Comparing Project Server and TeamDirection Project 2007

And this would be elephant number two in the room. While I could blithely write how we do this and how project server does that and we both do the online web-based project thing in perfect harmony....

I would be lying.

OK, I admit it. TeamDirection Plus 2007 is providing a nice, simple way to connect your MS Project projects to MS SharePoint. Project Server does it by requiring several components, lots of consulting time and training. We do it by selling TeamDirection Project Plus 2007 for $549.

For that price you get:

1. A desktop app your project manager can install and start sharing tasks in 5 minutes or less.
2. A flexible bidirectional synchronization that updates data from MS Project to SharePoint, and from SharePoint to MS Project with one click.
   
3. The ability to not only share entire projects, but parts of a project. Have a project with 1,000 tasks but only want to share 100 of them? We can do that.
4. Rich integration with a great project conceptualization-- Mindjet MindManager-- and a cutting edge collaboration tool-- MS Groove 2007.
5. Multiple project view letting you see many projects at once in a grid and gantt. And foldering to let your organize your projects.
   
6. A nice UI, integrated Instant Messaging, Resource that can not only be assigned to tasks but also inherit their permissions from SharePoint or Groove, simple costing and more...
   

Normally I wouldn't point out in my blog where we compete with Microsoft-- I am in Seattle after all. But really, there's lots of companies that both compete and partner with them. We are no different. For instance, as I mentioned, we also talk to MS Groove 2007-- one of the first companies to do so. We've leveraged our rich history with Groove and its Project Edition and created an excellent solution for the next generation.

In fact, I can make a claim: TeamDirection Project 2007 is the only project application in the world that lets you share MS Project plans with SharePoint and Groove. Hopefully that makes the SharePoint and Groove groups at Microsoft happy. I even think it will make members of the Project team happy because it gives smaller companies-- and departments within large companies-- more flexibility and power for project managers to use the richness of MS Project and the distribution of SharePoint and Groove.

And if they see a grumpy member from the Project Server team, tell him or her its ok to share.

A Great PMI Show

The booth is in the car, the staff is back at work, the show is over. It went better than I expected. We've been at the last three PMI Global Congress shows (Baltimore, Anaheim and Seattle) and this was definitely our best. Probably because now we have our best product. Just about every demo I gave went really well. However, I did notice three things:

1) People who see or read about TeamDirection Project see our integration with SharePoint, but make the assumption that we only store project files on the SharePoint server and share those. While we do store a project file on the SharePoint site, we also synchronize information with the standard SharePoint Task List that team members can update with their browsers-- including Safari for Mac users.

Invariably, once I show this feature people's eyes light up and they respond 'so you're just like Project Server!' As far as interacting with SharePoint task lists, yes. But to compare TeamDirection Project to Project Server is like comparing a hybrid car to an 18 wheeler. Yes they both have wheels, but we focus more on executing the tasks at hand whereas Project Server is the entire enterprise solution.

Still, the basics are the same: distributing and updating tasks with a web browser.

2) We think one of our coolest features is the integrated Instant Messaging window showing each team members presence. This lets you instant message a team member whose task might have fallen behind and ask what's going on. Or its a good way to notify your team of any changes to the plan. When I point this out, people agree its very useful. But I think we might be able to do more to show how the instant member list can be the same as your team member list. Maybe a presence ball right next to the assignment info? It's definitely a valuable feature to help project managers stay in touch with their team.

I think a couple of simple flash demos on our site will help convey these features. Time to put the director hat back on for a bit.

3) What is up with Microsoft and Groove? I was very surprised at how few people knew about Groove. Microsoft bought Groove back in March 2005. It's rolling Groove into the next version of Office. Ray Ozzie is now the Chief Architect at Microsoft. I thought Groove awareness would have doubled or tripled by now. It's a very powerful solution and, surprising as it may sound, Microsoft seems to be underselling it right now. Perhaps things will change once Office 2007 ships.

Thanks to everyone who visited our booth and made the show such a success for us. A special thanks to everyone who told their friends and colleagues we deserve a visit. The last day of the show was actually our busiest, which I chalk up to the word getting around.

See you at the next show!