Experimenting with new software tools can be extremely fun. When Microsoft releases a new version of MS Project, I enjoy tinkering with the product in my spare time until I learn all the new features without looking at a manual. I rarely look at the help pages too. The benefit for me is that I can quickly become proficient with MS Project and similar tools. The danger is I must always remember not to spend too much time managing the tool. Instead, I must focus on managing the project schedule.
Why should I be concerned about spending too much time on the tool rather than the project? Well, as a project manager my motto is the needs of the project come first. With a sophisticated project management tool, I might be able to easily produce a highly efficient, award-winning, well laid out project schedule. However, if it will take me significantly longer to produce the schedule than what's necessary, more than likely some other area of the project will be neglected. The question that should be asked is: Will it be worth it to have a near-perfect schedule or a schedule that is reasonably close and took less time to produce?
The amount of time you spend using project management software and other tools is totally dependent upon the project complexity, risk, available time, etc. As a result, it's imperative for a project manager to spend his/her time wisely. A project manager should be focused on creating and managing the project schedule. Spending too much time using the tool to perfect the schedule can be hazardous to the project and the team.
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