Introducing

ConceptDrawPROJECT

Introducing ConceptDraw PROJECT

CS Odessa

Contents
Introducing ConceptDrawPROJECT............................................ 1
WhatisConceptDrawPROJECT?...................................................................... 6
Visualize Project Data............................................................................................6
Plan Projects andManage Change...........................................................................7
Track Project Documentation andKnowledge............................................................7
ConceptDrawPROJECT Supported by ConceptDrawOFFICE........................................7
ConceptDrawPROJECT Supported by ConceptDrawSolutionPark................................7

WhatAretheBenefits ofConceptDrawPROJECT?........................................ 8
Reporting forPlanning...........................................................................................8
Reporting forChanges...........................................................................................8
Reporting forMeetings..........................................................................................8

Strengths ofConceptDrawPROJECT............................................................... 9
Why does theProject Knowledge Dashboard Matter?.................................................9
Individual Contributors..........................................................................................9
Project Managers..................................................................................................9
Program andSenior Managers.............................................................................. 10
All Stakeholders................................................................................................. 10
WhatAretheStrengths oftheIntegration ofConceptDrawPROJECT with
ConceptDrawOFFICE?......................................................................................... 10

ConceptDrawSolutionPark Support forProject Management...................11

ConceptDrawPROJECT ataGlance............................................12
WhatisaDashboard?. .....................................................................................13
Primary Dashboard Characteristics........................................................................ 13
Adashboard consolidates all information ontoone screen........................................ 13
Adashboard represents datavisually.................................................................... 13
Dashboards must be dynamically updated.............................................................. 13
Dashboards monitor performance andassist in taking action.................................... 14
Secondary Dashboard Characteristics.................................................................... 14
Collaborative Dashboards..................................................................................... 14
Personal Dashboards........................................................................................... 14
Alarms..............................................................................................................15
Customizable Content Display.............................................................................. 15
Display Options.................................................................................................. 15
Tertiary Dashboard Characteristics........................................................................ 16

Using Micro Reports. ........................................................................................17

Facilitates Communication.................................................................................... 17
Meeting Key Points . ........................................................................................... 17
Project Manager toTeam Summary....................................................................... 17

Manage Plans, Reports, andChanges............................................................18

Planning andInitiating Projects with ConceptDrawPROJECT..................................... 18
Generating Reports andManaging Change with ConceptDrawPROJECT...................... 19
Project Communications andMeeting Management.................................................. 20

Keeping Ownership onPlanning.....................................................................21

Best Practice...................................................................................................... 21
Requirements..................................................................................................... 21

Project Knowledge Dashboard........................................................................22

PrepareMeeting Agenda..................................................................................... 22
Personal Understanding ...................................................................................... 23
Knowledge Distribution (Team Understanding)........................................................ 23

Introducing ConceptDraw PROJECT

CS Odessa

WhatisConceptDrawPROJECT?
ConceptDrawPROJECT isafull-featured project management solution thatkeeps
youontop ofyour datathrough project dashboards. Project dashboards display
all key performance indicators onone screen so youcan take immediate action
whenevernecessary.
ConceptDrawPROJECT contains an extensive tool set tohelp project managers. Therich
datavisualization capability thatisprovided by ConceptDrawPROducts builds project
dashboards, one-click reports, multi-project views, Gantt charts, andresource views.
Therich visual datapresentation supports important project management tasks such
ascritical planning andchange management.

Visualize Project Data

With ConceptDrawPROJECT, youalways have current status available through
project dashboards, one click reports, andmulti-project views andalso Gantt charts
andresource views. Your teams andstakeholders arealways current andyou have
theinformation youneed totake action quickly.
Theproject dashboard:
Consolidates project dataontoone screen
See all ofyour key performance indicators onone screen.
Updates datadynamically
Monitor status based onthemost current project data.
Represents datavisually
Understandyour current status from thedashboard, recognize changes toproject
status asit occurs, andsee when critical performance limits areexceeded.
Helps youtake theright action
Instantly recognize whataction youneed totake now.
ConceptDrawPROJECT enables youtogenerate reports with one click. youdo not need
toconfigure settings, walk through dialogs, orclick through wizards. Sharing reports
issimple because youcan output them toHTML, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Project,
orRTF. By integrating with ConceptDrawOFFICE andConceptDrawSolutionPark addons, youcan extend your reporting capability with numerous resource, schedule,
andtask reports.
Because your project dataisaccessible through traditional formats such asGantt charts
andresource views, youcan engage in in-depth planning andanalysis. Expandyour

Introducing ConceptDraw PROJECT

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diagramming andchart functionality through ConceptDrawSolutionPark add-ons

andintegration with ConceptDrawOFFICE.

