Publication

The release upgrade to Microsoft Project Server 2013 two years ago was the fi rst time that mobile devices had optimized access to project data, which facilitated communication and collabora-tion in project teams.

At the time, the option of using all of the functions available under Microsoft Project Server as a pure online service from the Cloud also garnered a lot of attention, because it simplifi ed use of the software across companies, while at the same time relieving the pressure on the respective IT departments. By comparison, the imminent release does not seem very extensive at fi rst glance. But looks can be deceiving, as Campana & Schott found out when it subjected the new 2016 version to intensive preliminary testing.

A particularly positive feature was the expanded resource and capacity management, because it signifi cantly improves coordi-nation of the matrix and line organization. Depending on the business strategy, an upgrade to the new version promises not just a signifi cant jump in productivity but also more agile multi-project management – and fi nally improved agility in the competitive environment. The current versions of Microsoft Project Server and Project Online already offer a transparent view of current project activities from different perspectives. For example, resource managers and line managers are always able to see which employees a project manager is planning to assign. However, in practice, such planning may be subject to sudden changes, as employees may fall ill or are no longer available due to other more pressing tasks; in addition, project managers are continuously updating their project plans - even after reaching an initial agreement regarding an employee as-signment with the employee‘s line manager. In situations such as these, line managers often fi nd it diffi cult to quickly and

precisely estimate the possible effects of a plan changes on other projects; the connection with the initially agreed assign-ment schedule is lost. Therefore line managers are also lacking a valid basis for deciding whether to agree or decline new project inquiries for employees in their team. The main reason behind this diffi culty is that the current version of Microsoft Project Server does not provide an internal logging system for resource approvals from line management.

Challenges in practice

Typical examples of such challenges in practice can be found in both service provider and software companies, as well as engi-neering fi rms with fast-growing business activities that are grad-ually spread over multiple locations. At the beginning, there will only be few projects that span across different locations, making it fairly easy to manage the capacity utilization of em-ployees. But management becomes successively more diffi cult as the company and the number of projects continues to grow. It will become increasingly time-consuming to fi nd out whether staff at a specifi c location will be under- or over-utilized next month, and where the right expert for the next project can be found. And most of all: It is no longer possible to quickly re-spond to short-term inquiries by large customers – a clear disadvantage in terms of customer relations. Because it is not immediately evident whether the relevant request can be com-pleted in the available time period. Cases such as these make it absolutely necessary to optimize the tool support for resource management. This is a typical example to the extent that it shows how an originally well-functioning project management infrastructure eventually becomes unable to keep up with the company‘s growth.

With new version Project 2016, Microsoft makes the use of resources in projects more transparent. The utilization is improved, productivity in-creases. Overall, managers can better plan - this has been observed in a fi rst test by the Campana & Schott experts.

Microsoft Project 2016: Milestone for resource management in matrix organizations

Campana & Schott 2

Add-on versus Excel improvisation

In the past, users of MS Project Server have frequently resorted to specialized add-on solutions to ensure optimum support for both the project business and the line organization in a matrix organization. As an alternative to an add-on, some companies also turned to in-house developed Excel lists in an attempt to get a handle on cross-project resource planning parallel to Microsoft Project Server 2013. But many of these „shadow planning“ initiatives sooner or later share the fate of almost all insular solutions: breaks in media and double data management with unavoidable inconsistencies. The result: Additional cost instead of improved transparency.

Better planning agility = higher productivity

The seemingly small extensions in Version 2016 can have a great impact on capacity and resource management. That is because the new „Resource Requests“ and „Resource Engage-ments“ address the following issue: The system seamlessly documents all approvals and rejections by line managers with regard to capacity requests submitted by project managers with separate data objects. This is precisely what creates the basis for truly transparent resource management across all stake-holders - also for line managers.

Experience from Campana & Schott‘s consulting practice has shown that this is not just a small issue, but offers real added value with business relevance: Improved decision-making ability in resource management alone can improve productivity by ten percent at a service provider. Another noteworthy advantage is the fact that the extended functional scope of Project 2016 capacity and resource management is available immediately, without the need for cumbersome configuration.

Rapid decision-making

The new version also supports rapid decision-making with so-called heat maps - a feature that also required the use of an implementation partner in the past: Color graphics provide a quick overview of possible planning excess or shortfall, even with very large data volumes and highly-complex dependencies between the various projects. The system uses a traffic light color scheme, for which thresholds can be freely defined. Now line managers can respond quickly in terms of resource plan-ning, before bottlenecks occur in one of the projects or at one of the employees.

