Enhancing Project Management with Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007

Abstract

SharePoint is a technology platform that can be configured and customized to play a number of roles in an organization. This thesis is based on one of those roles i.e. is providing an environment for project management. A project manager needs to manage his team collaboration, control project documents, structure project workflow, manage risks, track project’s progress or share information with the stakeholders. SharePoint is simply the quickest way to fill these needs using standard tools business users already know: Microsoft Office and Internet Explorer.

The aim of this thesis is to understand the challenges of project management and to research SharePoint Server and explore its capabilities and features. The main goal of the thesis is to demonstrate how SharePoint Server can help enhancing project management in an organization, how it brings value to the organization. The thesis only focuses on the collaboration feature of SharePoint and is conducted in basically two parts; first half entails the concept of project management and SharePoint. The second half of the report aims at creating a sample project management information system for an imaginary company.

The result of the thesis can be used by any company or person who is in the process of deciding whether to introduce SharePoint in their company or not. The thesis is concluded by the findings that surely SharePoint brings great advantage to a company in project management aspect and even a non-technical project manager can also use this complex-looking software.