Plan Projects andManage Change

ConceptDrawPROJECT provides all thetools necessary toplan andmanage projects.
youcan create tasks, assign resources, andload resource costs. By creating
asubproject, youcan analyze theimpact ofachange request before approving
thechange totheproject baseline.

Track Project Documentation andKnowledge

ConceptDrawPROJECT allows youtotrack thecompleteness ofyour project
documentation by tracing tasks back torequirements documents oridentifying tasks
thathave no documentation. Team members know where toget thehighest priority
andcurrent specifications so they areable tolearn more about their current tasks.
Project managers areassured ofproject quality because their teams areusing theproper
documents. Portfolio managers andexecutives know if documents aremissing so they
can be proactive in resolving.
TheProject Knowledge Dashboard in ConceptDrawPROJECT enables youtomanage
status andthequality ofproject input.

ConceptDrawPROJECT Supported by ConceptDrawOFFICE

When youuse ConceptDrawPROJECT with ConceptDrawOFFICE, youbenefit from more
dashboards thatdisplay key performance indicators foryour project methodology. With
ConceptDrawMINDMAP youcan: leverage brainstorming, presentation, andreporting
functionality. Project used in conjunction with ConceptDrawPRO one isable togenerate
charts, network diagrams, work breakdown structures, andother diagrams.

ConceptDrawPROJECT Supported by ConceptDrawSolutionPark

CSOdessaConceptDrawSolutionPark offers avariety ofproject management add-ons
thatyou can download toConceptDrawPROJECT andConceptDrawOFFICE.
Tool Box Solutions offer an array ofenhanced functionality tosupport project managers,
such asplanning, team management, andproject documentation management. These
add-ons will support any project management methodology.
Methodology solutions support specific methodologies, such asAgile project
management. Aseparate methodology solution forneutral project management
isalsoavailable.

Introducing ConceptDraw PROJECT

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WhatAretheBenefits
ofConceptDrawPROJECT?
An extensive number ofreports in ConceptDrawPROJECT give youthetools toevaluate
your planning. ConceptDrawPROJECT reports permit youtoadjust toyour projects
environment. ConceptDrawMINDMAP provides self-explanatory visual clarity atproject
meetings. Visual communication improves meeting content andensures more effective
planning andcontrol because ofdashboards, mind map reports, andknowledge metrics.

Reporting forPlanning
Planning becomes more effective because ofreports. Resource assignment andusage,
task scheduling, milestones andproject events, cost ofresources, andbudget
aresome ofthereports thatassist theplanning process. Theplanning ofeach project
hasits own unique challenges. ConceptDrawPROJECT includes many reports togive
youtheflexibility yourequire in theplanning process.

Reporting forChanges
Generating effective reports iscritical tomanaging change. One set lets
youunderstandthechange, theother lets youadapt tothesituation. Because milestones
arealways impacted by changes they must be constantly reviewed. Excellent support
forthisreviewing process isavailable in thefollowing reports: Milestone, Phase tracking,
Critical task tracking, Multi-project resource usage, andmany completion metrics reports.
In ConceptDrawPROJECT many reports reflect thehigh-level impact onyour project
andlet youadapt tothesituation.

Reporting forMeetings
Meetings thateffectively communicate lead toproject success andits strong visual
reports areimportant tocommunicate quickly toparticipants. ConceptDrawPROJECT
provides visual clarity ofreports by using mind maps viewed in ConceptDrawMINDMAP.
Clarity isprovided by reviewing theproject dashboards before any meeting. Dashboards
display key performance indicators ofsingle ormultiple projects. Meeting communication
iseffective because ofthevisual aids mind maps anddashboards.

Introducing ConceptDraw PROJECT

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Strengths ofConceptDrawPROJECT
ConceptDrawPROJECT delivers thefull set offeatures youneed tosuccessfully
plan andexecute aproject, including task andresource management, reporting,
andchangecontrol.
TheProject Knowledge Dashboard gives an instant accounting ofhow your project tasks
trace back torequirements documents. Asaresult, youknow thecurrent status ofwork
completed fortheproject budget andyou can analyze thequality oftheproject input.
TheProject Knowledge Dashboard communicates thepercentage oftasks thattrace back
torequirements documents, thenumber oftasks thattrace back toeach requirements
document, andthename andlocation ofeach requirements document.
Theintegration ofConceptDrawPROJECT with ConceptDrawOFFICE helps improve
project management by leveraging thepower ofmind mapping anddatavisualization.
ConceptDrawSolutionPark also provides youwith numerous project managementrelated add-ons.

