DEMO: LiquidPlanner

How would you like a project planner that helps you plan for the bumps in the road? LiquidPlanner, releasing today at DEMO '08 , claims to be just that. They are calling themselves an “on-demand project management solution”.

They have taken traditional project management software and added what they claim is a patent pending probability algorithm they are calling a “probabilistic scheduling engine”, along with social aspects similar to a social network centered around each project. Their patent pending technology is what they see as their secret weapon - a way to avoid unforeseen problems and glitches that can cause delays in a project.

I suppose if we can accurately predict crowd flow using crowd flow algorithms, and design event routes around traffic algorithms, predicting people and project interaction and possibilities is not that far fetched. The idea behind it seems to be that the program will help your project participants visualize uncertainty.

I think LiquidPlanner may have hit on a winning combination here. To combine software that helps avoid delays and problems, then couple it with real time social networking devices as this one has, could go a long way to getting projects in on time. This would eliminate issues created by teams that telecommute or that work in different offices as well. I see a variety of applications for this kind of solution.

The interface for LiquidPlanner seems to operate on a “keep it simple” principal that everyone should be able to follow. This is good, as it will reduce the learning curve and get each project underway faster, even when a new person joins a team. The slick Web 2.0 look and feel makes the software feel up to date, as opposed to its stodgier cousins like Microsoft's proprietary products.

Of course, any software is only as effective as the people who use it. People still can skew the results if they enter in unrealistic deadlines or fudge dates to make themselves look better, or otherwise refuse to trust the software to do its job. It will be interesting to see how LiquidPlanner works in real world applications out of beta, as it handles people's natural tendency toward office politics and CYA tactics.

From their press release:

Some of the key features in the initial release of LiquidPlanner include:

- Advanced Estimation & Scheduling – The LiquidPlanner solution is built on a foundation of ranged estimates and statistical analysis that produces realistic timelines and schedules that teams can trust;
- Complete Collaboration Capabilities – As a Web-based application that is centered around the concept of social project management, LiquidPlanner integrates a wide range of collaboration tools designed to keep project team members on the same page;
- Seamless Task Management – An intuitive workspace makes organizing and prioritizing tasks easier than ever with a familiar point and click experience;
- Trust-Based Project Spaces – LiquidPlanner gives all types of teams (on-site, remote, and contract-based) the ability to share project information securely and in real time; and
- Visual Analytics Bring Project Clarity – LiquidPlanner includes advanced visual analytics like task and project trajectories and dynamically generated glide cones to graphically display critical project information that might otherwise be obscured.

Some screenshots: