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TEAMFLY130 ROLE-BASED NEEDS FOR RESOURCES

Staff Functions Chief Financial Officer, Chief Information Officer, Chief Risk
Officer.

• Analysis of cost vs. budgets, arranged by all budget/cost account designa-
tions of the enterprise.

• Advance notice of impending major cost commitments and proceed/stop
decision points.

• Advance notice of decision points associated with risk mitigation plans.
• A repository for or link to project risk planning and mitigation documentation.
• Analysis of key impact on IT/IS resources and technology.

Implications for Tool Selection

There is no reason why all the above needs cannot be satisfied by a single,
highly usable software system. There is also no reason why such a system cannot
be applied in such a way as to provide customized, nonintimidating access to
these data.

A key aspect to keep in mind, however, is that the project information
system cannot be an isolated, desktop solution. Furthermore, you cannot ex-
pect the people involved in the above roles to work directly with traditional
critical path scheduling formats. Rather, a less arcane model, such as today’s
popular webpage metaphors, would support both the format and access needs
of these groups.

Making It Work

Finding adequate software products to support these defined management roles
is not difficult, nor is it the only key to success. While it is important to select tools
that will support the defined needs, it is equally important to use these tools to
build a bridge between the various management groups (many of which act more
to defend territories than to seek the synergy of collective management). With
differing needs, goals, and measurements, we often find operations management,
financial management, functional management, and project management work-
ing at cross purposes, each supported by a separate information system, none of
which communicate with each other.

By considering the roles of each group, and designing/selecting a projects in-
formation system that respects and supports these roles, we can bridge this dele-
terious gap. Such a solution will facilitate broad and effective communication
using up-to-date data that is consistent between groups and can be trusted and
shared by all.