PROJECT PERFECT
Project Management Software
Specialists in Project Infrastructure
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PROJECT PERFECT Project Management Software Specialists in Project Infrastructure |
During the mid 90’s a group of Project Managers were discussing the lack of a tool to support their work. Sure, everyone used a scheduling tool. Most used Microsoft Project. It was the other things that no one tool allowed them to do. Things like manage issues, risks, timesheets, documents, scope variations, budgets. Even a tool to allow them to log all the projects in an organisation and add some key information.
Typically they used specialist software that probably did far more than they ever needed. They used a mix of spreadsheets, custom databases, word templates, white boards and even post-it notes. That is where Project Administrator started. It was designed to fill the void.
Initially it was a tool to manage issues, scope variations, action items and store key information about each project. It was distributed to the initial group and not really intended to be a commercial venture. Very soon it had additional bits bolted on to manage budget and expenditure, risks, documents and even manage a project glossary.
By 2000, it was structurally unsound. It was the typical piece of software that had been modified so much the code resembled a bowl of spaghetti. That year it was completely re-architected and rewritten.
Since then we have added integration with Microsoft Project, change management, roles and responsibilities, benefit management, diary notes, storage of project reference documents such as procedures and templates. Traffic light reporting, checklists, automatically generated weekly reports and quality management have been incorporated.
In version 6 released in 2010, we added a scheduling tool, online help including the ability to update help yourself, new security function, history tracking, automatic updates online and lots more.
There are now over 100 standard reports including a complete Project Plan or Project Charter. You can view a single project, a program (or any grouping of projects you wish to create), or all projects. You can set up security to allow people to view only particular projects, only particular screens or limit their ability to add or update.
The software is used by hundreds of organisations worldwide. They range from the US Army and Carnegie Melon University, to individual project consultants. Location wise they span the globe from our home country of Australia to South Africa which is becoming a big market for us, to the Government of Montserrat (Yes. I had to go the atlas too!!). We have thousands, if not tens of thousands of users.
The reason it is so popular goes back to its inception. Experienced Project Managers hit a brick wall in having a single repository for all their information. They want a tool to manage and centralise control of all the information in a project. There is nothing out there under six figures that does it all. By the time you can call yourself an experienced PM you will have hit this wall. There was nothing ten years ago, and there is only one tool today – Project Administrator.
We have been told this a number of times. “How do you sell it for the price?” “You are too cheap.” We set out to sell only via the Internet. That meant we did not have to support a distributor network or pay commission.
We keep a tight control on our marketing costs. The product largely sells itself to the more experienced people. We have built an information portal for project managers with over 100 white papers which draws in those truly interested in project management. Surprisingly, there is almost no mention of products in those papers. They were written to help PMs, not sell product.
All our supporting material is designed to train people without them having to undertake a formal training program. For example, we have a 100+ page User Manual which explains concepts such as how to use each function, and how to get started. We receive dozens of unsolicited comments on the quality of the manual. In fact we have been asked to write manuals for other organisations based on our own.
You can get started with a single user license for A$250. On current exchange rates that is around . Answer these two questions
Or to look at it another way
If you are serious about controlling a project, you need Project Administrator.