Why does theProject Knowledge Dashboard Matter?

Thesimple metrics in theProject Knowledge Dashboard impacts every project
stakeholder, because it relates togaps thatcan occur in aproject in knowledge
acumination. It demonstrates importance ofdocumentation, specification readiness,
completeness ofdocumentation, andpotential success metrics.

Individual Contributors
TheProject Knowledge Dashboard makes it possible forindividual contributors toknow
thespecifications forassigned tasks, locate requirements documents through hyperlinks,
work from thelatest document version, andidentify which documents critically impact
their current work. TheProject Knowledge Dashboard makes it easy torecognize changes
andremain productive.

Project Managers
TheProject Knowledge Dashboard makes it possible forproject managers toaccess
specifications while creating status reports, assigning resources, resolving technical
issues, andmanaging variances from theproject plan. Asaresult, project risk islow
because everyone isworking from thesame specifications. During planning, project
managers can also quickly determine if any requirements documents aremissing.

Introducing ConceptDraw PROJECT

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Program andSenior Managers

TheProject Knowledge Dashboard makes it possible forprogram andsenior managers
toinstantly determine whether aproject hassufficient documentation tosucceed,
identify which portions ofprojects require more documentation, andrecognize project
risks because ofincomplete documentation. TheProject Knowledge Dashboard makes it
possible forthese stakeholders tomanage portfolios quickly andprecisely.

All Stakeholders
Combined with theproject status dashboards, theProject Knowledge Dashboard provides
all stakeholders with aquick overview ofhow theproject isprogressing.

WhatAretheStrengths oftheIntegration ofConceptDrawPROJECT with

ConceptDrawOFFICE?
ConceptDrawOFFICE integrates ConceptDrawPROJECT with ConceptDrawMINDMAP
andConceptDrawPRO intoacompelling project management suite. By leveraging
themind mapping functionality ofConceptDrawMINDMAP andthediagramming
tools ofConceptDrawPRO, youcan now visually communicate andmanage project
dataandproject documents.
TheConceptDrawMINDMAP integration with ConceptDrawPROJECT enables youto:
Leverage theinput, output, andpresentation functionality
ofConceptDrawMINDMAP
Use brainstorming toeasily define requirements andgenerate action plans
Display andmanage task datain both ConceptDrawMINDMAP
andConceptDraw PROJECT
Generate visual reports in formats youcan easily sharewith teams
Create appropriate presentations forspecific stakeholders
Lead effective team meetings
TheConceptDrawPRO integration with ConceptDrawPROJECT enables
youto:
Display project metrics in visual form
Create Work Breakdown Structures thatintegrate with
ConceptDrawPROJECT
Produce network diagrams

Introducing ConceptDraw PROJECT

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ConceptDrawSolutionPark Support
forProject Management
ConceptDrawSolutionPark improves your project management activity with Tool Box
Solutions andMethodology Solutions. Tool Box Solutions enhance your daily project
management activities regardless ofyour project methodology. Methodology Solutions
help with your specific project management practices.
Thefollowing Tool Box Solutions areavailable:
PM Response
Plan how torespond toissues andevents thatimpact theproject
PM Teams
Prepareorg charts, roles andresponsibility matrices, team directories,
andcalendars
PM Docs
Organize andcreate project documentation
PM Presentations
Deliver presentations thatuse all project data, including dashboards, Gantt charts,
resource views, reports, anddiagrams
PM Meetings
Prepareproject meetings quickly, keep meetings ontrack, organize team
brainstorming, record brainstorming results, andprovide meeting results output
PM Planning
Extend your planning andreporting capability, prepareawide range ofproject
reports, and improve project communications
PM Dashboards
Extend thenumber ofdashboards
Personal Time Management
Improve personal performance
Methodology Solutions include:
PM Agile
Supports Agile methods including user stories, iteration planning, burndown charts,
backlogs, andvelocity
PM Made Easy
Supports neutral methodology project management
ConceptDrawPROJECT provides thetools youneed todeliver superior project results
because ofits core project management functionality, dashboards, integration with
ConceptDraw OFFICE, andtheproject management ConceptDrawSolutionPark add-ons.

