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Project Management Software

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  • R Roger Wright

    Good question, and an important distinction! This would be a division manager position, probably with multiple distinct projects, defining and prioritizing tasks, assigning resources, and tracking critical path progress. I'd love to ditch the personnel management side, but that's probably going to be unavoidable. That can be handled with other software... Think $100 million+ capital project range, with multiyear scheduling and tracking.

    Will Rogers never met me.

    O Offline
    O Offline
    obermd
    wrote on last edited by
    #4

    Sounds like you need to find out what they're already using for this type of work.

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    • O obermd

      Sounds like you need to find out what they're already using for this type of work.

      R Offline
      R Offline
      Roger Wright
      wrote on last edited by
      #5

      I have much yet to learn about the position, but I will be surprised to find that they're using anything more capable than Excel, and that badly. We shall see.

      Will Rogers never met me.

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      • R Roger Wright

        I've been retired for a few years now, but I've recently been contacted by an organization that wants me to consider going back to work for a while. They run a large facility using diesel generators and, as you can imagine, it's not cheap. They want to expand into solar with storage and integrate it with the existing system going forward. There is also a likelihood of expanding to take on a few small towns, as well. It's been suggested that I would be the right candidate for managing the effort. This is very preliminary, but I'm doing a bit of research anyway. Years ago I tried using several project management software packages, all of them pricey, and for the most part, more work to maintain than they were worth. Pencils and butcher paper on the wall were far more efficient. I've tried several times over the years to use, especially, MS Project, but it is among the worst I've seen and now it's outrageously priced, as well. Has anything been developed in the past dozen years or so that can handle a relatively large project and a reasonable price? And suggestions would be welcome. Mind you, this is not a (primarily) software project, though there will be a systems/ SCADA component in the solution. Thank for anything you can suggest!

        Will Rogers never met me.

        E Offline
        E Offline
        englebart
        wrote on last edited by
        #6

        I used OpenProject a few years back. It was MS Project compatible. This might be the same product: [OpenProject - Open Source Project Management Software](https://www.openproject.org/)

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        • R Roger Wright

          I've been retired for a few years now, but I've recently been contacted by an organization that wants me to consider going back to work for a while. They run a large facility using diesel generators and, as you can imagine, it's not cheap. They want to expand into solar with storage and integrate it with the existing system going forward. There is also a likelihood of expanding to take on a few small towns, as well. It's been suggested that I would be the right candidate for managing the effort. This is very preliminary, but I'm doing a bit of research anyway. Years ago I tried using several project management software packages, all of them pricey, and for the most part, more work to maintain than they were worth. Pencils and butcher paper on the wall were far more efficient. I've tried several times over the years to use, especially, MS Project, but it is among the worst I've seen and now it's outrageously priced, as well. Has anything been developed in the past dozen years or so that can handle a relatively large project and a reasonable price? And suggestions would be welcome. Mind you, this is not a (primarily) software project, though there will be a systems/ SCADA component in the solution. Thank for anything you can suggest!

          Will Rogers never met me.

          L Offline
          L Offline
          Lost User
          wrote on last edited by
          #7

          I've used MS Project and some others. I got it / them all to do what I wanted (plant scheduling; software; capital budgeting; pipelines). They all do it a bit different; you improvise; a resource is a resource. There are legitimate sources of discounted licenses for MS Project; and it's a business expense. If you program, it also means you can access its object model (MS Project); export / import Excel, Access; etc.

          "Before entering on an understanding, I have meditated for a long time, and have foreseen what might happen. It is not genius which reveals to me suddenly, secretly, what I have to say or to do in a circumstance unexpected by other people; it is reflection, it is meditation." - Napoleon I

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          • R Roger Wright

            I've been retired for a few years now, but I've recently been contacted by an organization that wants me to consider going back to work for a while. They run a large facility using diesel generators and, as you can imagine, it's not cheap. They want to expand into solar with storage and integrate it with the existing system going forward. There is also a likelihood of expanding to take on a few small towns, as well. It's been suggested that I would be the right candidate for managing the effort. This is very preliminary, but I'm doing a bit of research anyway. Years ago I tried using several project management software packages, all of them pricey, and for the most part, more work to maintain than they were worth. Pencils and butcher paper on the wall were far more efficient. I've tried several times over the years to use, especially, MS Project, but it is among the worst I've seen and now it's outrageously priced, as well. Has anything been developed in the past dozen years or so that can handle a relatively large project and a reasonable price? And suggestions would be welcome. Mind you, this is not a (primarily) software project, though there will be a systems/ SCADA component in the solution. Thank for anything you can suggest!

