Comparing Microsoft Project to Web-Based Project Management Software

“If you are benchmarking or comparing Microsoft Project to newer web-based project management software, here are 3 key factors to consider when reviewing this type of project management software.
1. Difference in Philosophy:
Microsoft Project’s philosophy keeps the traditional project management paradigm but patches the tool with collaborative features. It has many robust project planning and resource allocation tools. However, it is very much a project manager’s tool. It is geared towards people with training both in project management methods and in using Microsoft Project PM Software itself.
A good example of this is that the collaborative features in the software are not real-time. Information needs to be pro-actively published either by the project manager out to the team or from team members back to the project manager. Practically speaking, the project manager and team members work on their local copies of MS Project and then submit or publish their work to the server.
This adds in an additional layer of adoption and is an extra task that managers and team members need to manage on a project. It does add in some collaboration to the information flow of project management but it reduces some of the benefit of having collaborative project management software by adding a barrier to the flow of information (and it creates more work).
2. Multiple Components:
Microsoft does not offer Microsoft Project as an ASP or Software as a Service model. To use Microsoft Project PM Software a company needs to buy multiple components and host it themselves. These components include desktop copies of the software, a copy of the server software, non-project manager licenses, Microsoft SharePoint Server software and MS Windows Server software.
Project management software like Vertabase Pro, which is native web-based software, can be purchased on an ASP (also called On-Demand project management software or Software as a Service - SaaS). Licenses to use the software are purchased on an annual basis and it runs on any browser or operating system. That means the project management software can work on Mac OS or Windows operating system. It can work using Microsoft Internet Explorer, Apple’s Safari browser or even Mozilla Firefox. Further, there are no additional components to buy or install.
3. Training and Support:
Training and support must be purchased separately for Microsoft Project PM Software. In many cases, training for Microsoft Project can cost thousands and thousands of dollars. Since the software is designed for more experienced or professionally trained project managers, the training is important for people to get the most out of the project management system. If people don’t get trained properly or if there is not a culture or politics enforcing use of the project management tool, the tool can quickly fall into disuse.
Support is a la carte with Microsoft Project Server. It needs to be purchased separately or on a per-incident basis. Support calls for Microsoft Project PM Software are often handled much like other customer support calls from larger software vendors.
Training and support are included with every purchase of Vertabase Pro PM Software, as it is with other web-based project management tools. In some cases, the tools are so intuitive that training is not even needed. Some software, like Vertabase Pro, also includes videos on using the PM software and extensive online help files to get the most out of the application.”

Post by Marcos Souza
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Reference: Phillips, Mark - Comparing Microsoft Project to Web-Based Project Management Software – The Vertabase Blog – October 1st 2006