IT Project Mechanic

In the series, Finding the right PM software package, I set about trying to find the few ’shining stars’ out of the hundreds of applications that I am aware of. I’m not limiting this search to commercial, off the shelf software or to desktop applications – the sector is getting incredibly large and spans well beyond these bounds.

I had heard good things about GANTTproject (http://www.ganttproject.biz) and decided to download and install the Windows version of the app (v2.0.6). The install was very straightforward and didn’t require me to jump through any hoops. GanttProject is also available for the Linux and MAC OSX. For the Windows version, you do need a version of JRE (Java Runtime Environment) loaded as well as GanttProject. Read the rest of this entry »

Why are most documents created for projects never reviewed after approval?

Once upon a time, I was consulting for a company in Florida who was implementing controls in their systems. The management was insistent that every step of the process be documented to the letter. As the project manager, I began to carry these requests out with the project team I was working for. In almost every case, the employees of this firm were vehement in their opposition to the formal documents I was requesting.

I began thinking – why is the management of many companies enamored with documentation but the working masses so resistant to the idea? There is an obvious answer – Read the rest of this entry »