SharePoint for Project Management

Chapter 1. Project Kickoff

It must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry out nor more doubtful of success nor more dangerous to handle than to initiate a new order of things.

—Niccolò Machiavelli, Italian philosopher

As most of you would agree, the definition of a project varies greatly—it can be building the next space shuttle, upgrading the production line of your manufacturing facility, or just creating a new website for a customer. One common factor that holds true across these varying project types is that all of them involve multiple people interacting with a wide array of project information.

This information can include templates, emails, schedules, proposals, forms, budgets, contact information, status reports, regulatory compliance, and even ad hoc documents.

In spite of our best attempts to effectively manage project information, we all seem to fall short at times. We rely on inconsistent and inefficient tools that are typically a combination of three things:

Local/personal storage

If project information is stored in individuals’ personal computers, email, or portable storage devices, can important information, such as a project schedule, be made available to relevant stakeholders in a timely manner? If the computer or portable storage device breaks down, how is the information restored?

Network-based storage

If you are using central storage through a file-sharing network or web-based environment, how do you prevent files being overwritten? What are the ...