4.2. Emphasis on business models
Another factor that has influenced project management
to be performed over the web has been its link
with business models. Scanlin [46] cites the worldwide
evolutions of quality management programs
such as ISO 9000 and the Malcolm Baldrige program
in the United States as the main drivers for the growth
of software use for project management. Some of the
business excellence models such as the EFQM excellence
model [13] explain how project management
systems have been influenced.
Through a process of self-assessment against the
EFQM excellence model, a project management performance
could be measured. Eventually, the project
manager can identify clearly its strengths and those
areas in which improvements can be made. Performing
project management over the web will improve a
project’s processes, contribute to a more focussed
strategy for the project and motivate the project
participants due to online collaboration and its benefits
such as the ability to track project progress online,
fast access to up-to-date information, increased dynamism
of the project, etc. These improvements can be
measured by a scoring method, which enables an
organisation to perform a self-assessment exercise,
by comparison with other organisations. At the heart
of the EFQM, excellence model is the tool to perform
the self-assessment exercise: RADAR, which stands
for results, approach, deployment, assessment and
review. RADAR achieves the self-assessment of
new approaches such as web-based project management
by the following stepwise approach [40]. The
steps to be followed are:
1. determining the financial, operational and stakeholder
perception results the organisation is aiming
for with the use of the web-based software;
2. plan and develop a sound approach for achieving
the proposed results;
3. deploy the approaches in a systematic way so that
full investigation is achieved;
4. assess and review the approaches by undertaking
regular measurement, which in turn promotes
learning and leads to improvement activities where
necessary.
Furthermore, Jackson [40] believes that the scope
of the results needs to address the relevant areas of the
organisation. This improves the overall score in the
self-assessment exercise indicating an excellent
organisation; hence, the use of the Internet for project
management can become a major driver of performance.