Additional Project Client extensions

The ability to visualize the progress of a project along a time axis was also included in Project 2013 in the form of the time-line feature. A new addition for the 2016 version of Project Client is the option of managing multiple time axes for a project and display them as bars that lie on top of each other. For ex-ample, the top bar could represent the entire project while a bar below provides additional details for a specific sub-project. In this way, it is possible to differentiate between the various phases of a project without losing sight of the overall project due to the additional amount of detail.

Moreover, the integration of a new search window directly in the interface also facilitates the search for one of the many com-mands available in Project Client. It reduces the time required to search for rarely used functions.

Cloud version: Innovations can be used more quickly

With Project 2016, Microsoft continues its move towards the Cloud. Even though Project Online has only been available since the start of the 2013 version, the majority of new British cus-tomers is already using this version, mostly in connection with Office 365. In Germany, on the other hand, we have yet to see the big shift in the direction of the Cloud, as the on premise version still dominates the landscape. At the same time, the interaction between Project Online and other Microsoft Cloud products plays an increasingly important role in view of produc-tivity and efficiency reserves - for example the interaction with SharePoint Online, Power BI, Skype for Business Online, Dy-namics CRM Online, or the social Enterprise Platform Yammer, which was acquired by Microsoft in 2012.

From the user‘s point of view, the greatest advantages offered by the Cloud are derived without a doubt from the rapid avail-ability of the software without cumbersome coordination with the IT department - something offered not just by Project Online. Innovation cycles are also shortened as the online versions are gradually enhanced and made available to users. Now there is no need to wait for the next version - new functions for more efficient tool support in project management are available im-mediately. On the other hand, the pressure on the IT depart-ment is permanently reduced because the size of the in-house operated application portfolio does not increase and the costs related to future release changes no longer apply. Project On-line as the easy way to convert to the server version is particu-larly recommended for smaller and medium-sized companies, which have only used Project Client to date. Investments in new server hardware are not required. The advantages offered by the on-line version should also be considered wherever the earlier Project Server versions 2003, 2007 or 2010 are still in use. Microsoft has already discontinued mainstream support for versions 2003 and 2007; and support services for Project Server 2010 will expire in October.

Microsoft Project 2016: Milestone for resource management in matrix organizations

Campana & Schott 3Microsoft Project 2016: Milestone for resource management in matrix organizations

Conclusion

In companies with matrix organizations, the significant expan-sion of capacity and resource management in Microsoft Project 2016 brings additional transparency to the interaction between project planning and line planning. The seamless documentation of all resource approvals makes agreements between team and project managers much more reliable than is the case now. Ad-ditional tools for resource management are no longer required - particularly with respect to Excel shadow planning. In addition, the standard reports and integrated heat maps also facilitate the analysis of possible excess planning and under-utilization. Resource requests can be answered more quickly. Overall, the

expanded capacity planning of Microsoft Project 2016 provides important leverage for improving employee utilization and hence increase productivity. The higher each employee‘s contribution to revenues in customer projects, the greater the effect of opti-mized resource planning on the business result. At the same time, it is important to note that even the best management tool will only be of limited use if the relevant processes, rules and roles are not also anchored in the organization at the same time.

Originally published in Computerwoche (28/29 2015).

Campana & Schott Group | 13010 Morris Road Building 1, Suite 600 | Alpharetta, GA 30004 | M + 1 770 33 00 45 8 | contact@campana-schott.com | www.campana-schott.com

Campana & Schott

Campana & Schott is an international management and technology consultancy whose core business includes all aspects of collabo-ration among people within organizations and/or projects.

For over 20 years, we have been assisting large corporations and medium-sized enterprises master the changing work environment and complex change processes hosticially and with great passion.

Further informations:www.campana-schott.com

With the function “Add Engagement”, project managers

can make resource requests, clarify details and bring ideas

to potential candidates.

The Resource Manager opens the “Resource Requests” in

the PWA. Already approved and new requests are dis-

played.

In “Team Planner” responsibles see how their resources

are used and scheduled currently.

Change over to Timephased Data view: Overview of time

periods for which resources have been approved or re-

quested.

With “Add Engagement” resources manager finally share

individual employees to specific projects.

The schedule of a project can be divided among multiple

timelines. This allows the Users detailed insights into their

plans.