Many companies are concerned that introducing Can Do will result in a significant workload for employees to maintain data.
Avoiding Duplicate Data Entry
Can Do is designed to integrate with virtually any existing systems. It's not uncommon for five or more systems already in use within a company to provide data to Can Do or to exchange data bidirectionally. Duplicate data entry is always avoided, so no additional effort is required here.
See also: Interfaces and Integration, Examples
Data Is Generated Automatically
Many data points in Can Do are generated “on the side.” For example, if a project manager shifts a work package, Can Do records who made the change and when. If a report of project adjustments is needed later, this data is simply displayed as a report.
Logical Relationships
Can Do interprets user inputs logically and completes the data accordingly. For example, if an employee marks a task as 100% complete, the system automatically sets the work package status to “completed.” At the same time, the system calculates and updates the overall progress at the project (and portfolio) level.
Required Data and Consequences
The data required from all participants depends on the desired output. If management wants to see weekly project progress percentages, the project manager needs to update the number in the system at least once a week. This need for data entry comes not from Can Do, but from management’s expectations. If a work package is delayed, the project manager must inform the system (one click). Can Do needs this input in order to calculate the impact of the delay.
Usability
The effort needed to enter minimum information into the system is lower than expected. More importantly, it's not just one person doing it — all team members enter the data they would otherwise communicate verbally to the project manager (e.g., progress, delays, etc.). The system’s interface is optimized for each user group’s specific input. For example, a team member can simply tap twice on a work package in the mobile app to mark it as 100% complete.
Information Availability
All users benefit significantly from what’s called “information availability.” For example, if a client wants a work package moved forward and tells the project manager by phone, the manager only needs to shift the package. If it's feasible, the status light remains “green”; if not, it turns “red.” This happens in less than a second. Everyone involved saves significant time that would otherwise be spent checking around the company.
To find out who can replace an overloaded team member, there's no need for complex research. The questions “Who is technically qualified?” and “Is this person available?” are answered within a second by the trained AI.
Conclusion
Some information must be entered or updated in the system. For example, employees must maintain their personal calendars.
The data maintenance effort in Can Do is very low and is far outweighed by the time savings the system provides. A project manager can save several hours per week on administrative tasks and information gathering. That’s the purpose of an advanced system like Can Do: to save time!