Hanging a Shingle on the VIRTUAL BOULEVARD

Software Magazine, Dec, 1999 by Dr. Sidnie Feit

Consultancies like Robbins-Gioia are using the Web as a communications medium to build strong and lasting partnerships with their customers.

A SHORT TIME AGO, no one dreamed that people would buy and sell stocks over the Internet. The pioneers who brought trading to the Internet shook up the entire business, changed the price structure of stock trades, and attracted tens of thousands of new traders to the market. An onslaught of other Web-based commerce offerings followed.

Just when it seems that we've seen every possible kind of business competing for our attention on the Internet, some new surprise comes along -- among the latest is a new model for project management consulting from Robbins-Gioia. The company's Web-based project management consulting offerings -- a set of light and middleweight consulting services -- combine self-service information resources with interactive modes of communication, ranging from bulletin boards, chat, and e-mail to cybermeetings and face-to-face consulting visits.

R-G, headquartered in Alexandria, Va., is using the Web as a communications medium to build strong and lasting partnerships with their customers. This is a far more complex undertaking than offering a stock information database and performing short, discrete transactions. An entirely new set of skills needs to be developed to handle a service-intensive, durable customer relationship.

Founded in 1980 by John Gioia, the company generates revenues of $61 million per year, and the staff includes over 450 program managers, many of whom have extensive experience in specific industries. While the company's roots were in the defense industry, and some R-G consultants continue to work on a number of government projects, in recent years many of R-G's customers have been Fortune 500 heavy hitters like Ford, GM, AT&T, and United Airlines. Assignments have ranged from guiding large IT software development ventures to steering corporate mergers.

Robbins-Gioia has launched two Web ventures. the PM Boulevard Web site (www.pmblvd.com) provides free project management information to guests, and a more comprehensive set of information resources to subscribers. Most importantly, subscribers have access to R-G experts for a fixed number of consulting hour. A second venture, the Virtual Project Management Office (www.virtualpmo.com), provides a complete, Web-based project management service, backed up by substantial consultant support.

Service Stop

PM Boulevard is an entry-level project management service. There were several incentives for moving this offering onto the Internet. One was to put project management services within the reach of small and medium-sized companies that do not spend large amounts of money for consulting. Another motivation was to provide a relatively low-cost, convenient way to maintain an ongoing service relationship with existing customers.

Customers often need a continuing low level of support after a large formal business engagement has been completed. PM Boulevard's online subscription-based service provides an easy, cost-effective way for a customer to get information when it is needed, and to continue the consulting association.

PM Boulevard offers a number of free information resources targeting both end users and PM professionals. Included are PM tutorials, columns by PM experts, pointers to many Web PM resources, and an open news group bulletin board.

At the core of the fee-based service is "Ask The Expert" consulting. A subscriber can submit any type of project question to R-G. An expert in the relevant discipline answers the question within two working days, at most. A subscriber can also fill in assessment forms that deal with various aspects of a project (such as change management or risk management procedures). A consultant will respond with an action plan and links to resources that address gaps in the client's approach. The assessment forms provide a good project roadmap.

Annual subscription levels include 6, 12, or 25 hours of consulting time per user. At the highest level of service, a customer company is billed on a sliding scale according to the number of users. There also are 3- and 6-month trial subscriptions. R-G states that fees will be based on answering questions that require some real research and effort. Many previously answered questions will be archived and can be accessed via a search tool without incurring any charges.

In addition, each subscriber has access to an archive of information -- the site's "Knowledge Center." This collection of expository papers on PM can be helpful in establishing an in-house PM training program.

However, the crown jewels of the Knowledge Center are its templates. A project management team could spend weeks figuring out how to conduct a cost-benefit analysis, structure a project status report, or develop a change control process. During 20 years of practice, R-G has developed templates that walk customers through complex procedures and provide formats for proposals and reports.