ConceptDrawPROJECT
ataGlance

ConceptDraw PROJECT at a Glance

CS Odessa

WhatisaDashboard?
Adashboard isauser interface designed tomake it easy tomonitor performance
andbusiness processes. By consolidating dataandrepresenting it graphically, managers,
executives, team members, andother stakeholders can accurately gauge organizational
performance andtake instant, informed action.

Primary Dashboard Characteristics

In ConceptDraw Office release 2.0, thefollowing dashboard characteristics aresupported:

Adashboard consolidates all information ontoone screen

Adashboard must consolidate all information ontoone screen without scrolling
orclicking toview thecontent. If thedashboard does not meet thisrequirement, it
isnot adashboard. However, aproduct can support more than one dashboard. Because
ofthisfact grouping information together ontoasingle dashboard might be useful.
Forprinting purposes, all datarepresented onadashboard must print onone page.

Adashboard represents datavisually

Visualizing dataandconcepts either digitally orgraphically arecore values
ofConceptDraw Office 2.0 andeach oftheproducts in thisapplication suite.
Dashboard datamust be:
Visually appealing
Datatomust be appealing whether represented digitally orgraphically.
Easily understood
Dashboards must represent easy tounderstandandcontain rich data. When users
become accustomed toagraphic, they must be able toinstantly recognize change
andinterpret thedata.
Ergonomic
Because users will see dashboards frequently andforlong time periods, thedesign
must aesthetically pleasing totheuser.

Dashboards must be dynamically updated

Unlike atraditional report, thisisaspecific moment in time summary because
dashboards update dynamically toprovide themost current available data.

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Dashboards monitor performance andassist in taking action

Because dashboards, easily communicate recognizable change based ondynamically
updated data, dashboard users always know thecurrent performance status.
Users must be able torecognize when limits areexceeded. Forexample, if thenumber
ofbugs onasoftwarebug list exceeds aspecific number, users instantly recognize
thisstatus. With thisdata, users know exactly whatdecisions they need tomake
andwhatactions totake.

Secondary Dashboard Characteristics

Secondary dashboard characteristics arenot currently supported in ConceptDraw
Office2.0. However, thissupport isplanned forafuture release.
Dashboard Interactivity
Dashboard interactivity includes theability tolaunch tools, generate reports, ordrill
down intodata. All ofthese processes must launch with one click. Asaresult
ofthisfunctionality, dashboards also support hyperlinks.

Collaborative Dashboards
Collaborative dashboards consolidate andvisualize dataforteams andcorporations.
They arenot configurable by an individual; instead they aredefined by management
andconsultants. IT staff implement thedashboards. Collaborative dashboards must
include theability todefine limits, such asover orunder allocation. Collaborative
dashboards can be viewed onapublic display oraspart ofan individuals dashboards
when using ConceptDraw Office.

Personal Dashboards
Personal dashboards allow users tomonitor datarelated totheir work. Auser can view
apersonal, collaborative, orpredefined dashboard when using ConceptDraw Office. Users
must be able tocustomize their dashboards, including defining personal limits.

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Alarms
Dashboards must generate alarms when thresholds areexceeded. Examples include:
Late tasks
Broken processes
Something not updated

Customizable Content Display

Users must be able tocustomize content display, including whatdatagoes
ontoadashboard andwhere. Users must be able toconfigure personal dashboards.
Note: Only users with proper privileges can configure collaborative dashboards.

Display Options
Because ofthedifference between personal andcollaborative dashboards, many display
options must be available. Thedisplay foreach option must be appropriate andmust
meet thedefinition ofadashboard.
Mobile
Portrait orhorizontal display, iPods, iPads, mobile phones
External Displays
Display adashboard remotely, such asin aconference room orcorporate lobby
Rotating Dashboards
Display multiple dashboards onone display by rotating different dashboards
Multiple Dashboards
Display multiple dashboards simultaneously, such asin acontrol room, toenable
instant availability ofall dashboard data
Touch Screen Support
Enable theability tointeract with thedashboard through atouch screen
Multiple Locations
Display adashboard tomultiple displays simultaneously
Display/Edit Simultaneously
Support theability toedit content onone screen while displaying adashboard
onanother

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Tertiary Dashboard Characteristics

Tools toCustomize
Create Alarms
Create Custom Dashboards
Define Dashboard Content

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Using Micro Reports

Micro reports aretactical communication tools thatsend status forspecific project
elements. Keep messages succinct forquick communication capability. Micro reports
arequick togenerate andquick tounderstand. They aregreattofoster understanding.
Micro reports aregreattools forindividuals in aproject because these micro reports can
be understood in thecontext oftheoverall project.

