types of project management software

[pmkb]

There are several types of PM software (IMO):

• collaboration tools
• simple calendar planners (organizing task lists like a daily planner)
• CPM/critical chain scheduling tools (calculating float paths, criticality, resource constraints, etc.)
• risk analysis tools (PERT, Monte Carlo, Event Chaining, etc.)

IMHO, I believe that:

• collaboration tools are most useful in managing projects where the scope involves a creative process (ie. design, engineering, programming)
• simple calendar planners are helpful for project participants to manage their efforts in working multiple projects, but not so helpful to managers in controlling/analyzing projects
• CPM/critical chain scheduling tools are most useful in managing projects with a deterministic scope (ie. where the scope can be planned and estimated with a degree of confidence) such as construction, maintenance, etc.
• risk analysis tools are not terribly helpful - Murphy's Law says your analysis will fail to consider the scenarios/problems that end up affecting the project

Thoughts?

[dbircsak]

Where would you place Microsoft's Outlook/Exchange Server calendar sharing feature? It's such an exceptional tool and everyone here at my work uses it daily but I wouldn't consider it a project management.....solution. More like one tool in that giant PM toolbox. And it's the only calendar sharing software that I've seen integrated so nicely with e-mail.

[pmkb]

Honestly, I'm not familiar with it. It sounds like a little bit of both a simple calendar planner and collaboration tool though.