Choosing an online project management program isn’t always easy, especially for beginners.
You can find dozens of suitable solutions that promise to simplify your team’s work. However, all these tools look relatively similar at first glance. Without experience using a specific tool, it’s quite difficult to understand which features will become your daily assistants.
Positive reviews, beautiful interfaces, and long feature lists attract. But which of the tools will actually benefit your business?
Let’s explore which project management software features are truly important for modern teams.
Gantt chart
A Gantt chart is a reliable visual aid for task and project management. It transforms abstract ideas into a clear project plan. You get a timeline with tasks, their durations, and deadlines, which allow you to see a project as a whole.
The diagram makes it easy to identify critical paths and spot bottlenecks before they become problems. It demonstrates which activities can be completed in parallel and which are strictly dependent on each other. It helps keep all team members in sync.
Typically, Gantt chart-based tools allow you to drag and drop tasks, change their durations, and automatically recalculate dependencies.
Inexperienced teams don’t need to worry about how to read a Gantt chart, as it doesn’t require special skills or training. Even with its advanced features, the diagram isn’t difficult to understand.
Kanban board
Individuals and teams use Kanban boards to organize the flow of tasks moving through specific stages of completion.
In its simplest form, such a board contains three columns: “To Do,” “In Progress,” and “Done.” However, real-world projects require a more detailed structure with review, approval, testing, and other stages.
Modern PM software with this feature allows you to add any custom board you need.
Each column can contain task cards. They may include various useful information, responsible people, labels, deadlines, attachments, and more. This feature is especially useful for teams working in iterations, where tasks are constantly being added.
Calendars
A calendar is another essential tool for any project team, regardless of size or industry. It allows for transforming deadlines from abstract numbers into a clear time grid.
A calendar displays the workload breakdown by day or other period. It integrates with tasks, allowing you to see what’s planned for tomorrow, next week, next month, or the year. Furthermore, it typically displays scheduled time for work, regular team meetings, client presentations, and more.
Many tools allow you to switch between monthly, weekly, and daily views. It makes a calendar a versatile planning tool.
Dashboards
Dashboards collect all key project information in an easy-to-read format. They help users see how many tasks are completed, in progress, and overdue.
These dashboards typically include progress charts that show whether a project is on track or behind schedule.
They also include detailed analytics, which can often be exported.
Resource and workload management
A good project management tool clearly shows who is doing what and how much work each team member is responsible for. This is crucial for realistic planning.
Managers should clearly understand the distribution of tasks among people and realize when work is overloaded or idle. It’s also crucial to estimate task intensity and track actual time spent.
Collaboration
Most projects require constant interaction between team members and external stakeholders. Project management software should facilitate this interaction and make it accessible. Seamless collaboration should be a natural part of such a tool, not a separate add-on.
Commenting on tasks should be easy. It allows for avoiding endless charts in messengers. It’s also important to be able to mention colleagues in tasks to draw their attention to specific issues.
The ability to attach files and receive timely notifications about other team members’ activities is also considered an important collaborative feature of a project management tool.
Time and budget tracking
It’s great if your PM software tracks time and financial resources. Transparency around time and money increases trust with clients and helps your team work more responsibly.
If a tool has built-in time tracking, you can easily monitor how much time is actually spent on each task and compare this data with initial estimates. Project budget monitoring shows whether you’re on track or have already exceeded your planned costs.
Recurring tasks and project templates
Many projects have a similar structure and contain the same work steps. Ready-made templates provided by a PM tool save time and reduce the risk of forgetting something during planning.
You’ll especially appreciate this if you have recurring processes, such as preparing a product release, standard content, new client launch, or hosting an event.
Task templates work at a more granular level. They automate routine tasks, including monthly check-ins, weekly reports, and quarterly reviews. They are set up once and scheduled to run without your intervention.
Knowing these features will make it easier for you to choose the optimal solution.
However, it’s also worth paying attention to common mistakes when selecting PM software.
Common mistakes teams make when choosing project management software
Sometimes, PMs select tools impulsively or under the influence of external factors.
Below is a set of mistakes you can make when choosing an online program for your business needs.
- Relying on other people’s experience. Just because a program is popular doesn’t mean it’s right for your projects and team. What works for a creative agency with 20 members may be completely unsuitable for a startup with 7 people. It’s better to spend time testing several solutions than choosing based on ratings and reviews.
- Ignoring the learning curve. A feature-rich system looks appealing. However, if your team needs a week to learn, productivity will decrease. When an interface seems complex to your team, many will simply revert to lists and tables. Therefore, it’s best to focus on finding a solution that combines functionality and simplicity.
- Underestimating integrations. Managers often need to use multiple programs simultaneously. They may need to store files in the cloud, communicate via instant messaging, track time in a separate service, and so on. Without integrating your software with other systems, you’ll waste time duplicating information and switching between windows. Check if a tool supports integration with the programs your team members use.
- Ignoring mobility and remote work. Office workers may relocate to another city. Your project management software should consider it. Without a user-friendly mobile app, your team will be tied to their work computers. It will make it impossible to work while traveling or from home. Choose tools that will allow you to manage projects from a phone or tablet.
- Focusing on solutions that are too simple or too complex. Using a tool that is too simple will sooner or later make you migrate. A complex program will intimidate a team and create a feeling of redundancy. Assess your current needs objectively and think about how they will change in the coming year.
Try to avoid these mistakes when choosing the best tool.
However, one question remains: should you choose a simple or a complex solution?
Basic solutions vs. professional services: which to choose
Simple tools for small businesses offer clear interfaces, a quick start, and a basic set of features. They are suitable for teams of up to ten people working on several small projects simultaneously. Setting them up and training them usually takes little time. However, as a project becomes more complex, a team should look for solutions that enable task dependencies, analytics, resource monitoring, and so on.
Comprehensive enterprise-grade platforms offer extensive capabilities and customization. They are designed for organizations with dozens of specialists. For such companies, it’s important to track every decision and constantly monitor budgets. They require significant time for implementation. In return, a team gets a tool that scales with a company and doesn’t require replacement as it grows.
Remember that selecting between simplicity and functionality is the choice between a quick start and long-term prospects. If you understand from the very start that your projects will be long-term and complex, it’s best to seek a professional online solution rather than wasting time on temporary programs.
That’s all about it.
Analyze your needs and choose the optimal project management software
Unfortunately, there’s no perfect online project management program. However, with some time and effort, you can find a solution that best suits your team.
Don’t chase popular brands. Instead, start with a simple discussion within your team. Explore all requirements and wishes of your teammates. Use trial periods for different platforms and consider your work style when selecting a particular tool.
Remember that a well-chosen program becomes a reliable assistant that frees up time for real work, rather than creating additional bureaucracy.