Facilitates Communication
One-To-One
Micro reports aregreatdiscussion tools forone-on-one communication. They clearly
identify status changes thatmust be addressed between project personnel. Micro
reports areevidence forworking through required changes. These reports can be
generated by task, budget, orresource.

Meeting Key Points

Identifies Latest Changes ofStatus
Micro reports generated before key project meetings reflect status ofcurrent
events, keeping everyone focused ontheproject timeline. Micro reports isolate
metrics from theoverall picture so themeeting can focus onproblem solving
instead ofan overall project review. Meetings become more effective because
ofthespecific communication abilities in ConceptDrawPROJECT.

Project Manager toTeam Summary

Tactical Approach toCurrent Tasks toKeep onTrack
Thistactical approach tomessaging your team onadaily basiscan hugely impact
project success andteam efficiency.

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Manage Plans, Reports, andChanges

ConceptDrawPROJECT makes planning projects andmanaging change easy because
oftheproject focused tools thatmanage every aspect you, theProject Manager
encounters. ConceptDrawPROJECT builds onestablished project management
methodologies while simplifying theprocess ofmanaging project data, making effective
responses, andworking with project teams.
ConceptDrawPROJECT helps youmanage all ofyour project variables from asingle
view.. youcan quickly generate abroad range ofOne Click Reports forproject variables
such asresource usage, task planning by resource, andbudgets. Display up-todatastatus ondashboards tokeep youcurrent asthevariables change.
ConceptDrawPROJECT isthecomplete solution tomanage single ormultiple projects
andtheir associated resources with avery low cost ofownership.

Planning andInitiating Projects with ConceptDrawPROJECT

Tobuild aproject schedule, use theGantt chart portion oftheproduct toassign your
resources anddevelop your budget tofit your situation. In addition tothetraditional
project planning capability provided by ConceptDrawPROJECT, numerous innovative
tools allow youtoaccelerate andimprove thequality ofyour planning in many ways,
including afull pallet ofreports, theProject Dashboard, theProject Knowledge
Dashboard and integrating it with ConceptDraw Office using InGyre2 technology,
andConceptDrawSolutionPark add-ons.
During planning, youcan quickly generate many One Click Reports toanalyze your
plans. Forexample, youcan generate reports related totasks thatareon thecritical
path, resource allocation, andbudget costs. These reports help youfocus onparticular
parts ofyour plan andadjust them asnecessary. youcan also sharethese reports
with stakeholders toengage in targeted discussions ofspecific issues, which speeds up
planning andhelps youmake better informed decisions.
You can measure plan completeness with theProject Knowledge Dashboard, which
identifies tasks thatdo not trace back torequirements documents. youknow which tasks
areundocumented, how many undocumented tasks youhave, andwhatpercentage
oftheproject they comprise. Using thisinformation, youcan back fill information,
improving plan completeness andproject success.
Theintegration ofConceptDrawPROJECT, aspart ofConceptDraw Office, allows
youtoseamlessly gather input from your project teams andinput it intoyour project
plan. ConceptDraw MINDMAP, an important component ofConceptDraw Office, gives

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youthepower toutilize brainstorming techniques with your team todefine requirements.

Planning proceeds faster andwith better input than traditional methods.
ConceptDrawPRO, thevisual communication component ofConceptDraw Office, supports
rapid drawing ofWork Breakdown Structures andother project diagrams. Thesmart draw
capabilities ofConceptDrawPRO rapidly render meaningful visual project management
content with asingle click, resulting in better planning anddatavisualization so your
teams performance will improve.
TheConceptDrawSolutionPark includes aProject Tool Box Solution specifically
forproject planning in addition toother project management solutions. These solutions
extend your planning andreporting capability, prepareavariety ofproject reports,
andimprove project communications. ConceptDrawSolutionPark methodology solutions
support specific project management approaches, such asAgile development.
When planning, youcan generate andprint reports aspart ofyour project documents,
including schedule andmilestone data, budget data, andresource plans. Because these
documents aregenerated from acommon datasource, youcan update them quickly
astheproject evolves. Theease ofgenerating reports, gathering input, andcollaborating
with teams means thatyour project plans arecarefully considered andvetted before
youbegin project execution.

