Development projects need to deal with increasing amounts of information that require better tools to help navigate through all the data produced. In partnership with experts in the development of information technology systems, we help your organization or your project develop the functional and technical requirements that can support the processes and methodologies developed for your organization.

Solutions range from web-based to a network (server/client) based solutions that allow the entire project team to interact with the system and reduce the time to process information. We work with your team to develop the system architecture that reflects the best practices for managing data and help you get the information you need to make the right decision at the right time.
 

• Enterprise Project Management Solutions (EPMS)
• Project Knowledge Information and Collaboration Systems (SharePoint)
• Project Learning Systems (Moodle and eFront)
• Project Information Management Systems (PIMS)
• Project Management Scheduling Systems (MS Project )

Enterprise Project Management Solutions (EPMS)

Development organizations with ad hoc processes for managing their project portfolios can realize significant improvements in productivity and satisfaction by better defining these processes and supporting them with suitable applications. Improved planning, resource utilization, project change management, and project communications will provide most enterprises with a significant return on investment.

PM4DEV provides services to help your organization implement the best tools to manage your project portfolio. We bring in-depth knowledge of project management, business management, process improvement, change management, and extensive technical expertise to help you introduce project management and collaboration solutions into your organization and integrate it with your existing project management processes.

Our EPM expertise is based on Microsoft Project Server 2010. We provide an organization with an end-to-end solution project portfolio management solution to quickly gain visibility and to control across your project, program, and portfolios by automating governance processes, standardizing and streamlining the collection of data, and tracking portfolio performance to maximize project impact and improve operational efficiencies. You will:

• Use a portfolio management approach to monitor multiple projects. Managers obtain a clear overview of multiple projects or programs and can drill down for details to report on results.
• Improve the allocation of project resources by monitoring inputs, managing team roles, administering contracts and donations, allocating resources, tracking human resource information, and providing the organization management with access to project information.
• Monitor project results with results-based management features. Based on organizational level goals and indicators, managers can monitor progress relating to portfolios, programs, and projects.
• Manage project budgets, schedules, and scope across all projects, programs, and portfolios.
• Consolidate all project information by aggregating project data from multiple sources to develop complete project progress reports to donors and key stakeholders.

Project Management Information and Collaboration Systems

SharePoint can be used to build a Project Management Information System (PMIS) customized to your project needs that can efficiently coordinate communication and collaboration among team members. Our approach provides the freedom for project teams to implement and manage SharePoint themselves without the intervention of costly technologies. We make use of free templates with little or no configuration that can get the functionality needed to manage a project.

SharePoint can be easily configured to:

• Provide a Web-based project environment for project stakeholders to collaborate and communicate project information.
• Centralize project documents and keep track of document history with version control.
• Automate project reporting and generate on-demand status reports.
• Integrate existing project management tools such as Excel, Microsoft Project, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Display key project metrics.
• Display customized project dashboards for project sponsors.

SharePoint provides teams with a centralized location for project information that facilitates collaboration between project team members. This solution includes the development of project information collaboration systems by using web technologies that help the project team stay connected and productive by providing easy access to the people, documents, and information they need to make more informed decisions and get the job done. SharePoint includes:

• Centralization of all project information and documents with document management capabilities including the ability to view revisions to documents and restore to previous versions.
• Control of access security.
• Communication of project information and documents with easily updated postings, news archives, and notifications and publications to all relevant stakeholders.
• Connects teams with the information and resources they need, giving users the ability to create team workspaces, coordinate calendars, organize documents, and receive important notifications and updates through communication features including announcements and alerts, as well as the ability to create their own blogs and wikis.

Project Learning Management Systems (LMS)

Training your staff can be quite expensive, especially if your projects are geographically dispersed. The cost of airfare and lodging can at times be higher than the cost of the actual training. With the need to keep costs down, organizations often choose to reduce these opportunities.

Online training is now becoming a valid option to provide new knowledge and skills to teams independent of where they are located. PM4DEV can help your organization develop a customized online training course on any area or topic of project management, from synchronous courses that use live online web meetings to chat features to asynchronous courses that allow participants take the lessons at their own pace. Visit or online learning environment to see examples of our training courses. Once we build your individualized course, we can help in its delivery and in building the capacity of your organization to teach these courses.

