangerous. You don't know the concept. And I know a lot of people that tell me that our product, the managers, that don't know how to calculate critical path by hand. And then, I ask them, how do I calculate the critical path? And they say all, just press the red button on the top corner of my screen, folks. This doesn't solve the problem. So always, when you were thinking about implementing this kind of to first, make sure that you have a process that it's intelligent, that is reliable, and that solves the problem of the company.

And then you use this tool to speed up the process, improve communications and gain all benefits, all benefits. I use this kind of tool every single day, but first, you need to understand and what's the problem. You need to understand how you will track people's time. Maybe it's not by the hour; maybe it's by week. So there is, will change the whole system of reporting, but you need to know this, and this is not a Software problem.

Them, this is a process problem. So the process must come first. Imagine your kids they need and how to do mathematics by hand first; then they can use the calculator. So this is what I propose to you. So don't do the mistake of implementing this kind of EPM without having a very strong and processor having a great discussion about the process. Otherwise, you're losing your money.

You're losing your time, and you are only speeding up the way you are doing your mess. Okay? Think about that. And I hope you enjoy and see you next week with another five minutes BM Podcast.

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When is the best moment to implement Project Management Software

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