Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Join the Self-Service Revolution

Self-service is not just for cafeterias anymore!

The internet can short circuit the bottlenecks which prevent providers and users of information from communicating effectively.

Self-service via the net is "in" - for some reason its is called "web 2" or even "web 3". Unfortunately, when it comes to managing projects, most of the services are aimed at large corporate product and service providers, and most of the tools are either large, unwieldy, expensive, with long and steep learning curves, or all of the above. Even the best project management tools make it difficult to integrate the way that projects really work, with the routine information needs of customers. High-end project management tools are very well established and useful, provided your operation is big enough to be able to afford IT-proficient project managers familiar with their use - but what to do about all the users for whom utterance of the phrase "Project Management System" is a signal to switch off or invent another appointment.

Operations in which the the project manager is also the chief cook, bottle washer and scapegoat for everything that goes wrong (meaning YOU) are on their own with the proverbial ill-conceived collection of ill-assorted parts (mostly bits of paper) assembled into a distressing whole - otherwise know as a KLUGE.

JobWarden tries to keep it simple, but not stupid

• JobWarden short circuits the high-end IT and information handling bottlenecks that prevent service providers, customers and project team members from keeping up to date.
• JobWarden does not require providers of project information to do anything different than they are already doing - it just makes it easier and makes it accessible online.
• JobWarden suits users of project information who do not need to know, and DO NOT CARE TO KNOW, how to use project management systems such as Microsoft Project and DotProject.
• JobWarden makes project-related information more accessible by keeping all documentation such as contracts, memos, e-mails and invoices, as well as project status, forecasts and time sheets for a given job or project, in one secure place, accessible online.