A whole new level of transparency
Success story from HYPE Softwaretechnik GmbH
HYPE Softwaretechnik GmbH specialises in the development and introduction of software solutions for employee portals, idea and innovation management and business process management (BPM). Projektron BCS provided aha-effects in controlling and time recording.
We wanted to plan, manage and control our projects better. This wish was at the beginning of our decision in favour of Projektron BCS.
HYPE - collaborative idea and innovation management software
We, that is HYPE Softwaretechnik GmbH. We are a software manufacturer and IT service provider; we advise, customise and develop software to serve our customers. One business area deals with the introduction of company-wide employee portals and intranets: not only personalised company information, but also project rooms in which people can work together and tools with which internal company processes such as master data management or personnel planning can be simplified.
We support our customers in process optimisation through business process management and the introduction of suitable tools for modelling, executing and monitoring business processes.
In the area of improvement management, we specialise in the introduction of our integrated software solution for idea and innovation management processes: Many customers optimise and standardise the company suggestion scheme process with our software solution. Employees can be sure that their ideas will be taken into account and will not languish in email inboxes. Managers are also obliged to take account of submitted suggestions - and last but not least, bonuses are awarded for helpful suggestions. In this way, the entire company benefits from the creativity of its employees.
In addition to the company suggestion scheme, we also use the software to support the innovation process for new products and the Kaizen / CIP process optimisation methodology. Our customers include companies such as Endress+Hauser, Commerzbank AG, TÜV Rheinland, Viega, Robert Bosch and ThyssenKrupp.
Why an external project management tool?
The way in which projects are billed covers all the usual variations in our company: we sometimes work on a time and material basis, sometimes at a fixed price, sometimes to fixed budgets, where we have to check what proportion has already been used up - and of course we also have internal projects that we can only finance if we can ensure that the calculated expenses are offset by licence and maintenance income.
In order to keep an eye on all of this, we had to decide in favour of project management software at some point. It had to be easy to use, web-based, it had to be able to cope with the requirements of multi-project management and at the same time provide a quick overview of all activities. And, of course, the price had to be right.
Tried, tested, decided, expectations fulfilled - BCS
We looked at several systems and finally trialled Projektron BCS. It seemed to fulfil our requirements very well, so we decided in favour of the system. We operate the software in our own computer centre. Administration is carried out "on the side" by trained employees
Today, we use Projektron BCS for our project planning, time recording, project controlling and holiday planning. We use it to create the performance records and prepare the invoicing for our accounting department. This means that we still use a maximum of half of the functions that Projektron BCS offers us.
We want to introduce the service module for our customers in 2011. This will allow us to process support requests easily and efficiently. The expectations we had of the software have been fully met. It quickly became apparent that the software not only provides an overview of all projects, but also provides valuable services in day-to-day project work.
BCS pays off
With Projektron BCS, times can be recorded quickly and easily and hours worked can be allocated to the respective project with just a few mouse clicks. Acceptance of the software by employees is an important criterion. An easy-to-use application is the basis for good data. After all, even the best software is useless without high data quality.
With Projektron BCS, we can also finely tune the performance records for expenditure projects to the customer's wishes - some want all the details, others just an overview. Both options can be realised quickly with the software.
Projektron BCS also pays off in controlling and project follow-up. Thanks to the numerous analysis options, you can see things that were previously unnoticed. You can understand why projects required more working time than was calculated - so you can learn for the future. Especially when fixed prices have been agreed, BCS prevents costly mistakes. The analyses can also be used to agree targets with employees. And last but not least, templates can be created for similar projects. This makes costing and planning considerably easier.
Conclusion: Overview and transparency thanks to BCS
Of course, no software can replace communication between project participants. We still have to decide for ourselves how we prioritise and allocate tasks. But Projektron BCS has certainly made our work clearer and more transparent.
