Complete Projects On Time with Project Management Software

Why Project Insight

Previously, Telered was using Microsoft Project desktop, which was too complex and expensive for their needs. Management was looking for one centralized project and portfolio management system to replace all the other tools they were using. They especially wanted a way to get information remotely because employees were on flex time, and several worked from home on their laptops.

• Provided a single solution everyone could use for greater efficiency and productivity
• Allowed remote resources to get timely information
• Offered features other vendors did not offer at a competitive price
• Included superior security, which was important for remote computing

The company evaluated several project management software solutions, only to find that most vendors had well-known issues, used a lot of resources, required too much memory and bandwidth, or were too expensive. Project Insight was the only solution that met Telered's requirements and provided the levels of security—especially regarding remote workers—required by financial institutions. "When I arrived here four years ago, Project Insight project management software was already up and running," the project VP noted. "Unfortunately, only one person knew how to use it—the person I replaced. I decided not to change our manual operations so I could see first-hand how things worked…or didn't work. At the time we were focused on a huge project, so it wasn't a good idea to start teaching our people how to use the software." In 2014, Telered's project vice president began pushing his entire team to use the existing instance of Project Insight project management software. The goal was to use a single, centralized solution so that at the end of the month it only took a click or two to create a consolidated portfolio. "We've been taking product training courses to learn how to use the software," said the project VP. "For example, I took a course on how to consolidate reports on the fly for more strategic reporting. Project Insight's team and trainers have been with us each step of the way."

The Results

• Provides a centralized list of projects and tasks for resources to view
• Sends email alerts to all resources detailing specific tasks they need to complete each day
• Effectively manages resources' workloads for improved efficiency and productivity
• Allows management to mentor and guide a young workforce to ensure projects are completed on schedule

Project Insight helped re-evaluate resource allocation throughout the company based on a central repository. "Now, no matter where I am, I can get information and consolidate it," said the VP. "This allows me to keep track of main issues." Tracking all projects on a single dashboard has improved resource allocation greatly and has increased productivity. It also allows management to analyze how many resources are required for specific types of projects and the time required to complete them, which now ensures accurate forecasting. Management sends daily emails to their resources each morning via the central repository detailing what tasks need to be completed. Now, everyone is on the same page on what needs to be done and the priority of each task.

One of Telered's unique challenges is its young workforce. Their project vice president views mentorship as one of his most important roles. He uses his years of experience and knowledge to act as a strategic facilitator to help his team reach their goals. He monitors all projects from a single dashboard. If a project is lagging, he helps get it back on schedule. The project VP can also spot risks and problems early on to guide his employees through them to avoid major problems going forward. "I can view the big picture on a single screen," he explained. "This gives me the ability to recommend solutions to my young staff. I personally don't run specific projects; rather, I concentrate on helping my team sort out the obstacles they may encounter in a project. If I spot a problem I can send an alert saying, 'Juan, check this out, we're lagging here.' This allows me to give better input, recommendations and analyses. I won't allow a resource to become a problem.

"Since each resource gets emails reminding them of their scheduled tasks, they can't argue that they didn't know they were supposed to accomplish—especially those working remotely on laptops. This is a great feature because it helps ensure all projects are completed on time." Telered's project vice president continues to learn more about the software's reporting function every day, which he uses daily to consolidate information and prepare a structure so he can retrieve a report any time he wants and in real-time. With a centralized project and portfolio management solution, the project VP has the information and control he needs to get a full understanding of what's going on.