EXTRANET
NEWS * Week of
Editors: Joel Orr and N'omi Orr
http://www.extranetnews.com
1.
PROJECTEDGE OFFERS "TOTAL DELIVERY MANAGEMENT"
2. THE LIST
3. FROM OUR READERS
4. TIDBITS
5. QUOTE OF THE WEEK
1.
PROJECTEDGE OFFERS "TOTAL DELIVERY MANAGEMENT"
EXTRANET NEWS editor Joel Orr interviewed Gary Craig,
founder and president of ProjectEDGE (http://www.projectedge.com).
ProjectEDGE
was founded in 2000 by its president, W. Gary Craig, to "continue the
development of software applications for the management of real estate
development and leasing, construction management, facilities operations, and
maintenance," begun at his previous company, Edgewater Services in 1994. ProjectEDGE is based on Lotus Notes.
A particular advantage of Notes is the idea of
"replicated databases." When you are on-line, you update a central
database. But when you are off-line, changes are stored, then
synchronized--in both directions--the next time you plug in.
Notes was built in the
seventies as a "client-server" application. ProjectEDGE
users, however, seem to prefer the Web-access version of ProjectEDGE;
only about 5% of the user base prefers the client-server version, and even they
use it in conjunction with browser access.
You can buy the use of ProjectEDGE
as a service from an ASP, or for installation behind
your firewall.
Craig's background in real-estate development has
led to the company focusing on the AEC market. "But the software is for
general-purpose project- and process-management," says Craig. "In
addition to the AEC customers, we have several in manufacturing and even in
services businesses who are using it to create and manage 'templated'
processes."
Dell Computer used ProjectEDGE
to install the first 71 of its in-mall "kiosks," where customers can
try out products and place orders for them. "The kiosks were initially
planned as seasonal," said Craig. "They were deployed in only three
weeks, using our software to manage the process. Now it seems the company is
planning to have non-seasonal ones, too."
There are around 30 main customers of ProjectEDGE, which results in hundreds of companies using
the product, for a total over 1500+ "seats" of ProjectEDGE
users overall. Charges are based on projects and resources, not on seat-count.
ProjectEDGE
incorporates Edgewater's benchmark process for program management formalized
under the name of Total Delivery Management (TDM). ProjectEDGE recognizes that successful projects result from
a process approach, applied from start to finish. TDM combines the
private owner's mentality with Total Quality Management, partnering, and
convergent engineering to result in a financially oriented, process-driven
methodology for managing projects.
According to the corporate Web site, "Each of the various components of
the project, from the initial identification of need, through and including
occupancy, must be carefully managed to achieve the project objectives. TDM
allows all of these pieces must be coordinated and integrated together to
attain the desired result. Whether all the roles are performed by one entity,
as in the case of a private developer, or by multiple entities, as in the case
of a corporate or institutional owner, there is still the need to coordinate
all of them to be successful. Total Delivery Management provides such a
process. ProjectEDGE electronically facilitates the
process."
The most recent innovation in the offering has been support for multiple projects, with information "rollup" of various factors for an overview. Next on the agenda: Job costing support. "We've found that many customers try to tie in to accounting systems that are just not designed for project work. You'll be seeing announcements from us in the Fall," said Craig.
What does the future hold for ProjectEDGE? Craig: "We continue to see slow but steady growth. We've never lost a customer. But we've also learned that we're going to need marketing alliances to help us grow further. We're in the market for them now."
Our take: ProjectEDGE is a solid product from a
small but solid family company. It is managed conservatively, with
old-fashioned attention to the needs of customers. Gary Craig is a thoughtful
innovator, who has both feet planted firmly on the ground on behalf of his
customers. And the product matches the advertising.
2. THE LIST
Total companies: 252 (see who's on The List at http://www.extranetnews.com/).
ADDED
3. FROM OUR READERS
We asked our readers if they knew of any uses of extranets
in transportation applications, other than the Chicago Transit Authority's. So
far, we've received these answers:
Emil Bulum [emil.bulum@proequity.com.au]: Apparently
the Public Works Department of NSW State Government here in Australia uses
extranets extensively.
Dave Akers, VP, Huitt-Zollars, Inc. [DAkers@Huitt-Zollars.com]: Here
in
Others said they are
preparing comments; we'll share them asT we receive
them.
4. TIDBITS
·
The seminar "Introduction
to Lean Construction" provides the overview, principles, and
techniques of this new approach to managing projects. Las Vegas, February
27-28.
The workshop "Implementing Last Planner™" provides the tools
and techniques needed to implement the Last Planner System™. This system is
designed to assure work is made ready, someone is committed to its completion,
and to provoke rapid learning. April 24-25.
Details: http://www.leanconstruction.org. Register on-line through http://www.mapnv.com/ (Scroll down to find the Lean Construction Seminars). Call Greg Howell at 208-726-9989 or email ghowell@leanconstruction.org.
· "The Dandelion Principle: Structuring for Greatness." Preview Joel's upcoming book at http://www.dandelionprinciple.com, and sign up there to receive a series of "seedlings" from "The Dandelion Principle" via email.
· COFES2003, Keynotes: Alan Kay and Jeff Harrow. May 15-18, 2003, Scottsdale Plaza Hotel, Scottsdale, AZ. This is the only industry event where time to speak casually with leaders is built into the program. If you visit the Web site, you will want to come. http://www.cofes.com
5. QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong."
-- Abraham Lincoln
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