Management Tool

Definition

Management Tool

a software tool that supports the performance of the management tasks

Classification

As illustrated in the preceding figure, Management Tool is part of the following inheritance hierarchy:

• Type: Concrete
• Superclass: Tool
• Subclasses: None
• Example Instances:
  • Word Processing Tools and Templates (for producing management documents)
  • Scheduling Tools (for producing schedules, GANTT charts, and PERT charts; for tracking schedule variances)
  • Staffing Tools (e.g., organization chart drawing tool, task assignments, person to roles matrix)
  • Work Breakdown Structure Tools (with task start and end dates, critical path analysis, assigning resources to tasks, resource loading, and resource leveling)
  • Spreadsheets (for managing costs)
  • Asset Tracking Tools
  • Enterprise Resource Management Tools
  • Time Tracking Tools
  • Budget and Expense Management Tools (including budgeted and actual costs for work performed, cost variance, estimate to complete)

Responsibilities

The typical responsibilities of a Management Tool is to support the performance of the following tasks:

• Communications Management
• Cost Management
• Delivery Management
• Management Planning
• Personnel Management
• Personnel Management
• Relationship Management
• Resource Management
• Schedule Management
• Scope Management

Guidelines

• Management tools vary greatly in cost and functionality.