In project management software, the role of time management is invaluable. Smart Objects help COMAN users keep track of this central function and implement tasks accordingly. In this article, we show how this can be done.
Good time management is usually much easier to set up and maintain with capable project management software than without it. Gone are the days of paperwork and searching through an ever-increasing number of programs: Instead, all important information is bundled into one application via interfaces. This means that although data can still be entered and managed in separate software, it also appears visibly in the project management software for all authorized employees. For example, if appointments are changed in another software, this data automatically appears in COMAN as well and can be accepted or rejected. This eliminates the need for time-consuming comparison of tables or Excel lists. This simplification of processes to a common denominator already saves a considerable amount of time in itself – yet there is still potential for savings here as well, namely in the implementation of the software.
COMAN approaches the problem of time management via special project management tools, the so-called Smart Objects. The foundations of COMAN are the original CAD construction plans, which show in detail the individual parts and assemblies. The project management software links these assemblies with external data from various interfaces, such as due dates or parts lists, and makes the individual objects and subgroups clickable. With just one print or mouse click, all specific data for an object can thus be retrieved.
COMAN's structure is based on object-oriented project management – the software thus focuses on the processing of objects as part of a whole. For this purpose, the Smart Objects have certain colour codes, each of which has a different meaning for time management:
- Gray: no work has been done on the part or assembly yet.
- Yellow: a task should be completed soon.
- Orange: a task was completed with a deadline delay.
- Green: a task was completed within the time.
- Red: a deadline is behind schedule.
Data is centrally saved if an internet connection is available and is also made visible to all other users with the appropriate authorization. This creates a constantly updated, detailed picture of construction progress, which greatly benefits time management. At the same time, the coloured display of progress facilitates the management of communication with internal and external positions – basic information (What is the status of this object?) is available at a glance, and the data for more in-depth analysis is just a click away.
With the help of project management software such as COMAN and Smart Objects, time management in large projects turns from a long marathon into a series of shorter sprints. The detailed representation of the construction progress based on current data also allows important decisions to be made reliably about the progress of the project. This is precisely why COMAN provides the Manager and dashboard functions for decision-makers, in which all important data converges.
These solutions make COMAN the ideal platform for project and time management in large projects for mechanical and plant engineering.