A company that performs projects performs project management. But how well it performs it is the question. Does it use email and phone calls to communicate task information? Can it access its networks remotely? Does it have to wade through spam mailings to access legitimate emails? These are some questions that IT experts ask as they search for improvements to a company's management systems, improvements that lead to delivering quality results on time instead of delivering them late or finishing on schedule at the expense of quality.

Three Ways that IT Consulting can Improve Project Management

If your projects consistently run over schedule or are delivered on time at the expense of quality, it's time to consult an IT expert about improving your projects' management. Below, we examine three ways that business computer consultants can improve your project system.

1. Management Software

This software replaces arcane methods of project communication, such as communicating solely by email and telephone, which are often holdovers from when a company was small enough that they worked. With the software in place, a project's parties communicate information in real time, their communications visible to all parties that have approved to see it, a feature that improves management's oversight of workers' progress in real time. A business whose projects involve a growing number of employees and client side participants needs software that allows it to share information with various parties in real time.

2. Remote System Access

In the age of Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings, having onsite systems that can't be accessed from remote locations can significantly hinder business. As a result, IT consultants offer remote access for a variety of systems, including task tracking systems, data storage systems, home office intranet systems, etc. While some businesses think that remote access is of value only to companies that perform national or international business, the reality is that it benefits any company that has two or more locations involved in the same project, employees that travel on business, and/or employees that work from home. Having remote access means that you can access your systems from any Internet terminal worldwide.

3. Spam Filtering

Spam filtration isn't a common subject to task tracking. But if you've experienced spam flooding as a result of a malfunctioning onsite spam filter, then you know that it can make difficult accessing client emails from among the myriad of spam mailings that flood in. When you're on the move and you need to access timely emails with your Blackberry, having an offsite spam filter is the best way to insure that you don't go for hours without responding to a client's urgent request.