oftware--and they find that Project Management requires a certain approach that is enterprise-wide and that runs in an environment of mixed computing platforms and with databases on distributed networks. They examine Project Management systems and how easy or difficult they may be to use, a question they say is essential. Some vendors have addressed the ease-of-use issue, and some have not, and those who have are using different techniques to try to make the software more useful and accessible. The authors note the benefits that accrues from Project Management:
1) it helps managers identify ill-conceived and directionless projects;
2) it increases visibility with a road map for participants to work toward;
3) it promotes teamwork and communication across departments;
4) it enables managers to be proactive rather than reactive; and
5) it enables managers to predict costs and to make informed decisions.
The authors conclude that Project Management as a method of guiding a company in the production of a series of profitable projects can be helpful, but it will not alleviate the risk from any product development effort and it requires cross-functional communication, identification of information interface points, activity sequencing, and a focus on getting future work dome with quality and efficiency. The long-term benefits outweigh the difficulties (48-50).
Haynes (1989) states that Project Management developed as a discipline for use in managing the U.S. space program in the early 1960s, and its use has expanded to government, the military, and industry. Project Management differs from other management principles in two ways: 1) it focuses on a project with a finite life span, whereas departments or other organizational units expect to exist indefinitely; and 2) projects frequently need resources on a part-time basis, whereas permanent organizations try to utilize resources full-time. In normal mana...