InformationWeek

Integrated Environment
Like BidCom, Blueline Online has centered its extranet on construction-project processes and closely bound them to the Web. Blueline Online's ProjectNet is a project portal that moves beyond project management by creating an integrated environment that brings all processes of construction-such as design, bidding, and commerce-into a single customized desktop. What separates ProjectNet from other systems is accomplished by customizable business-process rule features found in the administrator's area. With clients such as E-Trade, Sun Microsystems, and 3Com, ProjectNet was immedi- ately successful as the first project-management extranet service available, but it has reinvented itself as a portal in response to market demands. I like the fact that Project-Net looks and acts much like the familiar Microsoft Outlook interface, so users immediately feel comfortable with it.

Framework's ActiveProject differs from the other two by being a self-hosted offering and by enabling each project Web site to be built to specifications with a series of drag-and-drop features. This can enable end users to view the project information in the way that's most comfortable for them. I liked the effortless manner in which ActiveProject installed itself and how quickly a user could build a highly functional (and attractive) project Web site. The interactive tabs along the top of the site are one of the better interfaces I've seen.

ActiveProject, part of a category the vendor calls Virtual Product Development Management, is separated into server and builder components. An ActiveProject designer builds a project Web site using a drag-and-drop process. Project managers, therefore, don't need to know HTML to place the knowledge they have into the project site. It's important to note that ActiveProject-unlike in-Site and ProjectNet, which are based on Oracle databases-doesn't come with a robust back-end database, so the benefit of handing off captured project information for company operations is limited. Also note that the team member who hosts ActiveProject is responsible for round-the-clock server connections to the Web along with all associated security measures; in-Site and ProjectNet provide these services. For shops that must control information in-house, the benefits of peace of mind far outweigh these negatives.

These extranet products have projected their value proposition around cost savings: lower over- night-delivery bills, reduced blueprinting costs and messenger charges, and less faxing. The time-saving element is another huge selling point, but there have been no accurate measurements to help qualify either claim. Experienced users say that time savings readily translate to cost savings, and I think they are right.

The challenges to successful deployment of large project extranets are both technological and cultural. One expert user I trust is Jim Bedrick, an IT director for 3Com's real estate and site services, who has deployed several extranet solutions for his company's own buildings. Bedrick sees the time and money savings as just one factor in getting all team members to buy into the concept of using a Web service. "Education and training are the major critical factors in the successful implementation of extranets. It calls for all people on the team, regardless of their role, to change their perspective on how they exchange digital information," Bedrick says. "It's much more of a cultural issue than it is a technology one." Although the available extranet services are providing limited training for team members at the beginning of projects, there are always new team members coming on board during construction projects, and this requires new training sessions.

The services are beginning to respond to the education issue. Jas Dhillon, CEO of Blueline Online, says that by getting in on the front end of projects, it can design a continuous formal training and education program so that every member who enters the project portal will understand the technical aspects of the system as well as the business reasons for using it.