[Planner Dev] [Fwd: Re: dotProject]

[Kurt Maute <kurt maute us>]

This bounced the first time I sent it.  Trying again...

-------- Forwarded Message --------
From: Kurt Maute <kurt maute us>
To: Planner Project Manager - Development List
<planner-dev lists imendio com>
Subject: Re: dotProject
Date: Tue, 06 Dec 2005 08:57:25 -0500

On Mon, 2005-12-05 at 12:14 -0300, Fabio Ceconello wrote:
> You are right, dotProject is not strong about UI. The more important 
> concept I like (and I assume is the same for StreberPM) is to have all 
> the data for all projects in one database. It's a powerful concept, much 
> more flexible than having individual files. What I can say in defense of 
> dotProject (yeah, I'm biased, I know) is that it appears to have a 
> better DB structure. Not that it doesn't have its failures - the access 
> control policies weren't well implemented, there are many gaps that I'm 
> still trying to fix.

I agreee - having all projects in one database is key and will allow
things like program level reporting, resource usage view and leveling
across projects, etc. 

> But, instead of using specifically dP or Streber, maybe could be 
> implemented a standard interface for storing and retrieving project 
> information to/from a database, in which 'connector modules' could be 
> made by the community (including me) to make Planner work with both, and 
> others too.

Right - you mean rather than access the database directly, to interface
to the database via exposed libplanner functions, which should make it
easier to maintain when changes to the database are made, and help
standardize functionality across tools.  I think that's the right
direction.

Also, my view of a web interface is that it should be geared not so much
toward the project manager building a project plan (although nice to
have), but more focused on: 

1. Team members who need to check what tasks are assigned to them, when
they need to be done, and provide an easy way to mark with %complete and
add status notes.

2. Management reporting - project portfolio reports (like gantt with one
bar per project), status reports, enterprise resource utilization and so
on.

>From there I could go on with others like providing for a document
repository and web based tracking and approval of work products, etc.,
but that's looking perhaps a bit too far ahead.