Towards a smart project management information system

Abstract The focus in this work is on the creation of a new generation project management information system, which the authors have dubbed: Smart Project Management Information System (SPMIS). As the projects and their environments get more complex, subject to uncertainty, time and money pressures, the need for a really helpful and smart system to support the decision making and manage project information systematically, is accentuated. SPMIS will need to be flexible in accepting information sets, be instantaneous in terms of response, be comprehensive in terms of the range of functions which it can support and be intelligent in terms of analysis and overview of information sets held throughout the project life cycle. A review of the current systems shows that none has the range or capabilities sought. The SPMIS has been defined in a practical and objective manner. A review of the possibilities that the current systems' engineering techniques could offer has been included followed by a discussion on the need for setting up a project-specific information and integration model. Also, a ‘centralised control’ strategy has been advocated covering the entire core information transactions over the project life cycle. The SPMIS will be a future tool for proactive objective-focused management of the project. Its underlying design philosophy is based on creating conditions for synergy and for management of projects to achieve or exceed quite specific target values for stipulated objective functions such as project net present value or profitability index.