Consulting / Contracting
For organisations seeking support and expertiseBen has traditionally worked with clients on site to provide Microsoft’s Enterprise Project Management (EPM) solutions to customers, meeting a set of defined business criteria and over the years has been involved in many successful Project and Project Server/Online implementations. Microsoft’s EPM solution includes Project, Project Online, SharePoint and PowerBI.
A typical consultancy engagement involves helping define the customer’s Project Server/Online requirements, and then configuring the solution to meet those requirements. Ben provides full documentation, onsite knowledge transfer, PowerBI report development, training development and delivery and on going support.
Contracting
Ben is also available for contract work, and approaches this with the same enthusiasm as for standard consultancy work; so what’s the difference? From a professional and skills base there isn’t any difference, but contract work tends to be longer term and “fixed” in terms of which days per week are worked. If you have a requirement for a Project Server contractor or consultant, please contact Ben today.
A Typical Project Online Implementation
Workshops
A range of workshops are run with key users to fully understand the organisation’s requirements, and to demonstrate how those requirements can be met using Microsoft’s EPM solution and related technologies.
Proof of Concept
Following on from the workshops, a Proof of Concept (PoC) solution is built. The aim of the PoC is to verify that configuration will meet the organisation’s requirements.
Pilot & Live Deployment
Once the PoC is completed, signed-off and documented, a pilot can be initiated. The aim of the pilot is to run real projects through the system with real users! It’s where the rubber hits the road! As part of the pilot the deployment team and Applepark work closely with the organisation’s pilot users.
Process Documentation
It’s important to know what to do and when; this is where documenting your project management processes becomes important as it will highlight any gaping holes in your processes, and helps define the touch points between the EPM toolset and human intervention.
Training
All EPM solutions need some form of training, whether that is carried with the EPM administrators as part of the deployment, or in a more formalised environment to team members and project managers as part of the pilot/live deployment process. Training for an EPM deployment is always customised to match the EPM environment as no two organisations are the same.
Best Practice Guidance
Sometimes there are so many ways to achieve the same thing using Microsoft Project that it’s nice to have some best practice guides at hand. Applepark work with each customer to define the best way to achieve their desired results, and once we know it, we write it down as best practise which we then share within the organisation.
BEN HOWARD & APPLEPARK
Applepark provide consulting services, training and support in Microsoft Project, Project Online, Project Server, PowerBI, Power Query and related technologies. Our aim is to help our customers deploy solutions that enable them to run their projects and programmes more successfully.