Industry Speaks Review of ProjectNote:Project Information Management Software

Designed by Colorado-based architect Doug Porterfield, ProjectNote™ is a computer-based software system that digitally stores, archives and manages project design and construction information. The application allows project teams to manage design elements such as sketches, drawings or graphic files, as well as project emails, correspondence such as RFIs, submittals, closeouts and punch list documentation.

The ProjectNote interface is easy to use and appears to be a "lite" version of Newforma®. ProjectNote, however, reflects a wide variety of work flows, and does accommodate BIM and 3D clash data. The server and workstation syncing and cloud capabilities make it easy to use, although it isn't clear what ProjectNote uses as its search engine and this may affect the software performance.

There are some platform downsides to ProjectNote which consumers should note. It is not capable (at this time) of running on a Macbook® Pro since Microsoft OneNote does not have a OneNote engine for Mac®. According to the designer, there is an app for Mac®, Outline+, that will allow a Mac® user to view any OneNote application. However, it will not allow additions or edits. We've pointed this out to the designer and we believe they are working to find a solution. The OneNote app for iPhone® and iPad® may allow you to open ProjectNote and work within the application using SkyDrive or Sharepoint. The other challenge is that you can't use ProjectNote on older operating systems. It requires Windows Office 2007 or newer, a 500Mhz processor, 256 MB RAM and 2.0GB of disk space. For firms that don't regularly upgrade hardware, this might be a challenge.

All of that said, ProjectNote offers a low-cost solution for digital project management. The base price of ProjectNote A-E and GC is $495.00 for up to three users. ProjectNote FM (which comes with a copy of ProjectNote A-E included) is $695.00 for up to three users. All prices increase proportionately by $200.00 as additional users are added (example: ProjectNote A-E for up to six users costs $695.00 and for 10 users $895.00). Special reduced pricing is available if more than 20 users are needed.

To learn more, go to www.project-note.com

Reviewers:
Rena M. Klein, of RM Klein Consulting and author of Architect's Guide to Small Firm Management (Wiley 2010), rena.m.klein@gmail.com.
Paul Veloz, Director of Technology for HMC Architects, Ontario, California, paul.veloz@hmcarchitects.com.

Lean Construction Institute Los Angeles - Everyday Lean Tools Event November 6

LCI Los Angeles Everyday Lean Tools November 6

Presenters:

• Tyler Kirk, McCarthy Building Companies, on Bluebeam Studio
• Aaron Antonucci and Lucas Temple with Taft Electric on Value Stream Mapping, Pull Planning, Last Planner™, and Plan-DO-Check-Act (PDCA)
• Mike Davison and Tom Feliz, DPR, on OurPlan

The event will be held at Luminarias, Monterey Park, CA. Carpooling is encouraged.

More information and registration for Everyday Lean Tools on Eventbrite.

PSMJ's A/E/C Project Management Boot Camp Reviewed on Industry Speaks

"This boot camp will not make you a project manager, however it does provide the foundation and tools to become successful," says Jason Jaworski, MSEM, project manager for the jdi group, Inc. (Maumee, Ohio).

Jaworski attended the Chicago boot camp August 8-9, 2013; PSMJ holds them at various locations throughout the year. Check out his full course review on Industry Speaks.

Leadership Course from AIA Dallas Reviewed on Industry Speaks

Just published on Industry Speaks™: a peer review of AIA Dallas Practice Management Course Leadership. Ron Price, CCM, Assistant Vice President at Parsons Brinkerhoff, who speaks frequently on the subject of leadership, reviews module 1 of the full course available from aecKnowledge: Leadership 1: Influence and Effectiveness.
Check out the full review here.

The Project Manager of the Future: From BIM to Alternative Delivery Systems

The PSMJ 2012 Ultimate Project Management Manual assists construction project managers in navigating the complexities of Alternative Delivery Methods, recognizing that our industry is moving to a more integrated approach which supplants traditional models. Chapter 20 provides an in-depth analysis of each system’s strengths and weaknesses...
Click here to read the full review.

The full series of reviews, as well as other course and book reviews, is available on IndustrySpeaks.com

Today's Project Manager: Marketing, Relationships, Communication

Publisher's Statement: The Ultimate Project Management Manual is a very large collection of checklists, procedures, and guidelines for A/E/C Project Managers. Industry Speaks solicited peer reviews of selected sections and topics, and is posting excerpts from all of them to give readers an overall sense of the manual. The feedback from some reviewers indicates that some of the general information does not apply in pursuit of public sector projects.

Editor's Note: This is the next to last installment review of PSMJ's 2012 Ultimate Project Management Manual. Series coordinator Lisa Sachs will wrap up the series next week.

While I cannot think of anything I would want a project manager to do that does not seem to be covered in this Manual; much of what I want a project manager to do is missing from this Manual or understated in the extreme relative to marketing, relationships and communication...
Click here to read the full review

The full series of reviews, as well as other course and book reviews, will be available at IndustrySpeaks.com