I was just thinking, with a new version of ProjectWise V8i due to be released in the next few weeks, are companies ready for the upgrade? Most larger companies will wait for the second release of any major upgrade, such as V8i before they even consider upgrading. Well, it's here, but does that really make you ready for an upgrade? Have you really prepared your company for the upgrade? With one of the largest under the hood changes ever for ProjectWise, are you, your hardware, and you company ready for the upgrade? Here is a short list of some of items that need to be researched and developed:
• Hardware Requirements for the new Integration Server, Database, Caching, and Web Servers • Network issues • When and where to use DFT • New Web Parts and how best to implement • Testing methods and documentation • Desktop rollout plan • Training • Change Management • Communications Plan • Upgrade methodology and roll-back plan
Just to show how serious this upgrade is, the Bentley Institute has developed a two day upgrade workshop (ProjectWise V8i Upgrade Readiness Workshop) to help make the right decisions before, during and after the upgrade. When taken in conjunction with the one day ProjectWise V8i Administrator Update it makes for a prepared and well orchestrated upgrade. These classes are now being taught virtually to save on time and travel expenses. JP
This probably can best answered by the sales team who have tools to measure ROI of ProjectWise using industry numbers and algorithms. Just doing a Google of “ProjectWise ROI” results in several articles from companies that have invested in their future with ProjectWise. One article on AECmagazine’s web site states the following from a Michael Baker Corporation;
“Implementing ProjectWise achieved significant bottom-line results for Baker. In addition to saving jobs, improving moral, and delivering better projects, an independent analysis of ProjectWise ROI conducted by SMART LLP revealed a peak ROI for ProjectWise at five times the operating cost. Better still, the payback period for ProjectWise was just six short months, or two times faster than the industry benchmark of 12 months.”
It looks like a ROI between 4x and 19x in less than two years and as fast as six months. Bentley’s public web site has many Case Studies in which many of them also list ROI in the same range. JP