            Will Rogers never met me.

            raddevusR Offline
            raddevusR Offline
            raddevus
            wrote on last edited by
            #8

            Basecamp: Project management software, online collaboration[^] Basecamp puts everything you need together and makes it much easier to use There’s a free trial so you can see if it’ll work for your purposes

            R 1 Reply Last reply
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            • E englebart

              I used OpenProject a few years back. It was MS Project compatible. This might be the same product: [OpenProject - Open Source Project Management Software](https://www.openproject.org/)

              R Offline
              R Offline
              Roger Wright
              wrote on last edited by
              #9

              That's an interesting, and affordable product! A lot of it is targeted at software development - KANBAN, AGILE, and SCRUM would be functionally useless for a utility scale power generation facility, but a lot of its other capabilities looks great. Thanks for the suggestion!

              Will Rogers never met me.

              J 1 Reply Last reply
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              • L Lost User

                I've used MS Project and some others. I got it / them all to do what I wanted (plant scheduling; software; capital budgeting; pipelines). They all do it a bit different; you improvise; a resource is a resource. There are legitimate sources of discounted licenses for MS Project; and it's a business expense. If you program, it also means you can access its object model (MS Project); export / import Excel, Access; etc.

                "Before entering on an understanding, I have meditated for a long time, and have foreseen what might happen. It is not genius which reveals to me suddenly, secretly, what I have to say or to do in a circumstance unexpected by other people; it is reflection, it is meditation." - Napoleon I

                R Offline
                R Offline
                Roger Wright
                wrote on last edited by
                #10

                I gave up trying to use it around 2008 - more time spent maintaining it than doing actual work. But for a top level tool, it just might work, especially if MS has made any actual effort to make it useful. Thanks for the suggestion!

                Will Rogers never met me.

                1 Reply Last reply
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                • raddevusR raddevus

                  Basecamp: Project management software, online collaboration[^] Basecamp puts everything you need together and makes it much easier to use There’s a free trial so you can see if it’ll work for your purposes

                  R Offline
                  R Offline
                  Roger Wright
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #11

                  Cool product, raddevus, but it's really directed at software/CRM type stuff. I don't see a way to manage tasks like, allocate budget and track RFPs for 200 MVA solar panel acquisition, order and install N x 100MVAh LiPFe battery banks and charge controllers, Develop and submit Environmental Impact Statements and schedule Cultural and Archeological surveys, design/build 80 miles of 230kV transmission lines, conduct System Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and provide 20 year spares stock to support future maintenance, and a few other small tasks. Once upon a time (1988), a company called Harvard Graphics made a product called Project Manager 3.0, IIRC, that could do all of this. No one since has been able to come close, so far as I know. If you'd like to tackle the project to replicate those capabilities on modern platforms, I think I can guarantee you a comfy retirement. No one else is doing it, and I'm not a very good programmer. Go for it!

                  Will Rogers never met me.

                  1 Reply Last reply
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                  • R Roger Wright

                    That's an interesting, and affordable product! A lot of it is targeted at software development - KANBAN, AGILE, and SCRUM would be functionally useless for a utility scale power generation facility, but a lot of its other capabilities looks great. Thanks for the suggestion!

                    Will Rogers never met me.

                    J Offline
                    J Offline
                    Jorgen Andersson
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #12

                    Agile and scrum I understand, but why would Kanban be useless? It's basically an organized wall of post-it notes. Toyota developed it to keep track on stock, but it should probably be considered a workflow management system. The good part, and this is where most systems fail, is that anyone can understand it.

                    Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello

                    R 1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • R Roger Wright

                      I've been retired for a few years now, but I've recently been contacted by an organization that wants me to consider going back to work for a while. They run a large facility using diesel generators and, as you can imagine, it's not cheap. They want to expand into solar with storage and integrate it with the existing system going forward. There is also a likelihood of expanding to take on a few small towns, as well. It's been suggested that I would be the right candidate for managing the effort. This is very preliminary, but I'm doing a bit of research anyway. Years ago I tried using several project management software packages, all of them pricey, and for the most part, more work to maintain than they were worth. Pencils and butcher paper on the wall were far more efficient. I've tried several times over the years to use, especially, MS Project, but it is among the worst I've seen and now it's outrageously priced, as well. Has anything been developed in the past dozen years or so that can handle a relatively large project and a reasonable price? And suggestions would be welcome. Mind you, this is not a (primarily) software project, though there will be a systems/ SCADA component in the solution. Thank for anything you can suggest!

                      Will Rogers never met me.

