Project Management Solutions
When you need project management solutions, there are two places to look for them. You seek a project management solution in-house, using existing employees and resources, or you can outsource project management functions. Actually, there is a third option: to outsource some project management functions and perform others in-house. There are pros and cons to all project management solutions.
Keeping all project management solutions in-house is most often preferred by large corporations and government agencies such as the military. Large enterprises like these have numerous projects going on all the time. They can fully utilize a dedicated project management team and infrastructure. But mid-sized companies that specialize in project work can also benefit from an in-house project management solution. Construction, software development, advertising, and engineering are examples of industries in which mid-sized firms find it critical to have a dedicated project management solution in-house.
But many smaller firms, with intermittent projects, can't justify a full-time project management team and the infrastructure necessary to support modern project management solutions. In particular, smaller firms often can't afford the project management software solutions on the market.
Project management software is extremely complex, and has a small market compared to a general-purpose software package such as Microsoft Office. Therefore, the unit price of project management software solutions is high. The total cost of ownership is even higher, because you have to factor in hardware and services to support the software; training for staff to use and maintain it; and probably at least one dedicated help desk person to answer users' questions about how to get things done with the project management software. Smaller firms in industries that are not project-oriented tend to outsource project management software solutions.
Many firms offer outsource project management software solutions. Typically, these are pay-as-you-go services that charge by the number of users, volume of transactions, data storage used, and so on. This pricing paradigm works well for firms that may need to use project management software solutions several times a year but not constantly.
Project management professionals can be hired on an as-needed basis, too. Many project management consulting firms are out there, staffed by certified Project Management Professionals with expertise in almost every imaginable kind of project. The Project Management Institute (PMI), the worldwide certification and training body for project management professionals, is a good source of referrals to qualified consulting project managers in your area.