No doubt one of the great mantras used by project managers the world over is that failing to plan is planning to fail. I recently stumbled across a blog I haven’t seen before from the Project Management Institute and it’s got some really great posts by project management professionals from all over. My favourite post is quite a recent one from Jim De Piante about how project planning is the key to a successful project management career, and it got me thinking about planning and the tools we can use to ensure our plan’s success.
The Workflow Series – Monitoring Meeting Minute Items
This is the second post in The Workflow Series, which shows how workflows can enhance and automate different areas of IPM to suit your business processes better. Of course, due to the nature of workflows, you can decide how and where you use workflows, so these are only examples in an almost infinite list of possibilities.
5 signs it’s time to upgrade your project management software
I know it’s human nature to hang onto things we’ve outgrown or no longer have use for. Be it some emotional connection we have to the tattered pair of jeans that no longer fit, or the fact we’re just too lazy to change mobile phone providers or switch from the energy supplier who is clearly charging too much. We’ve all been guilty of it at some point.
The Workflow Series – Forecast Tracking Reports
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a post about the power of workflows in customising and automating your project management software. Well this got me thinking about all the nifty ways IPM can use workflows to better suit your project management needs, and I decided it was time for a blog series to show you how a few of them work. So, welcome to the first post in The Workflow Series.
IPM featured in December issue of Earthmover and Civil Contractor Magazine
We’re very pleased to let you know that the December issue of the Civil Contractors Federation magazine, the EMCC has featured a story about IPM.
Be the boss of your project management software with workflows
I’m sure we’ve all been in a situation where we wish our current software solution would do something slightly differently, or go that extra mile. How many times have you thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if it did this’, or ‘If only it could just do that’. These may be small changes that we are willing to look past. Or if they are changes that are desperately needed, perhaps management might shell out a few thousand dollars for some extra software development work to incorporate them.
Why Excel may be costing you time and money
For years, Excel has been a staple project management tool. But have you ever stopped to consider whether in some instances using Excel may actually be more of a hindrance than a help in managing your projects? I’m not saying there is no place for Excel in project management, but the heavy reliance of organisations on Excel as one of the main project management tools can often involve more work than is needed.
Why integrated project management and accounting systems are best
We often talk about one of the main benefits of IPM being its ability to integrate with your ERP accounting system. But what exactly is ERP integration and how can it help you achieve what you need from your project management software?
9 reasons why IPM can help you manage your projects better
An investment in project management software can be a very big decision and one that is usually well researched and not to be taken lightly. Apart from the obvious consideration of the price, many other factors have to be taken into account to ensure you end up with the right software for the job. So to make the decision easier, I’m posting the following list of 9 reasons why IPM is the project management software for you.
Change routine and improve your interactions with your project management software
Are you the sort of person who gets into a routine and sticks with it? Don’t worry, most of us are. We all have that same coffee place we stop at on the way to work, or the same seat on the train every morning.
However, when it comes to using new software, this probably isn’t the right approach. Organisations often spent large amounts of money finding and implementing software programs to help them work better and smarter. But due to ingrained human nature of liking routine and what’s comfortable, they often encounter two main problems with users interacting with the software. Either users try to apply their old processes to the new software, or they learn one way to use new software then stick with it.