Delcam To Launch New Task Management System At CIM
Like all the best new innovations, PS-Team is built around a single, simple belief – that decision making in any company can be made substantially more efficient by giving the right information to the right people at the right time. This clear philosophy is central to the system's effectiveness. It helps to make PS-Team exceptionally easy to implement, in terms of both the technical requirements and the training needed, and also means the software is extremely practical for even small and medium size firms.
PS-Team recognises that most companies have a dual operating structure. Whilst there are formally organised teams or departments to undertake defined areas of work within the company, there are simultaneously a great many informal groupings that exist to solve particular problems. Most computerised management systems are based only on the formal structure and ignore the informal networks that, in reality, are just as important to the company's successful operation.
In contrast, PS-Team encourages and manages communication at all levels within both formal and informal teams. It ensures that every person involved in a team or interest group has all the information they need in order to participate fully in collective decision-making and to set their individual priorities. It also enables each person involved in a project to track exactly who is expected to do any specific task, together with both when it is due to be completed and when it is actually finished.
Within PS-Team, tasks can be assigned to one or more team members, who receive an e-mail notification, with information on why the work is required and a full record of the project to date. The whole team can see the work that is scheduled for other team members and so can offer advice if they notice potential problems or areas where their own expertise can help. Managers can track work in progress, and the level of activity that is scheduled in the short and longer term.
As a result of all the continuous communication, the number of formal meetings can be reduced and those that are held can be completed in much less time. Meeting agendas can be distributed in advance with PS-Team so that discussion can begin by e-mail immediately. This allows many issues to be progressed, or even concluded, before the meeting. Actions from the meeting are logged within PS-Team and the people responsible are e-mailed with details to ensure that they are aware of the decisions made, the work that needs to be done and the scheduled completion dates.
The informal nature of PS-Team encourages openness of ideas and the widest possible dissemination of information. As a result, there is a significant reduction in the costly and time-consuming mistakes that result from incorrect decisions. This allows the development of better products and services, improvements in the quality and timeliness of projects, and closer and more fruitful customer relationships.
Most importantly, more of the work that really needs to be progressed is actually completed. Employees know exactly what tasks they are supposed to be doing and in which order of priority, so there is less chance of them being sidetracked into less important work. Once scheduled within PS-Team, a work task, meeting action, or other decision is never lost or forgotten. It is e-mailed directly to the individual's desktop and stays on the "to do" list in their Web browser until completed.
Furthermore, all workflow is recorded as the project progresses. Thus, as PS-Team is used, a powerful knowledge base is created with the full history of all projects undertaken. This database can be searched to provide background information when starting a project related to, or similar to, any previous contracts. As well as helping in project planning and team management, this in-depth recording allows PS-Team to provide the perfect mechanism for maintaining quality standards such as ISO9000.
"PS-Team was developed initially as the mechanism for monitoring software development projects within Delcam," explained Product Manager Simon Leek. "It was so successful that it was then spread throughout the company and is now also used by the marketing, sales, accounts and technical support departments."
"The version of PS-Team that we will launch at CIM is the result of more than six years of development and testing, both within Delcam's Birmingham headquarters and in many of our international operations. We have seen impressive improvements in management effectiveness and overall productivity since the system was implemented. I am confident that we can duplicate these results in a huge range of companies from many different industries."
For further information on Delcam's PS-Team, please contact: -
Simon Leek, PS-Team Business Development Manager
e-mail: marketing@delcam.com
Delcam plc
Small Heath Business Park
Birmingham, B10 0HJ
www.delcam.co.uk