Before embarking on any PMS (Performance Management System) one should be aware that not a single software can solve all problems at one time due to limitations of certain software over others. The most important consideration is to know the needs of different categories of staff in your university. Assessing needs of lecturers could be different from administrators or supporting staff due to differences in proportion of task they performed. All soft wares could be tailored made to measure effectively, adapted to provide answers/needs to performance appraisal problems after you have done many trial runs. Purchasing a particular so call the “best” software and hoping it can solve your PMS problem immediately, is not the answer in choosing the best software. You need to work closely with the PMS suppliers, make them understand the needs of your institution in order to get maximum utilization of the system in terms of cost and time. Ultimately, you want a system that benefits all categories of staff in your organization.
Using on-line PMS reduces paper work and time for both appraiser and appraise as well as supporting needs of both academic and non-academic staff. Ensure excellent post-purchase service is provided by the supplier to ensure your system is always reliable and user-friendly.
Among soft wares that could enhance your understanding in getting the ‘best’ software: