Web-based Project Management

Transcription

1 Web-based Project Management Georgios Karatzas Msc Advanced Computing Science School of Computing Sciences - Faculty of Science University of East Anglia Norwich NR4 7TJ - UK G.Karatzas@uea.ac.uk April 2010 ABSTRACT This paper sets out the revolutionary effects on project management by Internet and new technologies. It defines the terms project and project management and then addresses the challenges which faces and the limitations of current project management techniques. It then emphasizes on the innovation of performing project management through the web, introducing the web-based project management systems and how the internet and the new technologies in information technology has affected the current project management techniques and methods. In addition, benefits and advantages of web-enabling the project management will be addressed. On the other hand, limitations and drawbacks of performing project management over the web will be set out. 1. INTRODUCTION Project management is the planning, scheduling, and controlling of project activities to meet project objectives. Project management is essentially about managing a project from the start to its completion meeting its goals and its objectives. The projects complexity today has been increased as never before. Projects today include larger capital investments, several disciplines, widely spread project participants, tighter schedules, more strict quality standards etc. [Alshawi and Ingirige, These factors in addition with high-speed developments in Information and Communication Technology and the popularity of outsourcing worldwide have influenced project management practices to follow new techniques and patterns introduced by new technology using new software and tools in order to improve the effectiveness of current project management techniques. Also, communication among companies and between clients and companies it is a critical factor in order to successfully be met the targets of a project. New technology and revolutionary innovations of information technology has created new ways of communication. In this paper it will be set out the evolution of project management, the challenges and problems facing the current project management practices. It then will be focused on the impact of the latest advances in technology on project management emphasizing on the innovative fact of performing project management over the Web. Finally, benefits and advantages of web-enabling the project management will be addressed pointing also critical limitations and drawbacks of performing project management over the web. 2. PROJECT MANAGEMENT 2.1 Definitions Project is defined as a a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service [PMI, 2004]. Projects they have definitive start date and definitive end date and they exist until they reach their goals and objectives [Heldman et al., 2007]. A project usually splits into smaller projects (sub-projects), it creates a unique product or service, it is purpose-oriented and involves the coordinated undertaking of interrelated activities [Brandon, 2005] [Frame, 2005]. Managing a project, formerly named as project management, is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to the project activities in order to meet or exceed stakeholder needs and expectations from a project [PMI, 2004]. It is responsible for planning, organizing, monitoring, and control of all the parts of a project and it also responsible for management, leadership and motivation of all the aspects take part in order the project to achieve its goals and objectives [Brandon, 2005]. The major objectives of project management that must be met are cost, performance, time goals while in parallel it must controls or maintains the purpose of the project at the defined level [Lewis, 2001]. 2.2 Challenges Even if the project management exists as term for some decades there are still challenges. Below, the major challenges on project management are addressed. 1. Quality: Quality can be a problematic aspect on project management. Usually, quality control is set to be managed by a contractor or other third-party. As [Amalraj et al., 2007] refer quality control and assurance should be managed by the parent company. It is also referred that the parent company must review and approve specific contractor quality plans at the early stage of the project plan. The project s development process and the quality contractor must take place together otherwise there would be inconsistency between the prior plans and the actual result. 2. Cost: In many cases, projects are beginning with a lack on cost information providing lower estimated costs. This happens because a project with lower cost is more attractive and more likely to be approved in order to get started. Also, clients demand high-quality products and services at the lower price. This affects the project s cost plan driving, in most cases, the project s real cost out of the planned one and the most 1

