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CHAPTER 12.1
A SIMPLIFIED AND BALANCED
APPROACH TO PM SOFTWARE SELECTION
Chapter 1.4 outlines the five key steps to implementing a computer-based proj-
ect management capability. The five components of this process are:
1. Methods.
2. Tools (Software Selection).
3. Training.
4. Implementation Plan.
5. Audit Process.
In that chapter, we deferred detailed discussion of the second component to
this section on Tools of the Trade. We start off with a few of the comments that
were presented earlier followed by a practical method of selecting the tools that
you will need to support your project management initiatives.
Software Selection
It is very easy to go overboard with the PM software selection process. I have
seen teams of more than 50 people formed and spend two years in a structured
selection process. A selection specification was developed that would dwarf a
phone book. Vendors were called in for presentations. Shortlist products were
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