THE PROJECT

MANAGEMENT
INFORMATION SYSTEM
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
 Information systems (IS) is the study of complementary networks of hardware and
software that people and organizations use to collect, filter, process, create, and
distribute data.
 Information systems are combinations of hardware, software, and telecommunications
networks that people build and use to collect, create, and distribute useful data, typically
in organizational settings.

 Information systems are interrelated components working together to collect, process,

store, and disseminate information to support decision making, coordination, control,
analysis, and visualization in an organization.

Five Components of Information Systems

1. Hardware

Information systems hardware is the part of an information system you can touch –
the physical components of the technology.

2. Software

Software is a set of instructions that tells the hardware what to do. Software is not
tangible – it cannot be touched.

3. Data

Data can be viewed as a collection of facts. Like software, data is also intangible.

4. People

People are involved in information systems in just about every way you can think
of: people imagine information systems, people develop information systems,
people support information systems, and, perhaps most importantly,
people use information systems.

5. Process

A process is a series of steps undertaken to achieve a desired outcome or goal.

Information systems are becoming more and more integrated with organizational
processes, bringing more productivity and better control to those processes.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (PMIS)

A PMIS is typically a computer- driven system to aid a project manager in the development
of the project. It can calculate schedules, costs, expectations, and likely results. The goal of a
PMIS is to automate, organize, and provide control of the project management processes.

Project Management Information System (PMIS) are system tools and techniques used in
project management to deliver information. Project managers use the techniques and tools to
collect, combine and distribute information through electronic and manual means. In the
develop portion of the project, the PMIS can be used to help the project management team
create the schedule, estimates, and risk assessments, and to gather feedback from
stakeholders.

The PMIS also includes a configuration management system.

o Configuration management is an approach for tracking all approved changes,

versions of project plans, blueprints, software numbering, and sequencing.

o A configuration management system aims to manage all of the following:

 Functional and physical characteristics of the project deliverables
 Control, track, and manage any changes to the project deliverables
 Track any changes within the project 
 Allow the project management team to audit the project deliverables to
confirm conformance to defined criteria for acceptance.

Project Management Information System (PMIS) help plan, execute and close project
management goals.

o During the planning process, project managers use PMIS for budget framework
such as estimating costs. The Project Management Information System is also
used to create a specific schedule and define the scope baseline.

o  At the execution of the project management goals, the project management team
collects information into one database. The PMIS is used to compare the baseline
with the actual accomplishment of each activity, manage materials, collect
financial data, and keep a record for reporting purposes.

o During the close of the project, the Project Management Information System is
used to review the goals to check if the tasks were accomplished. Then, it is used
to create a final report of the project close.
OBJECTIVES OF PMIS
PMIS is a collection of system tools and techniques which are used in project management for
presenting information for the following purposes:

  Record and report relevant information and the status of various components of the
project in such a manner as to bring the most critical activities directly to the attention of
concerned managers at appropriate level.

 Highlight deviations from the plan, if any, in respect of every component of the project
and also to indicate the effects of such, deviations on the overall status and completion of
the project as a whole. 

  Form the basis of updating of project schedule wherever necessary.

 Provide a basis for the evaluation of the performance of the functions of various
managers and departments by regular comparisons with budgets/plans/schedules.

 Creating an integrated information system for projects.

 Increasing the level of project information security.

 Improving efficiency and effectiveness of the project.

 Versatility with organizational processes and communicate with other enterprise systems.

 Decentralization of the management from multiple projects and facilitating the

communication between different sites.

DESIGN OF PMIS
In order for an appropriate information management in the project, it requires at least one person
to manage information that due to its nature, this person should be aware of ICT and project
management and also PMIS.
 Figure 1: Domain of knowledge in PMIS

As shown in figure 1, the empty space between the area of ICT knowledge and domain of
knowledge in PMIS, has faced the relationship between these two areas with some challenges.
The gap that is considered as an intra-knowledge area is in fact a set of knowledge and
experience to supply, production and appropriate use of ICT Tools in project management as
well as modern methods of project management with use of ICT tools. According to Figure 1,
some objectives of domain of knowledge in PMIS can be stated as follows:

• Recognition and providing information need of the project.

• Production or supply of suitable tools and software to provide information system for project or
organization and establishing integration between them.

• Establishment and implementation of PMIS in project or organization.

• Control and improve existing PMIS.

• Optimization of the organizational process assets with an approach to PMIS in order to promote
its culture in organization and projects and managing the projects using these tools.

