I am googling on the key word ‘Project Management Information System’ and the results were disappointing. That motivates me to write this article which will have answers for the following questions when completed;
- What is the scope of project management information system (PMIS)?
- Will one system cater to the needs of different types of project organizations?
Scope of the PMIS
A good project management information system should support the planning, monitoring & controlling aspects of;
- Contracts
- With customer
- With Sub-contractors and suppliers
- Claims
- Scope
- Change management
- Configuration management
- Time (both schedule and effort)
- Planned Vs Actual
- Forecasts
- Cost
- Planned Vs Actual
- Forecasts
- Procurement
- Request for Information (RFI)
- Request for Bid (RFB)
- Request for Quotation (RFQ)
- Purchase orders
- Resource management
- Human resources
- Machine, material and equipment
- Risk management
- Quality management
- Snag (defect) management
- Price of Conformance (POC)
- Price of Non Conformance (PONC)
- Communications management
Well captured, accurate project data not only helps in managing projects but also provide the basis for planning and controlling of future projects. This aspect become all the more important for the application of artificial intelligence in project management.
Will one system cater to the needs of different types of organizations?
The answer is a definite ‘No’. Projects involve various stakeholders and their needs are different. Another key aspect to be considered is the type of contracts the organization is participating or intending to participate like;
- Cost Reimbursable Contracts
- Cost Plus contracts
- Cost Plus Percentage Contracts
- Cost Plus Fixed Fee Contracts
- Cost Plus fluctuating Fee Contracts
- Lump Sum Contracts (Also known as Fixed Price Contracts)
- Piecework Contracts
- Unit Pricing Contracts
- GMP Contracts (Guaranteed Minimum Price Contract)
- Rate Contracts
- Item rate contracts
- Percentage rate contracts
- Target Contracts
- Materials and Labor supply Contracts
- Time and Materials Contracts
- Operate, Maintain and Transfer (OMT) Contracts (popular in roadworks)
- Build Operate Transfer (BOT) Contracts
- Build Own Operate Transfer (BOOT) Contracts
Another parameter to be considered is the discipline. The project’s stakeholders come from various disciplines like Architecture, Electrical, Mechanical, Piping, Air conditioning, Structural, I.T, Product development, R&D etc. These parameters play a major role in while deciding on the PMIS.
Budget availability is another option.
Another parameter is the project segment.
Hence there is no single system which will meet the requirements optimally, as every system is aligned to a particular industry.