What is DevProMMIt’s short for the Development Project Management Method. It’s a set of layered process maps, procudural requirements and guidance and associated templates of standard documents. Between them they set out good-practice project delivery processes for Development, Regeneration schemes large and small. Visually attractive, it can act as an aide-memoire for the more experienced and/or detailed procedural instructions for newer staff who want to know they are doing the right thing, the right way. Benefits of having a Method? Click here. DevProMM also has over 30 standard document templates to help users in their day-to-day activities of managing their projects successfully. To see the list of templates, click here. |
DevProMM is simple and easy to use. The flow diagrams are really useful in providing an overview of each step while allowing you to ‘dip in’ to those parts of the process where you need more detail. Diana Bernhardt, Project Manager, Brighton & Hove Seaside Community Homes. |
Have a look
You can see a sample of DevProMM by clicking here.
Watch a video providing an overview of DevProMM
This introductory video is just over 6 minutes long. It is narrated, so you will needs speakers.
Heritage
In the late 1990s we developed a Word-based comprehensive set of procedures for HAs. In the 2000s we moved that to an HTML Help file to benefit from hyperlinks etc, publishing the Online Project Management Procedures (OPMP) for HAs. It was still entirely text-based. We have now moved to a set of layered flowcharts, pop-up notes and text, connected to each other and to your standard forms and documents by hyperlinks. Most people find this more visually attractive and user-friendly. The different layers provide more / less detailed explanation about tasks and topic areas, to reflect the different levels of experience of users.
Why Use a Wiki?
Wikis are communication tools. We chose to use a wiki as the home for DevProMM for two reasons:
- They are easy for clients to update themselves – editing OPMP (being a Help file) required the ability to write in HTML which Development & Regeneration teams generally don’t have. The constant process of tweaking and improving the procedures was difficult…so it didn’t get done. Custom and practice would evolve, but the OPMP requirements remained fixed. So the credibility of the procedures would erode over time, because it was hard to keep it as a live document, reflecting user’s day to day reality. Management control was therefore weakened, and inexperienced staff felt less supported. Using a Wiki means that its very easy for clients to edit and update, keeping the content current, with all the benefits that flow from that.
- They encourage user interaction – there is a Comment boxes on each page, so users can leave suggestions about how the process could be improved. Incorporating users suggestions into periodic updates means the tool is seen to be relevant and useful, and more likely to be used.
Access it remotely
HATC’s DevProMM is delivered through your web browser, and so can be used by staff when in the office or working remotely through your normal remote working arrangements. Navigating the procedures uses (amongst other things) the web browser’s forward & back buttons as well as hyperlinks, all of which is very familiar to users.
Control It; Publicise Updates
There is a full permissions framework built into the wiki, so that the Administrator can say which users can submit comments (all users, typically), who can edit the content (only one or two people, usually) etc. In addition there is a “watch” facility so that users will be automatically notified by email when a change to a page or pages is made. No-one ever need worry that they didn’t know about the latest update to your process!
Want to Know More?
For further details please email us and we’ll call you back for a no-obligation discussion and provide you with a login to our demonstration site .