Complete Desktop Project Planning and Scheduling
-- An Open Source clone of Microsoft Project!
In the middle of upgrading my training on MSProject to take over a corporate training class, I found Open Workbench. Look at what one ten-year user of this Niku product says:
“BBH has been very well served for more than ten years using exclusively Niku tools for project scheduling within our IT team. Quite simply, it does the job better than anything else. We applaud Niku's move to align Workbench with the open source community, as we feel that having direct access to the software code can give us a new level of service and self-support, coupled with a new set of resources committed to evolving this already-excellent product.”
- Rick Berk, CIO
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.
Other users declare that Open Workbench is more flexible than MSProject. Why? Because it's Open Source. -- A java programmer can look inside the program and see what's happening, why something works or doesn't work, and sometimes add a function that wasn't originally in the program.
Open Workbench
is an (screenshot) open source Windows-based desktop application that provides
robust project scheduling and management functionality and is free to
distribute throughout the enterprise. When users need to move beyond
desktop scheduling to a workgroup, division or enterprise-wide
solution, they can upgrade to the Clarity™ system from Niku, an
enterprise portfolio management system that offers bidirectional
integration with Open Workbench.
I'm a Sun certified Java programmer. The power and flexibility of Java
has been hampered by unwarranted rumors about security and the fact
that most browsers don't automatically update the JVM. Java is a true
OOP programming language, unlike Visual Basic and Visual C++, which are
hybrids. Even the Java compiler can be modified. (I read a monthly newsletter by Dr Heinz Kabutz that shows how many companies are doing that for special applications.)
Embedded Java is what runs most of the games and special functions on cellphones and iPods.
Niku calculates that Open Workbench has been downloaded 39,119 as of this date, saving businesses $23,471,400 USD (or € 18,928,548 or £ 12,551,551).
I compared the functionality in Open Workbench with MSProject. The main capabilities are there, with each program missing a few things the other might want to have. Either program will work well for SMB projects; and both have upgrades to enterprise level applications for a fee. Open Workbench only costs the time to download though.
The Ten Commandments of Project Management
The Watsonia Publishing Manual for MSProject training
MPA (formerly MPUG-Global) Microsoft Project Association
Before you let the idea that knowing MSProject or Open Workbench makes you a professional Project Manager, take a look at Scott Berkun's blog. Scott is ten year veteran in leading software development teams,and designing software/web UI. He consults and teaches on project management. He writes with the positive realism of an experienced manager.
I can train you on how to run the software. But I'm not a professional Project Manager. It's an art that takes commitment and years to master.
--Paul
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