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Richard Brunelli (September 11, 2008)

Microsoft Project remains the de facto leader in desktop project management software, but several alternative solutions are winning over fans, emphasizing their flexible, user-friendly features for planning, estimating, executing and collaborating. Here is a closer look at three such offerings: Clarizen, LiquidPlanner and Viewpath.

Dean Carlson, the founder and CEO of Viewpath has a catchy way to sum up the facility of his two-year-old online project management tool: 90 percent in 90 minutes. What he means is that within 90 minutes of being introduced to the system most people understand about 90 percent of its capabilities.

The 90/90 come-on is a good one. Not only does it roll off the tongue, it’s also strategically smart because it goes right to the most-often-mentioned complaint about project management tools: that the 10,000-pound gorilla in the field, Microsoft Project [see sidebar below], is about as easy and stress-free as a tightrope.

“Microsoft Project is a good tool, and there will always be hard-core project managers out there who swear by Microsoft Project,” he said. “But I know a lot of PMs who say it’s taken them months to become proficient in Microsoft Project. A lot of people can’t afford that luxury.”

And so, Carlson’s Viewpath is looking to develop a niche among “everyday business professionals” who need a solid project management tool without a steep learning curve.

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September 2010:

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