IT Project Management As manager of technical operations for NPR Online, Robert Holt is in charge of running projects--- and securing the funding necessary to complete them. Two of Holt's recent projects included integrating an NPR Online audio file database with an NPR print database, and managing the database implications of a name change to one of NPR's most popular radio programs. A Stronger Planning Tool Holt previously used a word processing tool to plan projects. "To put it simply," he said, "I would have just started the project by writing." Holt now uses MindManager to plan projects by creating visual maps of project ideas and information. He uses the software for so many things, he says, that MindManager is one of only five applications always open on his desktop. To plan the database integration project, Holt used MindManager to create a map that visually laid out the advantages the combined database would offer users, as well as the problems with the current system. He then exported the map contents as a text document that justified his need for additional IT staff. For the name change project, Holt made a map of team members' responsibilities, project timelines, and special notes for various phases of the project. He also used the maps to document code, hyperlinking to pieces of code he found online. The export to HTML lets Holt quickly create project status reports. "You can always send someone a Gantt chart," he says, "but who really wants to view information that way?" Microsoft Project Holt frequently uses MindManager to jump-start Microsoft Project. "Project is great for managing resources and timelines, but it can be hard to get up and running," he says. "With Project, all tasks must be entered one after another---all at the same level, and then indented. But with MindManager, you add tasks as they occur to you and then drag-and-drop them into a logical structure. Then when you export to Project, the lower branches are automatically defined as summary tasks." "Across the board," Holt says, "MindManager saves me about 25 percent of my time. When I use it specifically to manage projects, it probably saves me a lot more time than that. "As an IT manager, I know that everything I communicate needs to be concise and well organized," he adds. "I use MindManager because it helps me create project plans that are logical and cover all the bases. It has really improved my ability to create more intelligent project plans and sounder capital spending justifications. "Anytime my VP asks me to come up with a project plan, budget or report---any work assignment, the first thing I do is open up MindManager and start brainstorming. The way it displays information visually really helps me think faster and clearer about the task at hand." An IT Manager uses MindManager ® to plan projects, justify capital spending Case Study: NPR (National Public Radio) "The biggest ROI I get from MindManager is time savings. I can ... plan projects very quickly in a map view, export all the information right into Microsoft ® Project, and I'm ready to go." ROI - 25 percent time-savings - Successful projects - Improved plan, budget & report writing Company Profile NPR serves approximately 20 mil- lion radio listeners each week on nearly 700 NPR member stations. NPR's Online Department operates npr.org, a virtual place that brings NPR's broadcast coverage into full color, adding even more depth and context to the stories on air. Challenge Integrating an NPR Online audio file database with NPR's print database.
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IT Project Management
As manager of technical operations for NPR Online, Robert Holt is in charge of running projects---and securing the funding necessary to complete them. Two of Holt's recent projects included integrating an NPR Online audio file database with an NPR print database, and managing the database implications of a name change to one of NPR's most popular radio programs.
A Stronger Planning ToolHolt previously used a word processing tool to plan projects. "To put it simply," he said, "I wouldhave just started the project by writing." Holt now uses MindManager to plan projects by creatingvisual maps of project ideas and information. He uses the software for so many things, he says, thatMindManager is one of only five applications always open on his desktop.
To plan the database integration project, Holt used MindManager to create a map that visually laidout the advantages the combined database would offer users, as well as the problems with the current system. He then exported the map contents as a text document that justified his need foradditional IT staff.
For the name change project, Holt made a map of team members' responsibilities, project timelines,and special notes for various phases of the project. He also used the maps to document code,hyperlinking to pieces of code he found online.
The export to HTML lets Holt quickly create project status reports. "You can always send someone aGantt chart," he says, "but who really wants to view information that way?"
Microsoft ProjectHolt frequently uses MindManager to jump-start Microsoft Project. "Project is great for managingresources and timelines, but it can be hard to get up and running," he says. "With Project, all tasksmust be entered one after another---all at the same level, and then indented. But with MindManager,you add tasks as they occur to you and then drag-and-drop them into a logical structure. Then whenyou export to Project, the lower branches are automatically defined as summary tasks."
"Across the board," Holt says, "MindManager saves me about 25 percent of my time. When I use itspecifically to manage projects, it probably saves me a lot more time than that.
"As an IT manager, I know that everything I communicate needs to be concise and well organized,"he adds. "I use MindManager because it helps me create project plans that are logical and cover allthe bases. It has really improved my ability to create more intelligent project plans and sounder capital spending justifications.
"Anytime my VP asks me to come up with a project plan, budget or report---any work assignment,the first thing I do is open up MindManager and start brainstorming. The way it displays informationvisually really helps me think faster and clearer about the task at hand."
An IT Manager uses MindManager® to plan projects, justify capital spending
Case Study: NPR (National Public Radio)
"The biggest ROI I getfrom MindManager istime savings. I can ...plan projects very quicklyin a map view, export allthe information right intoMicrosoft® Project, andI'm ready to go."
ROI- 25 percent time-savings
- Successful projects
- Improved plan, budget &
report writing
Company ProfileNPR serves approximately 20 mil-
lion radio listeners each week on
nearly 700 NPR member stations.
NPR's Online Department operates
npr.org, a virtual place that brings
NPR's broadcast coverage into full
color, adding even more depth and
context to the stories on air.
ChallengeIntegrating an NPR Online audio
file database with NPR's print
database.
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