Social Project Management

Transcription

1 No 1. in Europe for project collaboration on the Web Social Project Management Teamwork in the age of Web 2.0 & Social Media interaction

2 CONTENT 1. Background Web 2.0 & social media in the business sphere 3 2. Social networks, intranets and data assets in companies 4 3. Project management Present and future Risks and stumbling blocks Web-based project management 7 4. Conclusion Project management & social media: a successful combination 8 Executive summary All decisions companies have to make nowadays must not only be correct and prompt but also based on data that is as comprehensive, up to date and accurate as possible. This especially applies to the use, supervision and successful conclusion of projects in teams, across departments or even across companies. This white paper shows how the use of new technologies from the Web 2.0 and social media sphere make project management, and thus projects, easier and more creative, thereby making companies more competitive.

3 Background 1. Background Web 2.0 & social media in the business sphere It has long been said that an organisation s most important assets are its employees. The amount of information that is developed in the minds of each individual, and that today is transformed into data which is saved on the company network, is a strong testament to this statement. How easily this information and data can be found within a network will help determine whether a project will succeed or fail. Growing collaboration across departments or businesses introduces new communication challenges across networks. This type of cross-boundary collaboration among European businesses has emerged from the increasing use of intranets and other web-based collaboration software as central repositories of information for employees. Even though these types of tools are used on a daily basis by today s knowledge workers, there is a new trend emerging in businesses: more and more departments carry out their tasks with software that is built around Web 2.0 and Social Media technologies. One of the main differences these technologies have with more conventional solutions is the type of interaction they facilitate. Production and receipt of information is no longer a one-way discussion but rather emerges out of transparent conversations. Today s business environment is one in which all communication, good or bad, is discussed through Twitter, Blogs and Facebook. By introducing this type of open interaction to project teams, conversations across networks will be simplified and made transparent, thus contributing to the success of project teams.

4 Social networks 2. Social networks, intranets and data assets in companies There are already a number of organisations benefiting from these new tools. By expanding their intranet applications with the use of social networking solutions, employees enjoy faster and clearer communication channels. Project managers who use this type of application repeatedly state that one great advantage of these technologies is that most users are already accustomed to interacting this way in their private lives. The rate of adoption is therefore very quick and does not require training. Like most technological developments there is still a reticence among businesses to disseminate these tools into their network. This reticence often stems from one of the central concepts of Web 2.0 technologies, namely that anyone can start using them freely, and thereby bypassing regulations which the organisation controls. To avoid conflicts of interests, it therefore becomes important for both parties evaluate the pros and cons of introducing social media interaction. Popular social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook are all-too-often perceived as mere PR and Marketing channels that cannot be applied to other areas of business. However, the growth of Enterprise solutions such as Salesforce Chatter and Projectplace Conversations are starting to demonstrate just how important this kind of tool is to communication at the project level, and how they facilitate the flow of information between employees, companies and their customers. By ensuring that as much of an organisation s data is recorded, presented and evaluated, social media can also help expose previously undisclosed data assets. This ensures that all important information is considered when decisions are made. With Facebook-like interaction in project management, everyone will know quickly who has what information and who they need to contact to get a clear answer.

5 Project management 3. Project management Present and future Before we look more closely at integration of social media into teamwork and project work, we will examine the current situation. There are a number of software solutions on the market that deal with complex and multilayered project management processes. However, these will present an organisation with two types of challenges: extra resources and network security. Big server-oriented solutions not only require extra resources for installation and maintenance, but also lengthy training from consultants. It also takes a considerable amount of time for employees to get comfortable working with the system. In addition, server-supported solutions installed and operated on a company s own intranet makes it difficult to involve seamlessly external business partners or customers into a project. This is because internal security policies prevent this level of external integration. Because of these challenges many organisations, in particular SMEs, will resort to tried and tested methods because they are already available to them.

6 Project management 3.1 Risks and stumbling blocks It can be very difficult for project managers and their teams to know who has received which version of a plan, and what changes have been made to it even in small team-based structures. Even with small projects it can rapidly become almost impossible for the project manager and employees to keep abreast of which members have received which version of document, or if two employees are chatting with one another using Windows IM whilst a manager tries to phone everyone to arrange a conference, and assistants are combing the s of all involved looking for the latest outreach results? It is usually by this stage that many project managers return to their roots, and have big Gantt charts plastering an office or conference room that is accessible to everyone and where project milestones can be seen by all. This kind of approach in a Web 2.0 and cloud computing era is one that is both counter-intuitive to most employees basic working methods, as well as a strategic mistake. Brief overview: Project management Even small projects can be doomed to fail if only correspondence is used. Coordinated responses and the direct exchange of opinions and data, for example, are difficult to achieve via document versions and attachments.

