Web-based Project Management Georgios Karatzas - 4560272 Msc Advanced Computing Science School of Computing Sciences - Faculty of Science University of East Anglia Norwich NR4 7TJ - UK G.Karatzas@uea.ac.uk April 2010 ABSTRACT This paper sets out the revolutionary effects on project management by Internet and new technologies. It defines the terms ’project’ and ’project management’ and then ad- dresses the challenges which faces and the limitations of cur- rent project management techniques. It then emphasizes on the innovation of performing project management through the web, introducing the web-based project management systems and how the internet and the new technologies in information technology has affected the current project man- agement techniques and methods. In addition, benefits and advantages of web-enabling the project management will be addressed. On the other hand, limitations and drawbacks of performing project management over the web will be set out. 1. INTRODUCTION Project management is the planning, scheduling, and controlling of project activities to meet project objectives. Project management is essentially about managing a project from the start to its completion meeting its goals and its ob- jectives. The projects’ complexity today has been increased as never before. Projects today include “larger capital in- vestments, several disciplines, widely spread project partic- ipants, tighter schedules, more strict quality standards etc.” [Alshawi and Ingirige, 2003]. These factors in addition with high-speed developments in Information and Communica- tion Technology and the popularity of outsourcing world- wide have influenced project management practices to follow new techniques and patterns introduced by new technology using new software and tools in order to improve the effec- tiveness of current project management techniques. Also, communication among companies and between clients and companies it is a critical factor in order to successfully be met the targets of a project. New technology and revolution- ary innovations of information technology has created new ways of communication. In this paper it will be set out the evolution of project management, the challenges and prob- lems facing the current project management practices. It then will be focused on the impact of the latest advances in technology on project management emphasizing on the innovative fact of performing project management over the Web. Finally, benefits and advantages of web-enabling the project management will be addressed pointing also critical limitations and drawbacks of performing project manage- ment over the web. 2. PROJECT MANAGEMENT 2.1 Definitions Project is defined as a “a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service” [PMI, 2004]. Projects they have definitive start date and definitive end date and they exist until they reach their goals and objectives [Held- man et al., 2007]. A project usually splits into smaller projects (sub-projects), it creates a unique product or ser- vice, it is purpose-oriented and involves the coordinated un- dertaking of interrelated activities [Brandon, 2005] [Frame, 2005]. Managing a project, formerly named as project man- agement, is “the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to the project activities in order to meet or exceed stakeholder needs and expectations from a project” [PMI, 2004]. It is responsible for planning, organizing, monitoring, and control of all the parts of a project and it also respon- sible for management, leadership and motivation of all the aspects take part in order the project to achieve its goals and objectives [Brandon, 2005]. The major objectives of project management that must be met are cost, performance, time goals while in parallel it must controls or maintains the pur- pose of the project at the defined level [Lewis, 2001]. 2.2 Challenges Even if the project management exists as term for some decades there are still challenges. Below, the major chal- lenges on project management are addressed. 1. Quality: Quality can be a problematic aspect on project management. Usually, quality control is set to be managed by a contractor or other third-party. As [Amalraj et al., 2007] refer quality control and as- surance should be managed by the parent company. It is also referred that the parent company must review and approve specific contractor quality plans at the early stage of the project plan. The project’s devel- opment process and the quality contractor must take place together otherwise there would be inconsistency between the prior plans and the actual result. 2. Cost: In many cases, projects are beginning with a lack on cost information providing lower estimated costs. This happens because a project with lower cost is more attractive and more likely to be approved in order to get started. Also, clients demand high-quality products and services at the lower price. This af- fects the project’s cost plan driving, in most cases, the project’s real cost out of the planned one and the most 1