McMethod.net positioned where methodology and technology meet

April 8, 2013 - PRLog -- There are solutions that can be strategically integrated and easily applied – in line with cost-cutting principles required in business today – that help decision makers decipher the conundrum posed by advanced project, portfolio and workflow management requirements.  

This is one of the key takeaways from an executive roundtable hosted recently by the creators of McMethod.net, a leading technology, based on Microsoft and Nintex products, and developed by Project Management specialist McManus Consulting in collaboration with Dac Systems

With the offer of an opportunity to experience the flexibility and quality of this solution at the Microsoft Technology Centre, the roundtable drew substantial interest from decision makers in business, eager to learn how this technology can make a difference to their companies.

In a bid to delve more deeply into the dynamics of how technology and methodology should be applied to benefit businesses, the organisers posed the question “What came first, the technology or methodology?”

In answering the question some attendees suggested that technology had to have come first because, generally, people tend to act before they think. This was further supported by the observation that methodologies tend to become more important as an organisation grows and the need for standardised approaches arises.

The roundtable discussion offered an opportunity to review technology modules and their relevance in the broader technological scene. The point was made that application of methodology has huge implications for technology, as reflected in Microsoft’s growing solution portfolio.

The corporate market continues to be defined and redefined by the pursuit of solutions that automate processes and procedures. However, these solutions are differentiated by the value they provide various industries.

For example, from a banking and finance point of view, the requirement is for service providers to supply flexible, robust and effective technology that suits the specific environment, whereas in the mining industry, well established, engineering-based practices guide the way.

Organisers and attendees concurred that technology - along with methodology - can and should be tailored to suit the needs of each business, and that no single approach suits every business.

The discussion also covered what tools a project manager needs to help ensure project success. These include clear project processes, documentation management including standardised templates, a project scheduling tool and above all, a collaborative and communicative environment.

The group was then introduced to McMethod.net and the potential benefits it offered businesses.

The primary benefit of McMethod.net is that it is built on the leading Microsoft solution stack including SharePoint® for collaboration and document management, MS Project Server® for integrated planning, MS Project for ease of adoption and Nintex® for comprehensive workflow definition.

These technology benefits translate into business benefits which include the ability to use the processes, standardised templates, workflow and governance management built into McMethod.net or to define processes specific to their business.

Other benefits include providing project participants with a clear understanding of what they need to do within each project type as well as an improvement in project success rates through the application of best practices

“How would you change your business now?” asked Tony McManus, MD, McManus Consulting (Pty) Ltd. The answer to that is “Projects!”

“Projects are all about change. If you don’t manage the effect of the change on your people, you will rarely succeed. Keys to project success include careful planning, effective communication, stakeholder participation and the tools to achieve these” he said.  

“The reality is that environments and customers are different and therefore we, together with our project solutions, have to be flexible,” commented Aldo van Tonder, Solutions Executive, Dac Systems.