2 important fact is that this usually affects the quality of the final product or service [Alshawi and Ingirige, 3. Environment and complexity: It is very important for project managers to take into account the place, the time, the weather conditions and the ethics of the environment that the project will be constructed and will be published. There are different cultures, different difficulties and different challenges by place to place. The project s complexity increases and causes communication problems to every party involve into a project. Hence, the project must follow the standards and the codes of its environment and must there are specialists who contribute to the decision-making process. [Amalraj et al., 2007] [Alshawi and Ingirige, 4. Schedule: A lot of companies do not have the appropriate staff with project planners and schedulers and this fact can create problems in project schedule and productivity plans. If there is a clear-defined schedule on a project, it can avoid the project s costs to run out of the budget [Amalraj et al., 2007]. 5. Unreal targets: Unreal or over-ambitious project s objectives without having the appropriate resources and abilities can cause delays in the project s completion and pressure to the project team causing low productivity [Amalraj et al., 2007]. 6. Globalization of the marketplace: Globalization causes pressure to many industries as there is a disappearance of tariff barriers and this fact creates confusion due to different level in each state s economy. This can be a challenge due to the fact that some foreign companies can be competitive with local companies on price, quality and delivery [Alshawi and Ingirige, 2.3 Limitations Facing up the challenges which have been already addressed, current project management practices have many limitations in order to deal with these demands efficiently. These limitations are being addressed below: 1. Lack of adequate communication: The most common problem that project managers have facing is lack of adequate communication among participants. Current project management practices are often isolated and concerned with managing problems related to individual stages of the projects [Alshawi and Ingirige, Communication problems usually occur extra work or re-work increasing the cost of the project. These are caused by the conflicts created by conflicting information and information delivered in different time that the expected. The major reason for this is the inconsistency between in the flow of information between the parties which are involved within the project. 2. Lack of integration within the supply chain: The practices that the companies follow in order to execute ordering, purchasing and invoicing processes are facing delays in supplies being received, low-level collaboration within the manufacturers and suppliers and low level integration of purchasing with accounts software [Alshawi and Ingirige, 3. The introduction of automation into management practices: Many companies use information technology in order to improve the management and quality of products, services and processes. Although, as almost every company uses both traditional and electronic practices, usually there are conflicts between them and makes it hard for the project managers to process the right information as and when required. This happens not only because of the lack of education on using automatic systems but also because the difference on the way the information provided between human and machines. 4. Lack of software integration: Most of the IT systems solutions focus on specific tasks such as project planning and monitoring, estimating, design etc.. Although, there is a lack of communication links between these applications, usually there is incompatibility between hardware and software and also there is a lack of integration of current systems which provide smooth flow of information between the levels of project s development and maintenance [Alshawi, 2000] [Faraj and Alshawi, 2000]. 5. Lack of a standardized platform for information exchange: Some of the problems caused by incompatibility between hardware and software in a system produce difficulties to project managers in order to access and manage project information. As [Alshawi and Ingirige, 2003] mentioned that the reason for these problems are the lack of standardization of project information that can facilitate the flow of information between incompatible hardware and software. 6. Lack of proper decision-making tools for project planning: Planning is always a significant and difficult process that takes a long time. [Alshawi and Ingirige, 2003] mentioned that this process can be improved if the project managers use decision-making tools into their structure. 7. Lack of standard processes for project management: Each project manager follows his own standards and patterns and applies his or her own experience on project management. Hence, the management of a project can be vary and these practices can create an important impact on the capability of coordinating and controlling the project information [Alshawi and Ingirige, 3. WEB-BASED PROJECT MANAGEMENT 3.1 General Web based Project Management Systems (WBPMS) is a new concept that combines the web and its associated technologies in order to improve the management of construction projects. Although, this revolutionary concept can be applied for every type of project. WBPMS is an electronic project management system conducted through a private network that uses Internet protocols to transmit information as the WBPMS applications are collaborative web-based applications designed to store and manage project information. 2

3 WBPMS allow different groups related to a project to have a controlled and automated access to information and focuses on services and tools that make the manager to manage their projects easier and more effective. Web-based project management provides an instant, on-demand, secure online solution for every team member to communicate, share documents and collaborate using a standard web browser [Matheu, 2005]. Also, WBPMS involves the project to be completed under the agreed budget and following the agreed schedule and also improves the communication between the people related to the project development to become faster and more efficient. In addition, promotes the idea of collaboration, enabling all the associated groups of the project to work together. The goal of collaboration is to develop a process in which there are electronic documents enabling them to be located at a secure central place and can be accessed by the people and groups that have access permission on them during the maintenance of business processes, supply chain relationships and organizational hierarchies. Effective collaboration improves productivity and optimizes decisionmaking process [Matheu, 2005]. In figure 1, there is a comparison between tradition project management and web-based project management systems. As it is shown, the most important difference is the centralization of the information. Team Communication: real time discussion between groups, project calendar and event planning, team communication. Business Process Automation: browser compatibility, plotting, server located in a secure data centre, system authentication, virus protection In figure 2 it is shown the schema of a web-enabled project management system. 3.2 Benefits Figure 2: Schema of a WBPMS A WBPMS improve communication between the teams and groups that participate into a project and all team members are kept informed of issues instantly. Also, it reduces the amount of re-work needed and the time needed for generating new projects by storing both the information and knowledge applied to a project. Figure 1: Communication mechanisms between enterprises The goal of web-based project management system is to translate an internal standard project management system into an Internet-based system, which securely allows multiuser access with dispersed locations, resulted with the concept of Web-based and Web-enabled Project Management and Collaboration System (PMCS). In other words, webenabled and web-based PMCS provides a centralized allin-one solution both to project management and collaboration needs of dispersed team members [Nitithamyong and Skibniewski, 2004]. Although, a web-enabled application is different from a web-based application. As [Becerik, 2006] refers, unlike a web-based application, a web enabled application is not based on the HTML language, but instead it is a special software application that is distributed across the Internet much like standard network programs that can be accessed over a Local Area Network (LAN). Below there are the services that a WBPMS provides [Matheu, 2005]: Document Management: Management of file formats, uploading/downloading tasks, search functions, backup facilities, tracking history of files actions. It reduces the cost as the documents are electronic so the printing and postage costs are reduced automatically and also it reduces the cost and the time needed to store, sort, find and protect the documents as they are stored centrally in a server. It improves the overall control of project from the start to the beginning of the project. All the actions are monitored and can be recorded. That fact makes the access to data easier and faster and reduces the time needed to request and receive information. Also, reduces the possibility of errors that caused during the delivering of information from people to people. In addition, due to the fact that the project processes are monitored and recorded, it can be easier performed the process of maintenance. It minimizes the project life cycle as the information is delivered instantly making faster the decision making process. It avoids all the possible delays caused by written feedback as there is no time between the request and feedback actions. Also, minimizing the project life cycle brings benefits such as reduction of costs and expenditures. It reduces the risk and potentials errors as the information is become available as soon as it are published, reducing the risk on working on old data. 3

