Choosing a management system is to make a technological choice. BBA, a multi-disciplinary engineering firm from Quebec, had chosen the Microsoft environment by acquiring JOVACO Project Suite for its project management solution integrated to the Microsoft Great Plains financial management system.

This is the interview with Mr. Réjean Breton, Eng., Founding President of BBA.

JOVACO: Mr. Breton, you are a leader and a precursor: at the end of the 1990s, you were one of the engines that brought together different engineering firms to work on the Windows version of the Project Suite project management solution from JOVACO, which was initially developed in Cobol. Afterwards, you were the first firm to acquire and to implement this new version. What was your vision with respect to your management systems at the time?

Mr. Breton: We chose Project Suite Cobol at the beginning of the 1990s because it was the only software that integrated accounting with project management. This integration allowed us, among many others, to eliminate the multiple entries of data. Near the end of the 1990s, we began to have new requirements, the Cobol environment was a closed environment, and it was difficult to share information between different users. In addition, the evolution and modification of the system was limited. We had a growing need to share information in real time. The work environment under Windows was becoming more and more accessible to organizations and offered many possibilities.

At the same time, JOVACO was searching to bring together their customer users in order to work on a Windows version of Project Suite. As we were satisfied with the functionalities of Project Suite, we united with JOVACO their clients in engineering and we had invested and worked together in a transparent way on the new version. Once the development was complete, we were the first to implement this new version. Evidently, it was a little bit difficult (laughs); we were able to persevere due to the collaboration and good will of all the parties involved. I do not regret it at all, by contrary, I am proud to have participated in the evolution in this solution.

JOVACO: How did this technological choice correspond to your vision of BBA as a whole?

Mr. Breton: BBA has always been a precursor on many levels. We constantly search for ways to accommodate the new technologies as they emerge. In addition, we began to question our management software because we concluded that this software no longer responded to our expectations. We required an open system for all users.

We had realized that there was a misunderstanding between the administrative staff and those in operations. For example, only the administrative staff had access to information in the management system. If a project manager needed a specific report, he would have to go through administration, who would often not understand well the needs of the project manager. As such, the project manager would then assume that it is impossible to have the desired report and so on. These interpretation problems would multiply with the growing complexity of the mandates. As well, there was always hesitation when it came to invoicing customers: was it the responsibility of administration or the project manager? Since it is the project manager who maintains the budget of the project, we are often caught between two roles. Now, we are able to overcome this obstacle as a result of the possibilities offered by the Windows version of the Project Suite software that responds perfectly to our needs.

JOVACO: You currently develop in-house applications that you integrate to Project Suite. How this integration is made possible?

Mr. Breton: In the past, we had several small satellite applications that were not interconnected and had no direct link to the information in the accounting system. Therefore, we had to enter and save the same information in several locations, which was not efficient and in addition, it presented a risk of error at each entry. With the arrival of Project Suite, it was much easier to develop this application by integrating to the accounting system rather than develop it in parallel.

With the arrival of the Windows version of Project Suite, it also became possible to access data in real time as well as to update the information in the accounting system. We had developed several applications specifically for project managers, human resources and management with the objective of eliminating double data entry. At the same time, we were able to delegate the task of data entry to staff members who were the most apt to do this task.

These in-house applications are developed by a team who wish to maintain the integrity of the accounting system and its data all while benefiting from the information entered by multiple staff members.

JOVACO: In 1999, we were at a turning point: we crossed over from a closed environment to an open environment on many other applications. Today, with the introduction of new tools such as the Business Portal, Business Intelligence (BI) or Customer Relationship Management (CRM), we arrive at another turning point. We are moving towards an environment that integrates many users regardless of their authority level or responsibility: managers, employees, customers, vendors. How do these new elements adapt to your current vision?

Mr. Breton: As I had mentioned earlier, BBA has always been a precursor: We had anticipated this trend when we opted for the Windows environment and the new version of Project Suite. Even at that time, we had conveyed our desire to acquire an open system for all users. And the Microsoft technology appeared to fulfill this desire.

There was a time when the IT environment was conceived in a static manner and the user had to adapt to the environment. Nowadays, the roles have been reversed. The core of the software will always be shared among users, but the work methods, the ability to access the data and the interaction with one another must now reflect the specific needs and functions of each user. As well, multidimensional analysis and drill down applications are becoming more and more accessible, which allows us to benefit completely from our data to be able to make the best decisions.

The challenge of the coming years will be to conquer these new tools to pass from an environment in which data is entered and consulted according to pre-defined report format to an environment in which each user can customize the way to interact with the information.

JOVACO: Taking into account what you know today, would you have made the same technological choice? Does this choice appear to be still sensible?

Mr. Breton: I think it is always satisfying to say that we made the right choice. It is an easy answer. However, if we go a little deeper and we try to see what was actually done, which is available, we can conclude that JOVACO knew to be ahead in the market, to distinguish itself as a leader and to respond to the specific needs of engineering firms.

It is necessary to have a culture of solutions in the face of difficulties. I look for people who are motivated to find solutions, motivated to learn and to share. As such, we enter into a domain of solutions. If we are a group, a proactive society, it is important to be among the first to integrate modern tools. Those who do not adapt will be left behind.

Therefore, it is essential to have suppliers or partners who will share this proactivity. We cannot say that we would have had a long-term relation prior to having this relation. With JOVACO, we can now conclude that we have a serious long-term relation, a relation that is worth maintaining and sustaining.

JOVACO: Thank you very much Mr. Breton for your time.