Digital Agency Uses Hosted Solution to Improve Project and Resource Management

Microsoft Project Server 2010 Customer Solution Case Study

“In a weekly meeting, we use Microsoft Project Server 2010 to identify every resource that is overallocated or underallocated and come up with a plan to address them all—in just half an hour.” Barbara Pritchard, Director of Production, Smashing Ideas

Smashing Ideas, a digital media agency, wanted software that could manage its employees’ time while supporting Macintosh users. Smashing Ideas chose Microsoft Project Server 2010 hosted by Microsoft partner Project Hosts. Smashing Ideas is using the solution to easily meet the needs of both PC and Mac users, to free up IT resources for support issues that are more urgent, and to improve its resource management capabilities.

Business Needs of the biggest challenges we face. We Smashing Ideas is a full-service digital have to ensure that all of our clients media agency based in Seattle. Its 75- and projects are covered while keeping person staff develops interactive a level workload for our employees.” content on web, mobile, and other platforms for a wide variety of clients. Smashing Ideas typically has 50 to 70 projects active at a time. For many “Our company is all about our years, the company managed projects people,” says Barbara Pritchard, using Microsoft Project 2002. The Director of Production at Smashing company was generally happy with the Ideas. “Thus managing our time is one solution. But it encountered occasional stability problems with the aging

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Document published March 2012 software, especially for employees who Scott Chapman, President of Project mission-critical resource management develop iPhone and Macintosh Hosts, says, “As a hosting company capabilities. Pritchard says, “In a weekly applications and work almost with a specialty in Project Server 2010, meeting, we use Microsoft Project exclusively on Macintosh computers. we focus on providing our customers Server 2010 to identify every resource “We want them to work efficiently, but with secure, available, high- that is overallocated or underallocated, we couldn’t get project management performance solutions. And in this and come up with a plan to address software to work on the Mac,” Pritchard case, we were able to provide them all—in just half an hour.” says. Smashing Ideas with a remote desktop connection so that employees could Although good resource management As a medium-sized business, Smashing use the full Project Server 2010 has always been the company’s goal, Ideas has a small IT department that solution from a Mac.” now it can achieve that goal more faces occasional high-priority support efficiently. “Project Server 2010 has issues in applications used for client- Smashing Ideas started using the helped us streamline our efficiencies,” facing work. Also having to support solution in June 2011, with 15 Pritchard says. “It doesn’t take us as Project 2002 was a burden, especially producers managing work using the much time to manage everyone else’s because it lacked deep expertise in the Microsoft Project Professional 2010 time.” software. desktop application. Two additional staffers in finance take advantage of Best Solution for Diverse Operating Smashing Ideas was looking for a new the solution daily, and another four Systems project management solution that could managers use it as well. Staffers use a With the hosted Project Server 2010 help the company effectively manage separate system for time sheets, and solution, Mac users can easily access resources while supporting Macs and producers update their project plans project management software using easing the burden on IT. with that data every Monday. remote desktop connections. “In the past, Mac users had a very hard time,” Solution Smashing Ideas creates a “pitch file” Pritchard says. “They had to Smashing Ideas looked at almost 20 when a client expresses interest in a troubleshoot connection issues and alternatives. Jennifer Freeman, Executive project. “We can grab a template, post lost hours. They’re much happier now Producer at Smashing Ideas, says, “We a plan based on the project type, and with Project Server 2010.” looked at solutions that were web- quickly compare the time frame with hosted or were easily shared between the resources needed,” Pritchard says. Indeed, with the user-friendly interface PCs and Macs. We liked Project 2002, Pitches then become “expected” or of Project Server 2010, some but we were willing to move away from “finalized” with the client, and employees are gaining a greater Microsoft if something better came producers can easily filter their current appreciation of project management along.” However, no other tools could and forecasted resource views by as a discipline. “When I train new match the resource management these categories. producers, I love watching them realize capabilities of Microsoft products. that their work in Project Server 2010 Eager to take advantage of business can affect the people around them, Starting in April 2011, Smashing Ideas intelligence, Smashing Ideas plans to can help people not need to work explored upgrading to Microsoft Project develop dashboards and explore other overtime,” Freeman says. Server 2010 and having it hosted enhanced features of Project Server externally. It investigated several 2010 in coming months. Better Use of IT Infrastructure providers and settled on Project Hosts, Because Project Hosts manages the a Microsoft partner with a Gold Benefits Project Server 2010 solution, the Enterprise Project Management Smashing Ideas is using Microsoft Smashing Ideas IT team is freed up to competency and a Silver Hosting Project Server 2010 hosted by Project focus on issues that are more urgent. Solutions competency. “They were Hosts to satisfy all employee needs, “With Project Server 2010 hosted responsive to our questions, and they free up IT resources, and improve externally, IT doesn’t have to drop the clearly had been doing project resource managements. support they’re offering the studio as a management for some time,” Pritchard whole to troubleshoot project says. Improves Resource Management management software,” Pritchard says. Smashing Ideas has used the upgrade to Project Server 2010 to improve its Smashing Ideas has no plans to shift away from the hosted model. Pritchard

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Document published March 2012 says, “Putting aside the infrastructure we would have to hire another IT cost, if we shifted to an internal solution person.”

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Document published March 2012