4 Project schedules are executing faster and appropriately. The system automatically delivers specific tasks to a team member s contact box and then the member can start working on his/her tasks avoiding wasting time. After, the completion of their tasks the team member must be update the project task status waiting for feedback. It increases the flexibility of the project as web-based software allows the teams or individuals of a project to access, create, edit and update project s tasks by any web browser, at any place of the world at any time. Also, due to increase of outsourcing worldwide, it is even more important for companies to web-enable their projects as a WBPMS provides this flexibility. More benefits can be added progressively as the technology and the software quality operations are improving day-by-day. Also, other benefits can be identified or created by individuals of a project team adjusting the system to their own needs. 3.3 Limitations There are several limitations working on web-based project management system. Below the major limitations are being addressed [Matheu, 2005]: 1. Security: Security is a critical factor on every system that shares sensitive information. A WBPMS demands security measures in order keep the safety of its data. In, addition there is another significant issue that affects the security level of a system; trust is very important issue in every project. Some clients may be completely trustworthy and others may be needed to be check all the time. This fact, in addition to a probable threat, can increase both the time spent on project and also the cost of it. [Matheu, 2005] mentions that there is definitely a need to ensure that people is encouraged to see this technology as a benefit rather than a threat. 2. Infrastructure: Infrastructure is also a major limitation in a WBPMS. Companies need to have the necessary infrastructure (networks, hardware, internet, software) in order to work smoothly. Most of companies do not provide appropriate infrastructure due to variable reasons such as cost of infrastructure, not likely to change their organization structure, fear of the new technology. In addition, the operation of web-based system is primarily based on internet networks so it is very important the internet connection to exist. Several and significant problems will be created in webbased project if there is no internet connection. In addition, software or hardware incompatibility can be another critical limitation. 3. Training: Project team members must be well educated and trained in order to use a WBPMS. Furthermore, the managers must have the appropriate knowledge of software s abilities in order to choose the appropriate software to use. Another important factor is the personal interesting on new technologies. Many people are not familiar with the technology or they are not keen to use it. Also, it may takes a lot of time in order the people to be trained to use new technologies. Also, [Hjelt and Bjork, 2007] research shows that the participants who received limited or no training, put rate low the tasks both of how easy is to use and how easy is to learn the features of the system. Another important fact from this research was that self-learning of the system it does not require much time but this option is only for people with good computer or software skills or experience. 4. Personal and cultural characteristics: People that uses a WBPMS are required to learn how to use an innovation and change the way the usually work. Users are usually not keen to adopt to changes related to their working habit. Also, there are important issues as far as it concerns the user interfaces and how easily the users can adopt to them regarding cultural and social aspects. 4. CONCLUSION Information and communication technology (ICT) offers to companies and project managers a real revolutionary chance to improve the project management practices, the quality of final projects and also, an opportunity to decrease the project time of implementation, providing software and web tools. However, despite these benefits that ICT offers, there are limitations associated with the adoption of these tools. Web-based management can minimize the distances, improve and make easier the communication and collaboration, reduce the time spent for re-works, etc., but these advantages can be gained only if all the participants of a project are ready to redesign the way they work. Besides the fact that is very difficult for companies which are existed for years to change their business structure, they should take into consideration the potential changes and the benefits that van gain from ICT. On the other hand, in order to use these tools, project participants must be trained and appropriate infrastructure must be provided taking into account security issues that might exist. In my opinion, ICT can improve not only the project management practices but also the most business tasks that take place into a company or organization. 5. REFERENCES [Alshawi, 2000] Alshawi, M. (2000). Future it challenges in project management, project management and it. The 7th Annual Conference of the Project Management Institute: Gulf Branch, pages A1 A19. [Alshawi and Ingirige, 2003] Alshawi, M. and Ingirige, B. (2003). Web-enabled project management: an emerging paradigm in construction. 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