iTaskX v2.5 Improves MS Project Support
iTaskX v2.5 has be released as an update for the Mac OS X project management software package. New in v2.5 is improved support for Microsoft Project. You can open native Microsoft Project files and exchange data using Microsoft Project’s XML and MPX support. iTaskX cost $106.25 to purchase.
iTaskX provides the support you need for professional project management. iTaskX 2 adapts to your working processes and ensures an overview on your targets, dates, costs and the current status of your projects. iTaskX supports you in making your projects more transparent in terms of organizing, monitoring or administrating your tasks.
Key Features:
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Free Project Management Software
Do you need Project Management software, but don’t have a lot of money to invest in it? Take a look at dotProject. It is a free open source Project Management tool alternative to Microsoft products and other expensive applications.
Features Include
- User Management
- Email based trouble Ticket System
- Client/Company Management
- Project listings
- Hierarchical Task List
- File Repository
- Contact List
- Calendar
- Discussion Forum
- Resource Based Permissions
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Free Project Management E-Book
Method 123 a company that offers a comprehensive suite of Project Management templates is now offering a free project management e-book.
The free e-book covers the project life cycle from initiation, planning, execution to closure.
This e-book helps you manage projects more successfully by describing each of the steps in the Project Life cycle. Every phase, activity and task is described, helping you to apply a best practice approach to managing your project.
If you want to deliver your projects on time and within budget, then this short e-book will give you the knowledge you are looking for. You will also learn how to manage time, cost, quality, change, risk and issues as well as manage staff, customers and suppliers.
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7 Tips For Successful Projects
At times Project Management can seem like an art more than a science. IT projects can be particularly challenging. So how do you choose a project and what are the essential criteria to ensure a successful project?
While there is no magical formula, here are seven tips to keep in mind for a successful IT project.
1. How to Choose Projects
You should choose projects that are important to the organization. Not just in the present, but in the future as well. They should fill an important need such as a new service or the expansion of a present service.
The project should be in alignment with the business needs. This is a huge factor. No matter how good the idea, if it does not align with the business it is doomed or worse the project will be revised to death. Align with the business needs from the start.
2. Resources
Once you have chosen a project you must ensure that all of the appropriate resources are available. These include the budget to fund the project, the people, equipment, space and anything else needed for the project.
Nothing can derail your project faster than a lack of resources. Upper management must be committed to providing the resources needed to get the job done. By the time an idea reaches the project status, failure is not an option. Be SURE you have all of the resources you need from the start.
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Agile Agenda Project Schedule and Planning Tool
Agile Agenda is an Adobe Open Air tool for project management, letting you schedule and assign tasks, assigning priorities and more. It currently runs on Windows, Mac OSX.
They will soon offer Linux and web based versions.
The philosophy behind the software:
Durations and Priorities
Agile Agenda asks for durations and priorities and then figures out the start and end dates for you. The more detailed information you enter, such as vacations and dependencies the more accurate it becomes.
Schedules Constantly Change
Nobody has perfect knowledge of how long a project will take before it’s completed. In many projects scope, resource availability, and task estimates all change fairly frequently. Agile Agenda wants to make it as easy as possible to make those changes without going back and reworking unrelated things.
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Microsoft’s Innovation Process Management Solution
Innovation in an organization increases performance and growth through improvements. Innovation is not just about having good ideas. Innovation is a team effort where all areas of an organization contribute. Microsoft is attempting to address this with its Innovation Process Management Solution.
The Microsoft Innovation Process Management (IPM) Solution is built on the Microsoft SharePoint Server 2007, and the Microsoft Enterprise Project Management (EPM) Solution. It facilitates the following three aspects of innovation process management.
Ideation and Knowledge Capture
The ability to capture and share ideas easily and rapidly to promote a culture of innovation by increasing first the quantity and then the quality of ideas contributed
The capability to collaborate to solve problems, gain incremental benefit or break new ground in a product, service or process by garnering feedback, gauging interest, forming teams and further developing concepts to transform them into well-thought-out ideas
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Project Management Problem-Solving Skills
Project managers face problems with every project. By building problem-solving into your project and problem collaboration into your project team you will ensure that problems are dealt with promptly. You will also establish a track record of being able to identify and deal with problems. This is a useful notch on your project manager’s belt.
Your goal is to identify problems early before they have an impact on the project. It is far easier to deal with a problem before it becomes a crisis. Here are some tips on problem- solving methods your project.
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Involve IT Security in Projects to Avoid Delays
Security managers often end up being the bad guy when they delay a project. The reason is they are not fully consulted or included in the project. To avoid delays security managers should be included in the project life-cycle management process from the beginning.
Mathias Thurman a security manager by trade came up with 13 criteria that dictate whether a project needs security consideration. Project managers can look over the criteria when they initiate a new project and quickly determine whether it will require the attention of security management.
To ensure the project team includes security management in the project, Mathias has created an easy to use Excel spreadsheet of requirements that project managers can use to ensure that security in included early in the project’s life cycle. A downloadable version of the spreadsheet is available here.
Source: Computerworld
Important Project Manager Skills
A project managers toolbox should include all of the tools needed to plan, execute and deliver a project. Here are five key skills a good project manager should have and continuously work to improve on.
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The Nine Belbin Team Roles
Meredith Belbin a British researcher and management theorist conducted a group study over nine years. They studied the behavior of managers and teams from around the world. The result of the study is known as The 9 Belbin Team Roles.
Belbin’s model of nine team roles can be used to build a diverse team. You do not need nine individuals, each possessing a different role. Some team members may possess several roles. The concept is the team will work more effectively with each other when these roles are addressed.
The conclusion of the study was that an effective team has members that cover nine key roles. These nine roles are divided into three groups.