7 Project management 3.2 Web-based project management So what kind of solutions can minimise these risks and stumbling blocks while still offering the advantage of a traditional project management solution? Applications should be used that work according to the SaaS (Software as a Service) principle, i.e. straight from the cloud. With the SaaS model the server is hosted using managed software located offsite with a trusted partner, who can guarantee its users not only interruption-free but secure operation of a tool. This is the approach consistently adopted and applied by Swedish software company Projectplace, with its product of the same name. Dating back to 1998, their delivery of project management software has been provided exclusively via the World Wide Web. A further, very substantial advantage of such an application is that it uses something familiar to all of its project members, namely the universal interface found on every employee s desktop: a web browser. Whether it is Internet Explorer, the standard for most Windows systems, or alternatives such as Firefox, Google Chrome or Apple Safari, these tools no longer merely allow you to surf the net, but enable you to interface with colleagues directly. The use of a managed service solution is extremely simple in execution. If a new project is starting up the project manager goes onto the provider s website, registers with it and begins an initial project straight from their browser. From within the application you can directly invitations to everyone involved. They are sent a link and can then also start working directly through their own browser. From this point onward, all further communication goes via a single interface. Needless to say, the process includes classic characteristics of a project management system such as processing and administration of a wide range of documents and data that all project members have access to. With each subsequent project, planning of the process is indisputably a crucial element. This planning can now be managed directly within the browser s interface. Creating and allocating assignments, setting milestones, and defining time frames are all processes that can be handled using drag and drop methodology. All project members can then access them directly without the need for extra tables or other add-ons. Brief overview: Projects from the web Cloud-based solutions optimally combine traditional approaches with that of modern web-supported methods, and simplify collaboration across departmental and company boundaries.

8 Conclusion 4. Conclusion Project management and social media: a successful combination How can companies benefit directly from the business potential and comparative advantages of social networks and the Web 2.0 world for their projects? The content of this white paper has on the one hand shone a light on the importance of the appropriate communication method to modern teamwork, but also shown how diverse the communication channels of project management applications can be. Projectplace has identified a highly pragmatic and successful approach to managing projects. Developers at the Swedish software house integrated two new features into their product that bring users a continued integration of teamwork in the world of Web 2.0 applications and social networks. The first feature is an iphone application that allows users project access from wherever they are, and the second is an extension of the product called Conversations ( Diskussionen in the German version). The recent introduction of an iphone app allows the possibility of constant mobile contact using a customised Projectplace App. By contrast, the Conversations feature is immediately reminiscent of Facebook s wall and its operation is remarkably similar to that of Facebook navigation. This can in turn create a lasting improvement on the macro view employees have on a project. Direct contact with Conversations, along with the mobile availability for everyone involved, makes for a fast and direct dialogue between team members. Conclusion: Integration is the key The key is integration of social media, not distribution between many channels. Conversations offer users the possibility of direct, two-way communication. The iphone App makes the project instantly mobile. Result? A clear increase in transparency.

9 CONTACT SWEDEN (HEAD OFFICE) Projectplace International AB Klarabergsgatan 60, 1 tr Stockholm Tel: +46 (0) Fax: +46 (0) info@projectplace.se DENMARK PROJECTPLACE DENMARK APS Lindevangs alle 3, Frederiksberg Tel: info@projectplace.dk NETHERLANDS Projectplace Nederland BV Schiphol Boulevard BJ Luchthaven Schiphol, Amsterdam Tel: Fax: info@projectplace.nl NORWAY PROJECTPLACE NORGE AS ST OLAVS PLASS OSLO TEL: FAX: info@projectplace.no GERMANY Projectplace GmbH Werfthaus SpeicherstraSSe Frankfurt am Main TEL: +49 (0) fax: +49 (0) info@projectplace.de Projectplace International is the European leader in project collaboration on the Web. Since 1998, Projectplace has been driving the development of online project tools, inspired by Social Project Management. Today, the service is available in seven languages and has helped over users to improve communication and collaboration in their projects. The company has 120 employees based at the headquarters in Stockholm and in local offices in Oslo, Copenhagen, Frankfurt and Amsterdam. Visit us at