Selecting Project Management Software

By Dick Billows, PMP, GCA Summary: In our 5-step project methodology we take teach people to use project software so they can build schedules quickly and update them in minutes a week. We also match the project software and how we use it to the scale of the projects we manage. Most project software can be used at several levels of sophistication. There is a wide range of choices

Project management software comes in many different levels of sophistication with prices ranging from $50 to $20,000 or more. Software itself does not make project managers more effective; it just makes them more efficient. PM software does not teach you how to define scope, communicate to the project sponsor or make clear assignments to your team members. It just let's you accomplish these and many other PM tasks more efficiently. So, before we look at the different kinds of PM software let's talk about the kinds of projects you manage and the levels of PM skills. This will enable you to pick a PM software tool appropriate for you and the organizational setting in which you operate. Decide which of the following three categories of project manager fits you best. Source : http://www.4pm.com/articles/selpmsw.html