todolist # 17 - Administer this quick tool evaluation checklist

Before finalizing on a tool (if the organizational policies allow), adminster this small checklist on the tool options available to you;

1. Will the usage of this tool, help me to contain the overall project management effort within 10-15% of the overall project effort. Dont forget to add the tool selection, training, deplyment, maintenance and usage times into this. If you choose a project management tool with 'N' number of features which are not that critical to your project's success, then it is quite likely to add un-necessary project management and tracking effort, which is not really required.
2. Identify the 20% of the key features that is critical to success of your project. There is no standard way to arrive at this 20%. If I am following a classical waterfall kind of strategy for the project, which is bigger in size, then I may need critical path and earned value functionality. If I am following a rolling wave model (iterative development) then critical path and earned value may not be that critical, if the iretartion durations are within 30 days, instead I may need burn down charts. Soemtimes we may have to give lot of weightage for collaboration features, if the strategy include distributed development.
3. Decide on the key metrics, you want to use for managing the project, before finalizing the project management tool. The tool should support these key metrics. If there are statutory organizational metrics, which every project should generate, then the tool under consideration should support them as well.
4. Dont use the tool to police the team, instead use it for the interest of the project.
5. As far as possible, the tool usage should not be limited by internet connectivity. There should be online and off line modes of working.
6. Estimate the cost of ownership of the tool, you are going to shell out from the project budgets to buy the tool