Over the years I've managed many projects, ranging from small,
one-person operations for a few thousand dollars to large team efforts
costing millions. Not once in all those years did I make use of any
project management software, mostly because it wasn't available for
many of those years. Even when PM software became available, I did
not use it. It seemed to me that too many projects bogged down in
what I call "management overhead" (i.e., reports, schedules, and other
administrivia). I've always thought that, in far too many cases,
software (PM or otherwise) substitutes for "brainware." In other
words, reliance on software takes the place of thinking, communicating
and actually staying on top of things. I'm curious, do others see
software as substituting for brainware? Does reliance on software put
on a good show but not really make a significant difference in project
performance? More important, perhaps, how do you really stay on top
of things?

Regards,

Fred Nickols
Managing Partner
Distance Consulting, LLC
nickols@...
www.nickols.us

"Assistance at a Distance"