Interview with Christophe Borlat

ByElizabeth Harrin Last updated: Software

Last month I looked at the new features in Genius Project. I wanted to find out more about how the software works with Microsoft Project, so I spoke to Christophe Borlat, General Manager of Genius Inside.

There are lots of project management tools out there today doing interesting things, what makes Genius Project different?

Genius Project is the only project management software with a Gantt Chart that can compete with Microsoft Project. Its user interface is extremely user-friendly and can be customized according to the roles (project manager, user, administrator). It has more features than any other project management software, such as advanced workflow management, risk management, matrix planning. Genius Project is based on over 10 years of experience designing project management software.

Who are your target customers?

Mid-Market enterprise, Genius Project is a cross-industry solution, but most of our customers come from manufacturing industry and IT departments.

Are you noticing companies moving towards your software from Microsoft Project? Why do you think that is?

Yes, a lot of our customers use our planning tool, Genius Planner, instead of Microsoft Project. They save money, as Genius Planner is included in our solution and it’s easier to use.

Where do you think project management technology is going?

The number of SaaS offer has increased a lot during these past two years, and there will be more competitors on the market.

Does Genius Project include collaboration features?

Yes, it allows automatic distribution of documents, tasks and to do [lists]. It has also a centralized document management to have all information in one place and accessible by all project team members. Access rights ensure confidentiality of data.

Why did you feel it was necessary to include bi-directionality with MS Project?

MS Project is the industry standard in terms of project scheduling and allowing the users to keep using it while adding a real collaboration platform with our solution, was essential for us.

What are the main differences between SMB and the standard edition?

The SMB solution has only the basic functions and fits basic project management needs. The integration with Microsoft Project, Timesheet module and workflow management are optional. Most of our SaaS customer are going for the SMB edition.

Thanks, Christophe!

Elizabeth Harrin wearing a pink scarf

Project manager, author, mentor

Elizabeth Harrin is a Fellow of the Association for Project Management in the UK. She holds degrees from the University of York and Roehampton University, and several project management certifications including APM PMQ. She first took her PRINCE2 Practitioner exam in 2004 and has worked extensively in project delivery for over 20 years.
Elizabeth is also the founder of the Project Management Rebels community, a mentoring group for professionals. She's written several books for project managers including Managing Multiple Projects.