                      CHill60C Offline
                      CHill60C Offline
                      CHill60
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #13

                      Things we looked at for minimum spend - no budget allocated to us for this sort of thing so "minium" meant "free" Trello (premium is not free) Monday.com (not free) Microsoft Planner Miro (big whiteboard with Addons, really only works for one project) Mural (free version may not be secure, really only works for one project) Confluence (only free for up to 10 people) We opted for MS Planner in the end

                      R 1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • R Roger Wright

                        I've been retired for a few years now, but I've recently been contacted by an organization that wants me to consider going back to work for a while. They run a large facility using diesel generators and, as you can imagine, it's not cheap. They want to expand into solar with storage and integrate it with the existing system going forward. There is also a likelihood of expanding to take on a few small towns, as well. It's been suggested that I would be the right candidate for managing the effort. This is very preliminary, but I'm doing a bit of research anyway. Years ago I tried using several project management software packages, all of them pricey, and for the most part, more work to maintain than they were worth. Pencils and butcher paper on the wall were far more efficient. I've tried several times over the years to use, especially, MS Project, but it is among the worst I've seen and now it's outrageously priced, as well. Has anything been developed in the past dozen years or so that can handle a relatively large project and a reasonable price? And suggestions would be welcome. Mind you, this is not a (primarily) software project, though there will be a systems/ SCADA component in the solution. Thank for anything you can suggest!

                        Will Rogers never met me.

                        N Offline
                        N Offline
                        Nelek
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #14

                        I haven't used much yet, but what I could see from MindManager was not that bad. Around 400$ to buy the pro version... and a 30 days trial to test before... maybe worth to check?

                        M.D.V. ;) If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about? Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.

                        R 1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • J Jorgen Andersson

                          Agile and scrum I understand, but why would Kanban be useless? It's basically an organized wall of post-it notes. Toyota developed it to keep track on stock, but it should probably be considered a workflow management system. The good part, and this is where most systems fail, is that anyone can understand it.

                          Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello

                          R Offline
                          R Offline
                          Roger Wright
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #15

                          Jörgen Andersson wrote:

                          The good part, and this is where most systems fail, is that anyone can understand it.

                          I certainly like that part!

                          Will Rogers never met me.

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • CHill60C CHill60

                            Things we looked at for minimum spend - no budget allocated to us for this sort of thing so "minium" meant "free" Trello (premium is not free) Monday.com (not free) Microsoft Planner Miro (big whiteboard with Addons, really only works for one project) Mural (free version may not be secure, really only works for one project) Confluence (only free for up to 10 people) We opted for MS Planner in the end

                            R Offline
                            R Offline
                            Roger Wright
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #16

                            Thanks for those suggestions! I've looked at a couple of them, but not MS Planner. I'll check it out!

                            Will Rogers never met me.

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • N Nelek

                              I haven't used much yet, but what I could see from MindManager was not that bad. Around 400$ to buy the pro version... and a 30 days trial to test before... maybe worth to check?

                              M.D.V. ;) If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about? Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.

                              R Offline
                              R Offline
                              Roger Wright
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #17

                              I haven't heard of that one; thanks! I'll check it out!

                              Will Rogers never met me.

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • R Roger Wright

                                I have much yet to learn about the position, but I will be surprised to find that they're using anything more capable than Excel, and that badly. We shall see.

                                Will Rogers never met me.

                                O Offline
                                O Offline
                                obermd
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #18

                                Considering we replaced our donor management system using Excel as the project management tool I don't see the problem with Excel.

                                R 1 Reply Last reply
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                                • O obermd

                                  Considering we replaced our donor management system using Excel as the project management tool I don't see the problem with Excel.

                                  R Offline
                                  R Offline
                                  Roger Wright
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #19

                                  We had no problem managing ICBM development with pencils and butcher paper, either, but I will assert that it was not the most efficient solution. :-D

                                  Will Rogers never met me.

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • E englebart

                                    I used OpenProject a few years back. It was MS Project compatible. This might be the same product: [OpenProject - Open Source Project Management Software](https://www.openproject.org/)

                                    P Offline
                                    P Offline
                                    peterkmx
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #20

                                    Thanks... This OpenProject looks interesting, it supports Gantt Chart in the free version. I will give it a try - I am curious how it compares to JIRA Software ...

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • R Roger Wright

                                      Good question, and an important distinction! This would be a division manager position, probably with multiple distinct projects, defining and prioritizing tasks, assigning resources, and tracking critical path progress. I'd love to ditch the personnel management side, but that's probably going to be unavoidable. That can be handled with other software... Think $100 million+ capital project range, with multiyear scheduling and tracking.

                                      Will Rogers never met me.

                                      J Offline
                                      J Offline
                                      Jo_vb net
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #21

                                      In the past "Jira" was only used for software projects but now it seems established in non-technical areas of many companies.

                                      1 Reply Last reply
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