Generating Reports andManaging Change with ConceptDrawPROJECT

When your plans arecomplete, ConceptDrawPROJECT helps yousharestatus
andmanage project changes quickly with One Click Reports andtheProject Dashboard.
One Click Reports make it easy toquickly identify andcorrect issues before they spin
out ofcontrol. Forexample, youcan generate aOne Click Report thatlists all ofyour
overdue tasks. Other One Click Reports include tasks onthecritical path, future tasks,
andoverdue milestones. youcan sharethese reports tofocus oncritical activities during
stakeholder meetings orone-on-one meetings.
Because theProject Dashboard consolidates current information ontoone screen,
youhave apowerful, visual view ofproject status, enabling youtoidentify issues
immediately andtake corrective action.
When considering project change requests, youcan model their impact by creating
asubproject in theMulti-Project view. By exploring your options with accurate data,
youcan make informed decisions anddemonstrate your logic with project stakeholders.
ConceptDrawSolutionPark hasspecific Tool Box Solutions tosupport project change
management, including additional dashboards, response planning, andproject
presentation solutions.

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One Click Reports, theProject Dashboard, andTool Box Solutions help youget control
over your project without much document maintenance because youmanage your
project datafrom one source, saving youtime andincreasing success.

Project Communications andMeeting Management

In addition tocareful planning andtracking project status, another important project
success factor ishow effectively youmanage communications andmeetings.
Throughout theproject, youcan generate One Click Reports tofocus stakeholder
attention onspecific issues. Forexample, theOverdue Task Report helps youidentify
work thatisbehind schedule. Thetask owner can explain thecause ofthedelay
andtheteam can collectively respond. Using theProject Knowledge Dashboard, youcan
analyze thetasks requirements. Wastherequirement more complex than anticipated?
Isadifferent skill needed tocomplete thetask? Does thescope need tobe reduced?
Theproducts reporting anddashboard features facilitate thisanalytical process andhelp
toensure thattheteam reaches thebest possible solutions.
Reporting theoutcome ofthisdiscussion isjust asimportant astheactual result.
Stakeholders must be quickly informed ofchanges thathave been made, why they were
made, andtheimpact totheproject. Because youcan manage all ofthisdatafrom one
source, updating your project baseline issimple. youcan then email themeeting notes
andupdated project toyour stakeholders tokeep them informed andcurrent.
ConceptDrawPROJECT can manage any project because ofits range ofcapabilities
thattrack progress andferret out project anomalies before they become project
disasters. By extending its support ofproject management methodologies with powerful
discovery tools such asOne Click Reports, Project Dashboards, ConceptDraw OFFICE
INGYRE2 integration, andConceptDrawSolutionPark add-ons; ConceptDrawPROJECT
provides youwith all ingredients tomanage your project forsuccess.

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Keeping Ownership onPlanning

Therole oftheproject manager istomake changes, track changes, andauthorize
changes totheir projects. Thebest project managers keep everything in their
head ororganize in their own project paperwork. They have aclear vision ofhow
toensure theprojects successful completion. Thatiswhy they arecapable ofplanning
work andmaking decisions tochange priorities. Thisexplains theaccepted best
practice thatonly theproject manager changes orupdates project paperwork.
Theproject paperwork reflects their vision ofthenecessary steps tosuccessfully
completetheproject.

Best Practice
Although team members must be able toaccess theinformation needed todo their
job, giving team members write permission toaproject managers file invites anarchy
anddisaster. Changes toaproject file must be orderly andmust have approval
oftheprojects manager. Thebest way toaccomplish thiswith ConceptDrawPROJECT
istohave team members use themicro reports torequest specific changes. Micro
reports support theproject manager, tokeeping thevision consistent about thesteps
necessary tosuccessfully finish theproject.
With ConceptDrawPROJECT, successful project managers sharetheproject file with
all team members tokeep them ontrack. Team members monitor their progress
andreport back totheproject manager using micro reports. Theproject manager
then updates themaster file depending onassessment oftheinput received, andthen
periodically redistributes theupdated files toproject team members. By following
thisprocess, thereliability ofthedataon which decisions aremade by management
isofthehighest quality, making forbetter decisions. Good decisions result in successful
projectcompletion.

