Rationale
Managing large, complex projects is no easy business. In fact, more projects are destined to fail than not. Reasons for project failure could range anywhere from missing deadlines to failing to achieve the expected results and many other reasons in between. The price of failure could also be quite steep ranging from irreparable loss of credibility to significant monetary loss. Experience has shown that certain factors contribute immensely to the failure of projects. Such culprits results from lack or loss of control over:
- Project issues and scope of work
- Project communications and announcements
- Activities, deadlines, and failure to understand task dependencies
- Exchange of critical project documents and files
The Project Issue Electronic Communicator (or PIECOMM) is an indispensable tool for managing the complexities of critical projects by providing a real-time forum and repository for keeping track of all project-related issues, activities, deadlines, communication, and file exchange. PIECOMM allows project members to communicate in a secure and shared environment. It also provides management teams with periodic updates via e-mail while continuously documenting all aspects of the project for progress reporting.
Key Objectives
- Help project sponsors and managers effectively manage and control their projects.
- Provide a centralized forum for communications, project task management, issue tracking and control, as well as functioning as a secure, central repository for the storage and exchange of all project files and documents.
Features
Secure and Controlled Environment for Project Setup
Each participating project team member will be assigned a unique Login ID and Password to access this highly secure software. PIECOMM limits updating and viewing privileges based on the project team member position and responsibilities.
Document, Track, Manage All Project Issues
All project-related issues are documented, tracked and managed. Issues are then assigned to individuals or teams for resolution. Assignees may respond by posting responses and attaching supporting documentation. Only the project managers can mark issues as resolved and closed.
Project Task Plan with Automatic Critical Path Analysis
PIECOMM keeps track of the start and end dates of all project activities and automatically identifies pending, in-progress, and past-due activities. It also displays the inter-dependencies among project activities by color-coding such linkages.
Centralized Exchange and Storage of all Project Documents and Files
It allows the project team members to post various files and documents along with the specific category designation and a brief description for each item. There is no restriction on the size or format of the document. All posted documents immediately become part of the project and available for download 24/7.
Centralized Dissemination and Repository for Announcements
PIECOMM also provides an easy forum for project managers and members to post project-related announcements and notices along with supporting files or documentation.
Weekly Status Update with Critical Project Events, Issues, and Deadlines
PIECOMM can be set up to notify project members of important project events via e-mail every Monday morning with a summary status update, to include all open issues, activities to be completed within the next 7, 10, 30 days, as well as past due activities.