Advantages of your own LMS:

• Reduce training costs.
• Increase the number of people that are trained.
• Keep control of your content.
• Make changes as needed.
• Monitor results and student performance.

Project Management Information Systems (PMIS)

Organizations are in urgent need of effective monitoring and evaluation systems. The acknowledged need to improve the performance of development assistance calls for close attention to the provision of management information, both to support the implementation of projects and programs and to feedback into the design of new initiatives. A PMISalso provides a basis for accountability in the use of development resources. A good PMIS is a tool that facilitates the collection and capture of data by those who implement activities and eventually store it in a central information repository from where the data can be extracted, analyzed, and used. The Project Information System will allow users to measure output, outcome, and impact indicators of projects and activities against targets, milestones, and goals. A PMIS is increasingly recognized as an indispensable tool for both project and portfolio management.

We help organizations improve their project information management processes, which support informed decision making by replacing complicated, burdensome, and static spreadsheets with a cost-effective and sustainable Web-based application that facilitates effective data collection, analysis, and reporting.

A PMIS will provide you with a range of powerful outputs, including:

• Performance, sustainability, and impact indicators.
• Up-to-date performance information about your project.
• Financial appraisal of the project’s inputs and outputs.
• Provides ease of report creation and reporting to donors.
• Monitors budget vs. actuals for project financials.

Monitoring all aspects of a project is a key element to ensure the project is on track. Our approach to monitoring systems include:

• Monitoring data from process and activity indicators to track calendar progress by each one of the project interventions.
• Monitoring data from budget expenditures to track high-level budget expenses and monitor the progress of activities and results associated with their cost.
• Using the executive dashboard for decision making and the quick detection of problem indicators with the ability for “drill-down” to analyze data in more detail.
• A graphical dashboard with the use of charts and graphs to quickly help identify program progress by program goal. The visualization of data helps manage the decision-making process without the need to analyze lengthy data reports and spreadsheets.

Project Management Scheduling Systems

Microsoft Project Implementation and Training. Our services include expert level Microsoft project trainers and consultants. Whether you are building new project schedules or migrating from other applications, we can get you up and running quickly and economically. Microsoft Office Project provides a robust project management tool with the right blend of usability, power, and flexibility, to manage projects more efficiently and effectively. You will be able to:

• Better manage and understand project schedules.
• Set realistic expectations with project teams, management, customers, and other stakeholders.
• Organize your resources, people, and finances.
• Stay informed by controlling your project work, schedule, and finances, and clearly communicate project data.
• Improve your cost and time estimates.
• Utilize a rich set of predefined or custom metrics to track and access relevant data.

Microsoft® Project gives you a powerful, visually enhanced way to effectively manage a wide range of projects and programs. From meeting crucial deadlines to selecting the right resources and empowering your teams, this Project Management Software delivers new and intuitive experiences in collaborative project management for individuals, teams, and the enterprise.

Integrated Information System

Integrated Information System makes critical project information available to your organization’s management and your project team, providing the following benefits:

• Performance information about your project.
• Appraisal of the project's logframe inputs and outputs.
• A clear perception of the planned and actual impact of the project.
• An understanding of the rate of progress of the project to its final goal.
• Control on task assignments and progress reports.
• Improves the timeliness of reports to donors and stakeholders.
• Allows information transparency and accountability for results.
• Supports strategic planning and better alignment of resources.

Click here to download a copy of our information management services

PM4DEV can deliver flexible solutions tailored to the unique needs of your organization. Our consulting services will enable you to quickly take advantage of the many benefits of our project management methodology. By teaming with us, you will diminish implementation risk, ensure user adoption, and maximize your overall investment in PM4DEV solutions.
 

PM4DEV consultants understand how you do your work, we're uniquely positioned to help you achieve measurable success by utilizing a unified approach that combines:

• Reliability. PM4DEV works closely with you to ensure a successful project outcome. Our job isn't finished until we've achieved your goals.
• Expertise. No one understands PM4DEV products like the people who build them. PM4DEV consultants have the necessary knowledge and resources to guarantee your project success.
• Methodology. Our proven processes and methodology were developed during successful engagements allowing PM4DEV professionals to work with maximum speed to efficiency.

Send an e-mail to info@pm4dev.com for information on consulting services, or schedule an interview with one of our representatives.