Requirements
Nevertheless, whatever tool aproject manager uses online, desktop, orserver-based;
giving access to others toedit project datamust be avoided, because this destroys
thesynchronization oftheproject vision. Thisrequirement isan important guideline
forselecting theproject management tools youuse in your organization forplanning.
Keeping project paperwork isnot collaborative; it istheprofessional responsibility
oftheproject manager who hasownership ofmaking planning decisions. Always have
arealistic view oftheactual project management requirements.

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Project Knowledge Dashboard

TheProject Knowledge consists ofafew items todescribe thestatus
ofthedocumentation. Thisdashboard relates topreparing meeting agendaforproject
readiness, personal understanding ofproject documents, andknowledge distribution
among your team related todocument usage.
Thisfunctionality isagreatplanning tool forproject managers, giving insight intoproject
documentation andhow it isdistributed andused in theproject management
processes. Because thereports areon thedashboard, assessments can be made simply
andcorrective action can be taken immediately. Any changes in theproject environment
related toproject preparedness areimmediately visible.
Combining thetypical planning tool with theknowledge dashboard give youx-ray
vision intodocuments thatrelate toyour ongoing project plan. Theknowledge
dashboard combined with traditional project management tools give project managers
theability toidentify potential documentation shortfalls before they impact theprogress
oftheproject..
Tracking documentation status isnot acomplex process. If youdo tracking regularly
andwatch theprogress onthedashboard, attheend oftheproject youreceive
acomprehensive set ofthedocumentation which covers everything from thejust
completed process forfuture projects..
Tokeep project accumulated knowledge inside theorganization isan important
competitive goal because theknowledge thathasbeen accumulated throughout
theproject life cycle isan important competitive asset thatcan be leveraged forfuture
projects ConceptDrawPROJECT allows people todo their work by simply hyperlinking
developed documentation totheappropriate task. Theincentive tofollow thehyperlinking
procedure isforall team members tohave adashboard view oftheproject knowledge
readiness. Thisdashboard isavisual indicator ofpotential documentation gaps in
theproject, which then leads tocorrective action. Thisaccumulation ofdocumentation
over thelife oftheproject isavery tactical approach thatrequires no additional work by
theteam andtheresulting outcome hasastrategic impact forfuture projects. .

PrepareMeeting Agenda
Project Readiness - When preparing forproject meetings, it isimportant tohave
aview oftheoverall readiness ofyour project. Documentation isthekey component
ofthisreadiness andit isimpossible toassess thereadiness ofdocumentation using
traditional project management tools. ConceptDrawPROJECT shows adiagnostic
dashboard about documentation readiness foruse during ameeting tobetter
understandtheoverall readiness state oftheproject management team.

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How Knowledge Dashboard Shows This- Use thisvisual tool todescribe any requirement
fordocuments thatmight need tobe developed in thefuture. Thedashboard compares
how many documents areready tohow many documents must be developed. If
theratio exceeds theacceptable limit forafuture task, astatus indicator identifies
thedocumentation shortcoming.
Thevisual presentation ofthese metrics, aunique tool in ConceptDrawPROJECT,
provides project managers with critical information onproject preparedness.

Personal Understanding
WhatDocuments ArePriority 1?- Individuals benefit from their own dashboard
thatclearly presents tothem thetop priority documents thatmust be studied
forsuccessful task completion . Thisvisual metric highlights thedocuments which have
thelargest amount ofallocated hours forassociated tasks. Increasing theunderstanding
oftop priority documents by each team member helps in their preparedness toundertake
tasks. It provides an organization andindividuals with acompetitive tool thatincreases
theprobability ofsuccess.
Personal Docs/ Knowledge Dashboard- Thepersonal docs/knowledge dashboard
demonstrates totheindividual how many hours oftheir future work correlate
tospecificdocuments.

Knowledge Distribution (Team Understanding)

WhatDocuments Have theMost Impact fortheEntire Project Because ofHours
TheKnowledge Distribution Dashboard element demonstrates which documents must be
developed fortheproject. Therepresentation ofthedeveloped documentation compared
toundefined project documentation isavital project metric thatcan be an early indicator
ofproject success orfailure; anduntil now thiswasnot tracked because thetools
todisplay thismetric were not available.
Knowledge Distribution Dashboard- Thisdashboard demonstrates theratio between
developed documents andundefined documents in time increments so youcan see
readiness forapproaching dates.

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