Successful project management calls for successful actions. But lack of project management practices makes all the difference. This is the reason that project failure is a big cause of worry for almost every industry. Although there are project management software with advanced features available in the market, project failure is still a rising problem.
To help you get a clear picture of how bad the condition is, here are some numbers:
Only 2.5% of companies complete 100% of their projects successfully.
The nonalignment of business with project goals is one of the most common problems.
Less than 1/3rd companies use project management techniques.
Looking at these three points, one can figure out that one of the major reasons behind failing projects is the non-existence of standard processes and practices in organizations. This is where technology comes into the picture. As already mentioned in the beginning project management software options have been there for quite a while now, and they can simplify a lot of the problems that businesses face.
What Is A Project Management Software/Tool?
A project management software is a platform that works as an all-in-one place to plan your projects, collaborate with teams, keep your data organized, and bring all your communications under one roof.
An effective project management tool helps to plan, organize & manage resources, streamline workflow, track project progress. It helps to run a large team of professionals and expedite project delivery.
According to Foreign Policy, 90% of companies have reported that using open-source software enhanced their team’s efficiency and innovation. Companies are now investing in ongoing training of their employees on the use of project management tools and techniques.
Read more: The Importance of Project Management Software
However, before you get one for your team, you must be aware of the top features that a project management software must possess. This is exactly what we are going to discuss ahead.
What Project Management Software Features To Seek?
Read the following list of project management software features and you will get to know what we are trying to say here:
Planning and Scheduling
Project planning bridges the gap between team and client’s requirements. Proper planning binds the team and the client together. It helps to ensure project expectations and outline the tasks. Budget estimates, project delivery timelines can be done with a breeze when everything is already planned.
You must have a tool that incorporates planning features and makes it convenient for you to plan and schedule accordingly and on-time project delivery. Here are some aspects of project planning that a project management software must help you accomplish:
Assign task
Define deadlines
Set milestones
Manage your schedule
Collaboration
“Communication works for those who work at it”- John Powell.
Projects are no more an individual’s craftwork, but teamwork. Teamwork means more we and less me.
When working in a team, one needs to access each other’s work and collaboratively move to the next step to take the project towards success. Effective team communication plays a key role and must not be missed from the features’ list. Your project collaboration software must allow team members to connect easily.
The following actions must be accessible:
Instant messaging, either to team members or clients
Hassle-free access to files and documents
Smooth feedback session
Interface
It’s always good to have options and freedom to work. A tool offers you different ways to work, increases one’s productivity and enhances creativity. To get better results, you should use such a tool that caters to different work styles. It should enable you to manage the data in one place and see it in multiple formats.
Your project management software should present the data in the following views:
Present data in a list view
Give you a board view of the data
Timeline or Gantt chart view
Table view
Time Tracking
Accurate time tracking is important to analyze employee performance and help you decide to whom you should assign the next project. Clock the hours and easily prioritize an activity over another with the help of an effective tool.
Your time tracking tool is your stopwatch. Use such a tool that lets you punch the clock to track working hours. Invest in a time tracking and project management software that has the following features:
Bring billable hours in a centralized place
Create an easy-to-understand record of the captured time
Helps you transparently invoice the clients
Proofing
Spelling/style checker, autocorrect list or hyphenator; these are fine, but you also need a proofing tool for images too so that you can easily annotate files and give actionable feedback. A smart project management tool with an online proofing tool must:
Support all file types
Have cloud-based storage
Mobile-Friendliness
Investing in a project management software would be worth it when it remotely makes project information accessible. The tool must ensure mobile connectivity so that you can perform essential tasks on-the-go.
What other mobile features the tool should provide:
Team of any size
Notifies you of every event and update
Seamless access to data
The next thing that might be on your mind: tools to consider.
Below are the tools that I have used in the past months to expedite my project delivery.
ProofHub for Planning & Scheduling
It is a platform that helps you to plan the projects effectively without any wastage of time. I have used this tool for assigning tasks, setting task dependencies and planning projects and it works like breeze. Plus, the software also has advanced team collaboration features that make it a great option for distributed teams.
What did I like the most?
One can export Gantt charts in the blink of an eye. Moreover, tasks and task lists can be imported without any hassle.
Time Doctor for Time Tracking
I used this tool to track time spent on every task and make detailed reports and timesheets. This tool can be easily integrated with leading project management tools. You can also see which websites are being used by your team members the most.
What did I like the most?
It nudges me & my team on visiting work-related sites and helps increase productivity.
Redbooth for Collaboration
The tool paves a way for clear communication and better task management. I have used to organize my teams and create shared workspaces. The tool streamlines virtual collaboration and provides features like screen sharing, HD video conferencing.
What did I like the most?
Detailed productivity reports, they cover everything, time spent, task status, calendars, overviews. I could see all my projects in one view.
Conclusion
Project management software helps you get the ultimate control of your project, streamline your workflow and solve a lot of problems. Make sure the one that you pick has all the project management software features that we have highlighted above so that you can reap maximum benefits from it.
Good Luck!
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