Managing Projects for Ministry

Session 4: Tools, Case Studies, and Exercises in Project Management 61

10. Software packages: dramatically powerful, sophisticated, heavy, impressive, but can easily become cumbersome and overdone

a. Rule: Simplicity and ease of use must trump power and sophistication .

b. Types of software packages:

(1) Lions: Microsoft Project

(2) Buffalo: Milestones Professional

(3) Goats: Turbo Project, Project Kickstart

(4) Gnats: Any outlining software

11. Other tools?

B. How to use them

1. Use them advisedly : Sometimes making the tool work is not worth its value in helping us attain the project.

2. Use them faithfully : Once you settle on a tool, determine to use it till you are familiar with it and it becomes “natural.”

3. Use them effectively : Don’t get bogged down with tools that don’t help you accomplish your project most effectively.