Over on PMHut, there is a semi-commercial post by Andrew Filev titled What Would an Ideal Project Management Tool Look Like? What's interesting at first is Andrew doesn't mention anything about “managing projects.” 

Here's what I want a tool set to do:

• Provide easy development of the Master Plan and Master Schedule. The Mind Jet tools does some of the heavy lifting during the brain storming sessions. But MindJet broke the MSFT Project interface that was so wonderful in X5. But still MM is our standard “data entry” tool. It defines the Integrated Master Plan, down to the Work Package level. Then we switch to MSFT Project for the next step.
• Have a repository for plans and schedules that integrates documents, spread sheets, and other sources. We're always surfing are the web, on “official” sites for information, going back and forth with the customer documents, making changes and revising everything. The solution of course is an Enterprise Content Management system. But those expensive, requires loads of effort to stand up, and run on a continuing basis. Sure MOSS and document management system can do this, but not in the way PMs work.
• Change management is a BIG deal in PM. I'd like a “real” change management system for the project content. There are a few tools out there. Some are expensive. I mean $2,500 a seat. Some a affordable. It's getting better, but not there yet.
• Integration of cost and schedule in the way a real cost management system works. There are cobbled up systems, but they require too much effort. The current MSFT Project (07) is still lame when is comes to cost management. It's a scheduling system. An OK one. Affordable at least compared to the competition. But even the 2007 version does not have an accounting calendar!!!!

OK, enough for now. My real list is dozens of pages long.

But let me make one point as a practicing Program and Project manager as well as a Program Planning and Controls lead.

Email is a bad idea when makes changes to the project baseline. Just an all around bad idea.

Every credible project management methodology requires a change control system to the baseline. Knowing who changed what, what the impact is to the work right of today, what the cost impact is on the allocated cost baseline. Thing like that are not allowed to be performed in the absence of approvals. Period.

In fact this may be the difference between the “professional amateur” and the “professional.” That will annoy people I know. But “credible” change control is an immutable program management process.

Here's a real example.

7 work streams with interactions between hardware, software, firmware, simulations, human factors. All working in parallel as much as possible. Come in on Monday and discover a predecessor has been changed – moved to the right. Completely screws up your nice plan for completing on or before the planned date.

Who made the change. Why did the change get made. How can you undo the change. We've taken actuals against that baseline. Now we're “off baseline” so our performance is screwed up.

We're screwed. 

DO NOT UPDATE THE SCHEDULE WITH EMAIL FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN A TRIVIAL PROJECT.

I say this from 26 years managing projects. It's true in every domain I've ever worked

The ideal project management system should bring HUMANS into the communication loop, not email. Just like the Agile Manifesto tells us to do. Even if the authors of the Manifesto would not dare come close to our $500M programs.

The principles are still true:

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools

Original post: Herding Cats