The idea that software can be applied for project management is not a new concept. There have been various software and applications in the past years that are designed to help you efficiently manage a given project.
Today, the market is inundated with project management software that can be used by large corporations and even by small businesses. Small companies, in particular, stand to gain so much when they choose to invest in this type of software.
The reason is simple—they can use it to make their job a lot easier. After all, it can become tedious for the project manager to manually keep track of all the different projects they’re handling.
Here are just some of the ways that software has adapted and innovated to help with project management.
Agile
Agile project management is a methodology that helps project managers and team members be more efficient and successful in following through on project projects and meeting timeframes.
Agile management is about continuous improvement and collaboration. It’s a way of approaching the project as an extended family, a community of people working towards a common goal.
In essence, it’s a methodology that promotes collaborative decision-making, with a strong emphasis on teamwork.
Today’s project management software has also adapted and integrated the Agile framework into their tools. Software and app providers such as easyagile.com offer tools that allow for collaborative work and strict timeframes.
There are also many project management software packages available that allow you to easily manage your projects, and keep up with Agile requirements. You’ll even find some software that can be used to deliver courses and seminars based on Agile principles.
Team Communication and Collaboration
One of the most important features of any project management software or app is its team communication and collaboration tools.
Clear communication and easy access to resources ensure that everyone’s on the same page and that goals and expectations are all aligned. Communication between team members should easily be done within the platform.
The software must also allow for group chats, voice calls, and video calls to ensure better communication within the team. Furthermore, there are solutions that allow you to organize all workflow on a shared whiteboard. You can draw here, make Kanban or delegate any task by tagging team members and stay on the same page with everyone easily.
Using project management software for team collaboration offers numerous benefits, including the following:
- Team members are more productive because they’re focused on completing their work and not wasting their time with distractions, like email.
- Team members are more motivated because they know that their efforts will pay off with increased profits or a higher status within a corporation.
- In addition, projects that use these tools also tend to be more successful because any changes are quickly communicated to the rest of the team.
File Sharing and Storing
Instead of having a separate drive for all your team’s files, project management software allows you to have it all in one place.
Now, you don’t have to open another site to store your team’s files in a cloud. You can chat and share times at the same time on one platform.
File sharing is another great feature of this software. You can share your projects with other team members easily and securely. With this tool, you can easily get access to files that are shared by team members so that they can continue working as normal without being concerned about sharing files. You can even share large files easily so that everyone can see them.
Some platforms also allow the team members to edit a file, leave feedback or comments, or annotate in real-time.
Changes are tracked, so everyone will know who’s responsible for which. This doesn’t just save a lot of time and prevents confusion; it provides transparency to the project as well. It also makes collaboration more effective and efficient.
Planning and Scheduling Projects
Planning and scheduling in project management refer to a set of steps, or phases, involved in any project.
A project planning and scheduling process typically include several stages, including identifying the project’s scope, determining a list of project requirements, identifying project stakeholders, estimating the project’s cost, estimating project schedules and materials usage, and estimating the impact and results of the project on the project’s schedule.
This phase is very critical for any project. Without a concrete plan, your project will have no direction. It’ll also be difficult to say if you’ve succeeded or failed, since you haven’t set the parameters for completion or success.
Most project management software today allows you to plan, assign tasks, and track the status of each phase all in one place. This makes it easier for everyone to provide their input, set priorities, and schedule the next steps.
Time Tracking
With remote work being more practical these days, it’s hard to make sure that your team is working. To do this, some project management software has allowed the integration of time tracking tools.
With this, you’ll be able to keep track of your team members’ time spent on the project. In addition, you won’t have to use another software just to track the time your employees use to work on a project.
One of the most important aspects of project management is time tracking. Without time management, it would be difficult for a project manager to know how long or how time much they need to allocate for certain projects.
Time tracking tools can help with this. Tracking your team’s time does have its own set of advantages and disadvantages, so the right solution largely depends on the job or project you want to manage.
Conclusion
As a small business owner, it’s always a good idea to invest in project management software. You’ll find that you’re able to make better decisions for your team and for your project. A famous project portfolio management (PPM) solution as pmo365 is a great opportunity for big projects nowadays.
This software will allow you to reduce your workload, boost the quality of your work, and ensure successful results. When you use software for project management, you can better delegate and monitor tasks, without having to hire more managers to track your projects and supervise your employees.
You’ll find that this software will also allow you to stay on top of any changes or updates with all of your projects.
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