Planisware Orchestra

Avantages

I particularly appreciate the integration of different features : project management, ressources management, budget, time tracking. We also implemented specific features apart from project development like non-conformity treatment, executive committee decisions management, customised reports

Inconvénients

My company find it a bit expensive but it worth it. Needs a real training to get the full performance.

Avantages

It's a versatile tool with lots of options for customization. I can see large or small organizations getting great use from the functions, with a careful assessment of your individual needs. Lots of ways to visualize progress on projects. It also has paths for simplifying the user experience for different members of the team. What I/we perhaps like most about the software is the ability to not only plan the project, but assign resources (allocate) at different increments (hours, % of FTE, days) - and to have that information push automatically to the individual owners of those allocations for task management and time reporting.

Inconvénients

UI still needs some sharpening (and I've seen the teams improve on this since we signed on). Limited integrations with other commonly used software.

Alternatives envisagées 

Pourquoi choisir Planisware Orchestra 

Logiciel antérieur 

Avantages

- Integration between projects and ressources
- Customisation with the Designer
- Possiblity to export lists

Inconvénients

- "Clicodrome". Too many click to do something. No possiblity to do "batch" actions in lists.
- Timesheet workflow validation too restrictive
- In project Budget and project ressource management no possibility to express the ressource need by competencies. Only ressource type is available >> too restrictive as a ressource can have only one "type". Most of organisation have ressources that can do many activities in projets (Project management and business analysis for exemple). Assign ressources by type is too restrictive. Real need to asign ressources by competencies.

Avantages

Capapcity to manage large organizations and numerous resources.
Easy to use without too many concessions on advanced features.
Scalable solution both in terms of users and functionalities.
Great local support (France).
Suitable for RUN and BUILD activities.
Numerous intégration possibilities (flat files, datamart, Reporting Tools, etc.)

Inconvénients

Agility is not perfectly managed. Kaban could be smoother.

Alternatives envisagées 

Pourquoi passer à Planisware Orchestra

Avantages

Orchestra is tool very appreciated by the users. Its design is clear and intuitive, which allows the different users to navigate inside the tool after 1 hour of training. Its use is also sufficiently simple for the occasional users (1 time per month or less) to re-find the menu without a new reading of the user guide.
The access is simple and efficient from a location. We use it to manage the R&D activity of several laboratories in the world with more than thousand users and several thousands of projects follow by the system. The simultaneous connection of several dozens of users induces no difficulty. Each one can make his job: his creation or updated of project information.
This tool offers the possibility to add specific modules require by additional needs. Support team is rather efficient and provides a good assistance for small difficulty or misunderstanding. Nevertheless, the new developments require very accurate specifications from the final user in order to reach quickly the new functions.

Inconvénients

There are no clear dark points about this software. Some specific attentions must be brought to the recording time (storage of the data) for specific functions. This time can increases with the number of manipulated elements or for specific functions. It is not a real issue, except in the case of long set of data recording.

Avantages

I enjoyed how easy the software is to navigate, it is easy to switch between information such as projects, resources and users etc. I also believe exports are a key feature that I enjoy the most. For the work that I conduct, these exports are a critical function. Being able to easily grab the information that I need from the system in a ready-to-use format is incredibly helpful.

Inconvénients

Currently, there are only 3 individuals in our organization that are actively utilizing the system. Once we roll out the software to a larger audience I believe I will be able to answer this question more adequately.

However, I believe being able to customize your own reports and exports from the system could be greatly improved. Additionally, I feel that the dashboard customization could be improved to provide more in-depth customization and more granular details.

Avantages

The fact to have a mix of settings and specific. It permits to be autonomous and start to have a first platform usable very fast. And after, with our specificity as a large company, be able to develop some interface with other tools.
Interface is really user friendy.
Good evolution of the tool with better and better user interface and features.
Good interface with Google permits to us to use our Electronic Document Management System, SSO,...
Cover all the needs with good features from the demand to Project management, Portfolio management, indicators,...
Great relationship with NQI

Inconvénients

It's inside their roadmap, but today, portfolio management can be better, Risk management also, Demand Management, on the Stakes part is not perfect
We would like to be able to have little bit more global control on the projects, state, bulk modification as administrator or user.
Some names are not consistent everywhere inside the tool and need to be align
But I know, link to their roadmap, all this work in on going

Avantages

NQI Orchestra software really meets our first requirements i.e. find a customized and local solution for project management. Then quality module has been implemented and used as well. It's a robust solution.
After almost 2 years of daily use by the project manager and the quality manager and around 15 users, we have managed almost 190 projects of 2 weeks to 4 months duration; I would like to highlight that it has never shut down.
We really appreciate the activity Stream; it constitutes a really help in follow up.
Since we have learned how to create and use the Dashboard module, we like it!

Inconvénients

- Installation and updates are not "friendly": it requires to paste files directly into core folders.
Without internal IT support, that would be difficult to manage.
- We decided not to use the document module because once documents are uploaded in the software, it is not possible to access them without using the software.
- Generally, there are too many information displayed and today, it is not possible to remove some of them to get clear visibility of seeked information: e.g. Gant diagram.

Avantages

Orchestra is an all inclusive tool that allows for project and portfolio to be fully captured, managed and reported from - it can be the single source of truth when fully leveraged.

Inconvénients

Orchestra currently has limitations in reporting out gantt views. The planning/gantt view for timeline management is a multistep process which decreases efficiency.

Avantages

The time sheet recording is really easy to use

Inconvénients

The general ergonomie should be improve, especially the planning management (GANT).
Agile should be more integrated into the software.

Avantages

Tiene una gran variedad de funcionalidades que se adaptan a diferentes metodologías, sectores e industrias. Puedes gestionar desde la demanda hasta la ejecución, pasando por la planificación, el seguimiento, el control y el cierre de los proyectos .Permite una integración rápida y sencilla con otras aplicaciones web, gracias a su arquitectura basada en contenedores. Las soluciones se pueden implementar en las instalaciones del cliente, en la nube del cliente o como un servicio alojado y gestionado por Planisware

Inconvénients

Su precio es bastante elevado en comparación con otras alternativas, sobre todo si necesitas usar muchas funcionalidades premium o realizar muchas tareas al mes .Su soporte al cliente no es muy eficiente ni amable, ya que a veces tardan mucho en responder, no resuelven los problemas o no hacen reembolsos

Avantages

ease of implementation and great freedom of customization

Inconvénients

it is not possible to manage time on actions contained in tasks

Avantages

User-friendly, functionalities very complete

Inconvénients

- poor documentation to become Orchestra expert and support daily usage
- heavy weakness on standard reporting
- sometimes too much "click" to realize a basic project operation
- project stakeholders collaboration is not enough succeed

Avantages

The ability to customize stages and gates is great as it allows for different types of projects in one organization or for different organizations to all have completely different set ups. The initial project tasks are easy enough to set up.

Inconvénients

There are always way too many steps in each process. It may be easy enough to figure out the process but it seems like most could be completed with less clicks from the user.

Avantages

It is user-friendly, the user interface is intuitive

Inconvénients

The poor performance with Internet Explorer/Edge

Alternatives envisagées 

Pourquoi passer à Planisware Orchestra

Avantages

Fluidity of softwre and visualization of data

Inconvénients

Flexibility of reporting and adaptative reporting to our business

Avantages

Ability for all to see the same information across the organization.

Inconvénients

Reporting needs improvement (gantts, etc.))

Avantages

Very easy to use for allocation tracking and moving people around projects

Inconvénients

The software can be finicky at times when taking people off of projects which leads to additional maintenance time