Method and System for Dynamic Project Management and Capacity Management

Abstract

Described herein are systems and methods for dynamic project management and capacity management. Specifically, the systems and method include a management tool for performing project management, capacity management, and time and cost creation across systems and departments for the lowest levels of data. The management tool include a computer readable storage medium including a set of instructions that are executable by a processor, the set of instructions being operable to store projected time information and projected cost information for a project, store actual time information and actual cost information for the project, and display a correlation between i) the projected time information and actual time information, and ii) the projected cost information and the actual cost information.

1 .- 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A tangible computer-readable storage medium including a set of instructions that are executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 storing available time for a plurality of employees assigned to a project, the available time being stored based on a predetermined time interval; and   displaying a total available time for all the employees in the predetermined time interval, wherein the available time for each employee is one of committed time to a task of the project and uncommitted time, the displaying of the total available time including a display of the committed time and the uncommitted time.   
     
     
         23 . The tangible computer readable storage medium of  claim 22 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 storing job functions for the plurality of employees;   
     
     
         24 . The tangible computer readable storage medium of  claim 23 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 displaying a total available time for each of the job functions.   
     
     
         25 . The tangible computer readable storage medium of  claim 23 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 assigning one of the employees to a task of the project based on the stored available time and one of the job functions.   
     
     
         26 . The tangible computer readable storage medium of  claim 23 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determine a capacity for staffing the project based on one of the stored available time and one of the job functions.   
     
     
         27 . The tangible computer readable storage medium of  claim 22 , wherein the predetermined time interval is one of weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly. 
     
     
         28 . The tangible computer readable storage medium of  claim 22 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 storing projected time information and projected cost information for the project; and   storing actual time information and actual cost information for the project.   
     
     
         29 . The tangible computer readable storage medium of  claim 28 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 displaying one of a) a correlation between the projected time information and actual time information, and b) a correlation between the projected cost information and the actual cost information.   
     
     
         30 . The tangible computer readable storage medium of  claim 22 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 storing a plurality of tasks for the project, wherein the displaying is based on the projected time information, the projected cost information, the actual time information and the actual cost information for each task.   
     
     
         31 . The tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 30 , wherein the displaying is one of limited to one of the tasks/activities, limited to a subset of the tasks/activities and for all of the tasks/activities. 
     
     
         32 . The tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 30 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 calculating a completion percentage of each task based on the projected time information and the actual time information; and   displaying the completion percentage for each task.   
     
     
         33 . The tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 32 , wherein the calculating is further based on the projected cost information and the actual cost information. 
     
     
         34 . The tangible computer readable storage medium of  claim 22 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 storing a plurality of tasks for the project, each task including a projected completion date;   storing an actual completion date for a subset of the tasks;   determining, for each task of the subset of the tasks that includes an actual completion date, whether the task was completed one of early, on-time and late based on a comparison between the projected completion date of the task and the actual completion date; and   displaying the determined one of early, on-time and late for each task.   
     
     
         35 . The tangible computer readable storage medium of  claim 34 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 displaying that each of the tasks that does not include an actual completion date is in progress.   
     
     
         36 . A management system, comprising:
 a memory including a management tool, the management tool comprising:
 a capacity assessment component storing available time for a plurality of employees assigned to a project, the available time being stored based on a predetermined time interval; and 
 a dashboard component storing a plurality of tasks for the project and displaying a total available time for all the employees in the predetermined time interval, wherein the available time for each employee is one of committed time to one of the tasks of the project and uncommitted time, the displaying of the total available time including a display of the committed time and the uncommitted time; and 
   a processor executing the management tool.   
     
     
         37 . The management system of  claim 36 , wherein the management tool further comprises:
 a time/cost reporting component storing projected time information and projected cost information for a project, storing actual time information and actual cost information for the project, and reporting a correlation between i) the projected time information and actual time information, and ii) the projected cost information and the actual cost information.   
     
     
         38 . The management system of  claim 37 , wherein the reporting is based on the projected time information, the projected cost information, the actual time information and the actual cost information for each task, and wherein the dashboard component calculates a completion percentage of each task based on the projected time information and the actual time information and displays the completion percentage for each task. 
     
     
         39 . The management system of  claim 36 , wherein the capacity assessment component further stores job functions for the plurality of employees and determines a capacity for staffing the project based on one of the stored available time and one of the job functions. 
     
     
         40 . The management system of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 a pre-sales tracking component storing pre-sales information for the project, the pre-sales information including an identification of one of a request for proposal and an opportunity and tracking the pre-sales information.   
     
     
         41 . A method, comprising:
 storing, in a tangible computer readable storage medium, available time for a plurality of employees assigned to a project, the available time being stored based on a predetermined time interval; and   displaying a total available time for all the employees in the predetermined time interval, wherein the available time for each employee is one of committed time to a task of the project and uncommitted time, the displaying of the total available time including a display of the committed time and the uncommitted time.