“Embrace multiple work methods and integrate the various tools as needed, so people can work in the most effective way for the job.” – Jerry Manas
In part four of this series based on the Ventana Research whitepaper, “Five Ways to Increase Efficiency and Innovate Faster,” I will focus on the benefits of work and resource management applications for your organization and how you can select the right ones. If you missed any of the prior blogs in this series or simply want a refresher, feel free to click through the list below:
- “What is Work and Resource Management: Part 1 – Adapting to change;”
- “Overcome Hurdles to Maximize Business Value: Part 2 – Advance the business with work and resource management;” and
- “Assess the Current State of Your Organization: Part 3 – Review processes, take an inventory, align work and resources.”
The Three Musketeers may tote the saying “all for one, and one for all,” but the same message applies to work and resource management applications. In order for the Musketeers to function as a group, each must bring their own strengths and they must be able to communicate effectively with one another. Their group simply wouldn’t be the same if each operated as their own separate entity.
Now, let’s tie this analogy to the business. Thirty-two percent of organizations surveyed by Ventana Research admitted to using spreadsheets alone for project planning; yet, 40% of those organizations also admitted that spreadsheets made it difficult to manage the project planning process. This makes sense, as spreadsheets are not effective collaboration tools—they are, in fact, error-prone and operate best as separate entities. So, while each department in your organization has its own needs and strengths, spreadsheets often make it more complex to manage work and resources and make business decisions.
Organizations need to move beyond traditional tools and spreadsheets by adopting a work and resource management approach that unifies a broad set of domains, making it easier to achieve business goals. WRM spans every class of work, resource, and organization, addressing the needs of teams, departments, and organizations.
According to Ventana Research (and just as each of the Musketeers have specific strengths), below are three of the primary advantages of WRM:
- Collaboration—provide each department with an integrated view of all activities through an application that unifies work and resources. This enables teams to track project tasks, resource utilization, documents, and the overall portfolio. Currently, only 49% of organizations can collaborate across project plans, giving you the chance to really stand out.
- Mobility—consider mobile capabilities in your organization’s evaluation of software. Today, 40% of businesses use mobile technology for business planning, and it is only becoming more important as teams are becoming more geographically dispersed. Make sure your teams can track time and collaborate on work, at any time or place.
- Usability— “software that uses rigid project management methodologies cannot support the flexibility needed for WRM.” In choosing and integrating WRM applications, make sure there are capabilities for business analytics, as it is cited most often as critical for improving business planning. Without accurate and useful data, it will be difficult to make the best use of your work and resources.
These three advantages can become the WRM “Musketeers” of your organization. Not only will collaboration be easier and more effective, but you will also be able to improve speed of innovation and better align projects to strategic goals.
For more information, download the Ventana Research whitepaper, check out the whitepaper by Jerry Manas, “Charting Your Journey to Success in Today’s Technology Revolution.” To read the remaining blogs in this series, click through the list below:
- Work and Resource Management: Benefits to Bypass the Competition: Part 5 – Boost your organization with the benefits of WRM
- How to Get Started with Work and Resource Management: Part 6 – 5 simple steps to minimize costs and maximize efficiency