• Increasing the skills of project management team in proper utilization of project management
tools and adjusting it with project management processes.
Conceptual Model of PMIS

This model shows the Components of a PMIS that defines the program and the projects: cost,
time, scope and quality. It defines the team: people, organizations and their roles. It helps
manage agreements: contracts, permits, approvals and commitments. It manages documents. It
produces standard and custom reports. It presents vital signs on dashboards. It guides
collaboration and communicates best practices with policies, workflow diagrams and document
management.

Figure 2: Conceptual Model and Components of PMIS

COMPONENTS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT INFORMATION
SYTEM (PMIS)

 Scheduling

Because schedules are such a core component of project management as a whole, almost all
project management information systems contains scheduling tools.  The project schedule is
communicated to stakeholders and forms the baseline for project control, that is, the project is
continuously measured on the basis of its adherence to the schedule.

 Estimating

Project estimating involves assigning a price to each of the project tasks.  Each task is
then rolled up into an overall project estimate.  In a perfect world, the actual project cost will
always fall within the estimate, but we know that is only an ideal to be strived for.

 Resources

Almost all tasks require resources for their completion.  The simplest tasks often have only a
project team member for a specified period of time, but that is still a resource that needs to be
available and managed in order to complete the task. Hence, a good project management
information system will allow the assignment of resources to tasks.  These resources should
also come with meta data such as their cost per unit, efficiency rate, or maintenance
requirements.

 Project Documents and Data

Virtually all projects produce documents as part of their scope, for example design reports or
product documentation.  Most projects also import documents and data for use in project
work, for example databases.  Still other projects have a reference library data set that is
consulted by the project.  For these reasons, project document control has become a specialty
in and of itself.

 Portals and Dashboards

There are many web-based project management software tools that provide a centralized

dashboard for the project.  Their features include many of the other categories, like
scheduling, documents, and project team messaging.  This technology is becoming relatively
advanced and provides strong feature sets without major investments in software training.

 Collaborative Work Management Tools

 Nowadays many projects utilize internal communication tools like project chat rooms,
messaging apps, and so forth.  This technology allows project team members to quickly and
confidentially record critical project communications with other members of the team. Often
these software tools are located within larger web-based project management tools, but they
can also be standalone apps.

 Social Media

Many project also use social media to communicate with stakeholders.  This technology is
very easy to set up and use, and most stakeholders already know how to navigate the
software.

 Project Control

Project control refers to the tasks undertaken by the project management team to measure
the project’s progress and ensure it conforms to the project management plan. Usually,
project control is dominated by the two uber-important factors of schedule and budget.  But
there are other, smaller aspects. Project control involves the following components:

o Schedule:  Ensure the project is on track to complete on time.

o Cost:  Ensure the project is on track to complete within its budget.
o Scope:  Ensure the scope has not changed, and that
additional, unauthorized work is not being performed.
o Quality:  Ensure the quality of the products being produced is according to
the specifications within the plan.
o Resources:  Ensure the resources are still available and they are not
overextended.
o Procurement:  Ensure the required subconsultants, suppliers, and materials
are still available and are performing their work as planned.
o Risks:  Ensure the risks to project success are still being
adequately mitigated.
o Communications:  Ensure the stakeholder communications are conforming
to the communications plan.

VALUES OF PMIS

There are four values of project management:

 Responsibility
 Responsibility is a common term in project management, but it is defined as a task that
can be assigned within the project management plan. The delegated resource – usually a
project team member – should incur a duty to perform the requirements of the task or
assignment. In other definitions, responsibility is also referred to as the assigned duties
that a particular project team members is expected to do to complete the project.

 Respect

The first rule of project management is to treat your team members with the utmost
respect. Be polite and considerate. Effective project management means controlling your
temper and dealing with issues in private rather than berating team members in front of
colleagues.

 Fairness
Fairness is the duty to make decisions and act impartially and objectively. Our conduct
must be free from competing self-interest, prejudice, and favoritism.

 Honesty
It is part of every transaction, interaction, decision, or action that an organization and its
employees take.

CHALLENGES TO IMPLEMENTATION OF PMIS

1. The system is not flexible.

2. Internal politics prevent adoption.
3. The system lacks internal support.
4. A company’s IT Department “locks down” the application.
5. The wrong team is implementing the solution.
6. Companies try to do too much.
7. Lack of requirement on information system.
8. Lack of knowledge of the people on the system.
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