MST have recognised project management as a discipline in its own right, equivalent to the core engineering skills upon which our company prides itself. To this end, we’ve introduced a focused PMI, PMP career development programme for our engineers, while our project management methodology follows the revised PMBOK Guidelines, providing engineers with defined guidelines through best industry practice.

To ensure optimal project delivery, sound project management resources, processes and practices must be complemented by integrated information systems, which facilitate project processes, manage project information, ensure effective communications and collaboration and support effective decision making. A comprehensive stand-along project systems environment, tailored from the typical MST project systems architecture, support the project teams.

To manage a project, the work is focused on integration and communication management utilising the MST “Project Server” methodology. The methodology utilises Microsoft Project 2019 Professional with Project Web Application (PWA) that enables a dedicated project layout to be created for the entire project with remote access and access control within the application to facilitate a uniform reporting method for all areas of the project.

MST’s Project Professional facilitates the following:

• Get more out of available information
• Streamline the business processes
• Simplify the way people work together
• Content Management
  • Document Management
  • Configurable workflow templates and more…

The MST PM Server Configuration

A tailored project information systems architecture underlie the MST project management system.

This integrated systems architecture is a tailored adaptation of the systems architecture applied successfully to all MST projects.  The core systems utilised by the project management team are tightly integrated to yield minimal duplication of information and effort, at all times ensuring efficiencies and effective decision making based on “one version of the truth”.

A distinguishing feature of the architecture is the leveraging of the MST Project Server, based on Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS).  The Server provides a unified environment for collaboration and information access, both to the internal project management team as well as externally to all other project stakeholders such as clients, vendors, contractors and other team members. This outward-facing Service is designed to provide an optimal balance between accessibility and security.  Being internet-based, it allows for universal access, but the MOSS environment, as well as the firewalls implemented, enables tightly controlled securities for approved users, with permissions being controlled at any level down to individual documents and screens.

The key components of the Project Information System are:

• IT Infrastructure – Tools are incorporated to ensure effective management of software across the server as well as the other computers on the internal network.
• Project Server – Microsoft Office SharePoint based Project Professional provides a central point of access, integration and collaboration for the diverse range of applications and users.
• Microsoft EPM and Project – Detailed project scheduling and resourcing, as required, will be performed within the widely used Microsoft Project environment.
• Studio – The Studio system provides full Cost Engineering and Control functionality as well as a wealth of other project management support functionality.
• Studio-CRM – The Studio Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system allows for effective management of communications with all stakeholders, not only customers.
• Microsoft Office – All MST staff come equipped standard with appropriate desktop/laptop infrastructure and the MS Office suite at no extra cost to the project.
• CAD Systems – MST designers come equipped as standard with design and engineering tools as appropriate.