Project Management
More and more work is being done through cross-functional work groups. Often you will see employees stretched across departments on multiple projects. When employees are over assigned, it’s impossible to keep projects running at desired levels. Consistent Project Management methodology is a vital function of a successful business
With Connections Online, we give you a standardized framework to manage project workflow, including the project portfolio, as well as project implementation to ensure that all goals are being met…every step of the way.. This includes prioritizing and communicating project progress, clearly defining the scope of work, as well as tracking team members’ accountabilities. Connections Online reporting integrates projects and people allowing leaders to track progress, identify and repair bottle-necks, and maintain employee morale.
Ready for a Test Drive?
Manage projects as a connected part of the company.
Many organizations are disappointed with their project management efforts: missed deadlines, wasted time and misspent money resulting in organizational fatigue are just some of the common issues. Connections Online provides an easy framework for managers to get more done. The framework tracks the progress of work and department resources with a comprehensive view of measurements, tasks, and department members. It also provides for transparency to the rest of the organization as well as timely communication to stakeholders.
Connections Online uses a standard project methodology as the basis for its Project Management framework. The framework is expressed using two components:
- Project Portfolio process that includes categorizing types of projects, prioritizing projects, conducting project business case reviews, and determining the project charter
- Project Implementation process that includes tracking project metrics, tasks, resources, documentation, communication updates for all stakeholders, team collaboration meetings, project review, and lessons learned
PROJECT MANAGEMENT FEATURES
- Write and edit projects– save as a draft until you publish it
- Move or transfer projects – i.e. if you initiated the project in marketing, you can move it to HR
- Link a project – i.e. if the project is created on HR, you can “link it” to Finance so now it also appears on Finance’s list of projects (so they can show how their resources are being used in Finance)
- Copy a project to be able to reuse the project’s “intellectual capital”
- Export the Project portfolio grid to MS Excel to create unique reports
- Project Excel Templates for those preferring family tools, easily syncs with Connections Online
POWER OF A PORTFOLIO
- Display “health” of a project through color coding so a quick look will communicate if the project is in trouble or not allowing viewer to look in more detail
- Show status comment of project so everyone has the most updated information on the progress of the project
- List related documentation for each project displayed on the portfolio through document links so everyone has access to pertinent project documentation/information
- View list of team members to be able to mail directly to the team member and also to know the member’s role on the project
- Indicate project alignment (why are you doing this project) to help make better priority decisions as other issues come up
- Identify and list phase of project to help communicate project progress supporting project transparency
- Link to the project details from the portfolio page allows for quick access to the entire project plan
- Reports for resource utilization, all projects with project summary details and project activity (allowing to see who updated what on the project plan)
- Use MS Project to create and manage a project within COL – you don’t even need to open Connections
