Project : VISION is another project planning tool that works on both a desktop computer as well as on the HP Palmtops. It accomplishes many of the same things that ProTracs Professional does. However its unique feature is in the method of viewing the relationships of the various activities that go to make up a project. It alone of all the PM software tools lets you zoom the display to go from an almost indecipherable overview of the project to a full-screen view of single activities.
To get an idea of what "VISION" means in Project VISION click on each of the items in the following list. Note that I have layered some additional boldfaced text in these screen shots to label them. The screen shots were taken from the 640X200 pixel display of the HP Palmtop.
You can view the screen as if it were a spreadsheet made up of rows and columns. However it's an unusual kind of spreadsheet in that each cell contains more than a value or an @function. Each cell actually contains a record of an activity. Each record contains text information along with date fields, cost fields and links to other fields, shown by the connecting lines. You can scroll the display to the left and right and up and down to bring different parts of the project into view. As with most spreadsheets, you can move, copy, or delete single cells or whole blocks of cells in Project: VISION (P:V). You can even attach a memo to each cell. The spreadsheet turns out to be a PERT chart with the critical path shown as darkened cells or cells with their ID labels darkened, depending on the zoom level. The screen shots from the sample project file, HOUSE.NET, show what this critical path looks like on the HP Palmtop.
An interesting use of Project: VISION is to make the spreadsheet format present a tutorial on how to use the program. There's even a file called HELP.NET which you can load. It contains all the functions of P:V in a spreadsheet network. Each of the cells has a memo field that contains a description of the function and what it does.
P:V goes beyond such programs as ProTracs Pro and Mainline to create both Gantt charts and resource usage histograms. The View | Barchart menu option will show you a Gantt chart in the upper part of the screen and a resource histogram in the lower part. The charts can be zoomed in and out to show a year-at-a-glance a monthly view and a daily view of the project. Times may be adjusted from within the graph using sliders and a combination of the S(tart), F(inish), and T(ime) keys.
The following screen dumps, taken from the HP Palmtop, shows three different views of a sample HOUSE project's barcharts.
A bigger nuisance--one that will cause you to reset the palmtop--happens if you try to use the Print menu option and try to print from the Palmtop. The README file that comes with the registered version of the P:V program warns against doing this, obliquely, by saying that you'll need a serial to parallel converter attached to the Palmtop to send a worksheet or barchart to the printer. If you make a mistake and press the wrong keys, the program will hang the Palmtop indefinitely. The only recourse is to use CTRL + Left Shift + ON and answer No to the prompt to reformat the C: drive. Be sure to run the DOS command CHKDSK /F on both the A: and C: drives. After each such reset I found that files had been corrupted on both disks.
Project : Vision comes closest to rivalling the detailed reports and charts of Primavera(P3). It has the ability to produce multiple reports and both Gantt and resource usage charts. The charts and the "network" can be exported to DXF file that can be used in some Computer Assisted Drafting programs and, supposedly, in one or more word processors. The major difference between P:V and P3 is that P:V works on the HP Palmtop: P3 does not. About the only reason for moving up to P3 would be the presentation quality screens that can be generated, e.g. multiple colors, different size fonts, pictures and graphics using OLE technology, etc. and the ability to send parts of the P3 layout to others on a local area network. But, if you need a sophisticated project planning tool that runs on both the palmtop and a desktop, then P:V is the way to go. In either case, plan on reading the documentation for one or the other program. You'll get through the P:V documentation sooner. You could spend a couple of weeks setting up your first real projects in either program. Remember this is time well spent. It will pay off later.
The following memo is from an Inmax representative in response to an inquiry about the cost of P:V in Germany
08-May-96 14:21:19 Sb: Project:Vision license? Fm: Paul Phillips 104033,3444 Project:VISION has been available for use on desktop computers since 1984. With the advent of the HP Palmtops running DOS, Inmax has found an extremely effective platform for portable project planning. We are continuously upgrading and enhancing Project:VISION with regards to more efficient operation on the palmtops. User feedback is our best source of information and we appreciate all comments and critiques. Our distributor in Europe is Mr. Gunther Fuckes with W&W Leipzig at FAX:+49/341/2219233. The last quoted price I saw from W&W Leipzig was $179DM including VAT. As far as development directions go, we have been asked to make P:V import files from MS Project, make P:V system manager compliant, make the Memo editor fonts bigger and make P:V run faster on the Palmtops. These upgrades will be implemented as revenue and time permit. If you have any other questions, I'm watching. To contact Inmax Publ. Ltd use the address 2673 Terrace Avenue North Vancouver British Columbia V7R 1B5