Now we get to selecting the features that you need to have in a project management software system. This is where it gets a little tricky. Why? Because you don't want to be feature-oriented. You want to be objective-oriented. You want a system that has the features that will help you achieve your objectives. You do not want a system that simply has nice features.
That can make it difficult to simply make a list of features because there may be more than one way to accomplish your objectives. However, you want to have a general idea of the types of features that you need. For example, if one of your objectives is to improve your scheduling to get a much better handle on when things will be completed and prevent things from slipping through the cracks, then you know that you are going to need some level of in depth scheduling.
With that in mind, let me cover a very basic summary of some of the fundamental types of features that you will see out there in a project management software system. This should get you honed in on the types of features available, and what you may want to specifically look for.
SchedulingScheduling is a core component of many project management systems. Scheduling can refer to a simple list of tasks with start dates and finish dates. A more complete scheduling system will include the ability to add tasks, create subtasks, create a constraint, and creating dependencies between tasks (what tasks are dependent on the completion of other tasks). Dependencies may include finish-to-start, start-to-start, and finish-to-finish dependency types. Some advanced systems may include more dependency and constraint types but these are the most common. Often times, scheduling is done in a Gantt View (but not always). Higher-end systems may include advanced and complicated scheduling functions such as automatic leveling.
Resource ManagementResource management is a broad category of features that can mean many things. It refers to the ability to manage the resources that will be applied to complete projects. This can start at the low end with the simple ability of assigning resources to work (such as projects and tasks). This can move on to more advanced functionality, such as being able to view the utilization at which resources are working, keeping track of resource skill sets, viewing resource availability and workloads, and similar features. Some high-end tools will go further and provide features such as sophisticated resource leveling - automating the scheduling and assignment of resources.
Portfolio ManagementPortfolio management refers to the management of projects as a portfolio of projects, instead of just individual projects. This thinking provides a much broader and more strategic view of the ongoing projects within an organization. Most low-end tools do not support this type of functionality. Mid-size and higher-end tools will provide features that range from organizing projects into portfolios, to reporting by portfolios, to tracking key information by portfolios, to portfolio roll ups, to (on the high-end) sophisticated portfolio ROI analysis.
Time ManagementTime management refers to the tracking of time that people are spending on projects. This is often done in the context of a time sheet or time card. The idea is to find out where people are spending their time and how long they are spending on which projects and / or tasks. The purpose for doing this may be varied - to bill customers properly, increase productivity, identify overlaps, identify productivity problems, or many others.
Cost TrackingCost tracking refers to the tracking of the costs that are planned or incurred to complete a project. It can range from simple to very complex. It can include simply entering estimated and actual cost values for a task or project. It can mean tracking the cost of resources through calculations based on their hourly rates. It can mean ledgers or line items of expenses. On the high-end it can mean a complete project accounting system with invoicing and financial reporting.
Document ManagementDocument management is a common function used by organizations because documents are often times a key component of the management and execution of projects. This set of features can mean a place where documents can be stored together, to more sophisticated document management such as version control and check-in/out, to full-blown document management systems to manage thousands of documents, perhaps even a full-blown PDM system.
"Other Management"I put this in a broad category because there are so many things that could fit into this grouping. There is a lot of data that can be tracked along with the core project schedules and tasks. This may include project issues, risks, ideas, requests, help desk tickets, etc., etc. There are a slew of these but in my mind they fall together as being "other" data to track along with your core project data.
CollaborationCollaboration refers to features that help staff collaborate with each other. These would include things like emails notifications, blogs, notes, etc.
ReportingReporting often seems like an afterthought, but in reality is one of the most important features to consider. It sometimes seems like an afterthought because the initial focus is typically on getting data into the new project management software system. However, even the focus changes to getting data out. After all, that is usually the whole objective - getting data out for better decision making, analysis, to take action, etc. There are a range of reporting features from no reporting to some canned reports to full-blown custom report creation engines.
Back-End FeaturesBack-end features cover those that are geared towards interacting with the system programmatically, or on the back-end. For example, you may want to pull data from the system directly or integrate it with another software system that you already have operational (such as an ERP system).
Workflow FeaturesWorkflow refers to the ability to automate the sequencing of operations, such as the approval of a project request, the notification of key individuals when certain events happen, or document routing. It is increasingly common, especially in higher-end systems.
Configuration FeaturesSome systems also have configuration features that allow you to configure your experience, such as by creating your own fields, forms, views, or similar items. This is sometimes overlooked as well, but is important if your organization needs flexibility to define the data that it will need to track to accomplish its objectives.
I am sure there are many more features that I am missing. However, these should get you started and give a feel for the things to watch out for. The key is not to look for all of these features, but to take your objectives and identify the category or types of features you believe you will need to accomplish those objectives.
As I alluded to earlier, have an open mind, as there may be more than one method of accomplishing your goals. A good vendor will want to understand your objectives and offer a recommended solution on how to achieve them.
Now that we have a better understanding of common features, we'll learn to roll this preparation work into a criteria worksheet and then begin to actually look for tools.
