Project
Server 2007 Interface InconsistenciesI used to joke about the inconsistencies in 2003 Project Web Access
during my Administration training classes; but
with Project Web Access 2007, it is no longer a
joke, I am upset. Most of you may consider these
inconsistencies minor, but for me, it is like
"hearing fingernails scratch a chalkboard" and I
hate that.
Some of my peers would argue I am "nit-picking" or worse
"anal-retentive” and there are a lot bigger
problems to worry about with EPM 2007. I'll let
you be the judge. My issues below refer
just to the
Server Settings section in Project Web Access
2007.
Should it bother me that a few of the Save and Cancel buttons are not
the same size? Probably not, but it does.
Version 1 - Normal (found on most web pages)
Version 2 - Normal size, but no space between the Save and Cancel
buttons.
Version 3 - Different size buttons. (found in the Resource Center,
select a Resource and Select EDIT. Scroll down
to the bottom of the page.
Another example of
different sized buttons (found in the Cube Build
Status Page)
Should it bother me that the Save and Cancel buttons are at the top
of most of the screens, but not all of them? This
one really irritates me because I desire
consistency in using an application and it
“interrupts” my brain. Instead of driving down a
smooth highway I feel like I am driving down a
bumpy road in an unfinished housing community.
Screens that do not have Save and Cancel Buttons on the Top and
Bottom of the Page
Cube
§
Build Settings
§
Configuration
§
Build Status
Time and Task Management
§
Task Settings and Display
Database Administration
§
Schedule Backup
§
Administrative Backup
§
Administrative Restore
Look and Feel
§
Grouping Formats
§
Gant Chart Formats
§
Quick Launch
Operational Policies
§
Alerts and Reminders
§
Active Directory Resource Pool
Synchronization
 Should
it bother me that the Quick Launch Bar is
available on some screens and not others?
Perhaps there is a reason I have not considered.
Mostly I want the Quick Launch Bar because the
space is already there and I think it should be
filled with something useful, something I would be
expecting to see.
Pages that show the Quick Launch Bar
Security
§
Manage Users
§
Manage Groups
§
Security Templates
Enterprise Data
§
Enterprise Custom Field Definition
§
Enterprise Global
§
Enterprise Calendars
§
Resource Center
Database Administration
§
Force Check-in Enterprise Objects
§
Schedule Backup
§
Administrative Backup
§
Administrative Restore
Queue
§
Manage Queue
Look and Feel
§
Manage Views
§
Quick Launch
Operational Policies
§
Server-Side Event Handler
Configuration
§
Project Workspaces
Pages that DO NOT show the Quick Launch Bar
Security
§
Project Web Access Permissions
Cube
§
Build Settings
§
Cube Configuration
§
Build Status
Enterprise Data
§
About Project Server
Time and Task Management
§
Financial Periods
§
Timesheet Periods
§
Timesheet Classifications
§
Timesheet Settings and Defaults
§
Administrative Time
§
Task Settings and Display
§
Close Tasks to Update
Database Administration
§
Delete Enterprise Objects
Queue
§
Queue Settings
Look and Feel
§
Grouping Formats
§
Gant Chart Formats
Operational Policies
§
Alerts and Reminders
§
Additional Server Side Settings
§
Active Directory Resource Pool
Synchronization
§
Project Workspace Provisioning
Settings
If someone can identify a logic to the above
that would make sense to the average user please
let me know.
Should it bother me that some of the "Link
Titles" (the links viewed on the Server Settings
Page to access Server Setting functionality) do
not match the title of the Web Page the link
takes you to?
Examples of what
I am talking about:
|
Link Title |
Web Page Title |
|
Security Templates |
Manage Templates |
|
Build Settings |
Cube Build Settings |
|
Configuration |
Cube Configuration |
|
Build Status |
Cube Build Status |
|
Enterprise Field Definition |
Custom Fields and Lookup Tables |
|
Enterprise Global |
Configure Project Professional - Configure button opens Project Pro |
|
Financial Periods |
Fiscal Periods |
|
Timesheet Classifications |
Edit or Create Line Classifications |
|
Timesheet Settings and Defaults |
Settings and Defaults |
|
Administrative Time |
Edit or Create Administrative Time |
|
Schedule Backup |
Daily Backup Schedule |
|
Administrative Backup |
Backup |
|
Administrative Restore |
Restore |
|
Manage Queue |
Manage Queue Jobs |
|
Quick Launch |
Edit Quick Launch |
|
Server Side Event Handler Configuration |
Events |
|
Active Directory Resource Pool Synchronization |
Active Directory Enterprise Resource Pool Synchronization |
|
Timesheet |
Timesheet Approval |
|
Setup Outlook Sync |
Synchronize your tasks with Outlook |
 Tag:
Are these big issues? In my opinion,
unequivocally yes; the "devil is in the
details" (as any good manager
knows). Why do I think these are big issue? It
is my belief that these "interface consistency"
issues illustrate a serious concern regarding
the process and personnel engaged to test and QA
(Quality Assurance) Project Server
2007. Inconsistencies in an application's
interface can make the product more difficult to
use. If the application interface is not
consistent:
-
As a trainer, I think
it is a more difficult product to work with
and learn.
-
As a software
development engineer (programmer) I am
disturbed that the "basics" of software
design and development were ignored; I then
question the quality/consistency of the
application's functionality.
-
As a quality assurance
manager I am appalled that a company with
such vast resources would release a product
that seemly "rushed through" the QA cycle
and/or did not adhere to promulgated
standards.
Project Server 2007 appears to be a significant leap forward in certain
functionality and a few steps back in quality
assurance / testing / functionality. Does the
Project Server 2003 Service Patch 2 ring any
bells? Within a month or so SP2A was released
to fix SP2 issues. None of the many application
interface inconsistencies were addressed in any
of the Service Patches for Project Server 2003,
will they be addressed in 2007? I doubt it and
that bothers me too.
Why would a company with vast resources release
a product without properly conducting quality
assurance on the application's interface? Rush
to market? No standards defined? Unqualified
individuals performing the work? I expect these
types of issues from a ShareWare or FreeWare
product or a product from a small company
without vast resources. Not an Enterprise
Project Management Solution probably used by
over 80% of the fortune 1000 corporations,
Governments and the largest agencies in the
world with millions of users.
Maybe the is rock in my shoe about this whole
thing is I was thinking Microsoft was going to
pull together a comprehensive team of people
from their vast resources that would give us the
best computing experience possible. |
