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CHAPTER 1.4

IMPLEMENTING A COMPUTER-BASED
PROJECT MANAGEMENT CAPABILITY

W hen I think of project management, I see two major components: The
ART of project management, and the PROCESS of project management.
The latter component, the process, involves considerable data, measurements,
analysis, and communication. For this, most people will rely on one or more
computer-based tools. Most of the processes involved in managing projects can-
not be handled efficiently without the aid of project management software. So we
must assume that the process of organizing for project management will include
the selection of project management tools.

The process for selecting and applying project management software has
changed over the past four decades. Like almost everything else in this technolog-
ical society, the changes during the past few years have been more rapid and ex-
tensive than ever before. We are seeing changes in who uses such software, in
how the software is designed, and in the environment in which it is used.

While these changes are influencing how we go about selecting the proper
tools to use in supporting project management, we continue to have to address
the larger process of how to best implement a computer-based project manage-
ment capability within the firm. This process has not changed a great deal. While
many newcomers to the world of project management try to take shortcuts, we
have found that these attempts have failed unless a solid foundation has been put
in place for the project management process.

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