Want to know an interesting fact?
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More than 45% of the organizations that implement project management solutions receive all of the intended benefits.
Isn't it great when you complete a project perfectly with great results, that is a satisfaction a team, a team leader, or a project manager mostly values and looks forward to. Guess that you are too someone whose target is a perfectly running project towards a successful completion. Let us find you the best software management software.
Here you can find specific details of popular project management tools and their key features and benefits to select the right project management software for your organization.
Key Features of a Great Project Management Software?
The first thing of this search is getting to know the key project management features that you are going to find in a project management software or things to look for in project management software and what you have to look for before choosing a project management software in 2024
Choosing the right project management software is like selecting the perfect solution or the perfect toolkit for a complex job. In the world we live which is fast-paced and changes every second with new technologies, methodologies, and more competition where team members/ emails collaborate from different corners, having software that's easy to use and strong is crucial. We'll explore the must-have features of great project management tools from easy interfaces to powerful collaboration tricks in this section because understanding these features is like unlocking the secrets to smoother communication, better organization, and overall project success. So, let's dive in,
Through this effective task management feature you can assign specific tasks/ jobs to your team members by setting clear deadlines to keep everyone accountable and prioritize the tasks based on their importance level. You must acknowledge that task management is all about making intimidating projects into a simple process by breaking down the tasks that are easy to handle by making them like your project's to-do list, it is like having a road map that guides the team and helps to make everyone know what they need to do when it needs to be done, and how crucial each task is for the overall project by making sure that everyone stays on the same page and the project progresses smoothly.
For a second imagine that you are a chef in a busy kitchen, you have to make sure that you have the right ingredients in the right amount to create a beautiful and delicious dish, simply that is resource management in project management and these resources do not only include people but also materials, time, and budget in the project management world. A good resource management tool could assist you with allocating these resources wisely, and it makes sure that team members are assigned tasks based on their skills, and available materials when needed along with utilizing the budget efficiently. Project managers use resource management to avoid shortages by optimizing the team's capabilities and making sure that the project stays on track just like a chef wouldn't want to run out of a key ingredient in a busy dinner service.
When it comes to collaboration tools in project management software, it is like a shared digital space where your team can interact with each other through chats, sharing files, and working together on projects mostly a virtual meeting room where everyone can see what's happening, discussing and making sure everyone is on the same page too, collaborating in real-time is the essence of the idea of Collab tool. Whether it's coordinating tasks or providing quick feedback. So, instead of scattered communication, it's a centralized spot that keeps your team connected and working smoothly.
Going somewhere without any information is like doing it blindly, We usually use GPS to navigate correctly and safely to go to the preferred destination. Project tracking in project management software is kind of like having a GPS for the journey of your project, through real-time monitoring and recording the progress of tasks and milestones. You can see who's doing what, when tasks are getting done, and whether you're staying on schedule with these project tracking tools, It's not just about knowing where you are consider it as a digital compass that helps you navigate the timeline of the project by making sure that you reach the destination successfully so it's about making informed decisions based on the evolving project landscape.
Project Management Methodologies
There are different types of management methodologies, these methodologies might include traditional methods like Waterfall, where tasks follow a linear progression, or more adaptive methods like Agile project management, which emphasizes flexibility and repeated development, and it is similar to choosing the best-suited travel plan for your project's specific needs, making sure a smoother and more efficient route from start to finish. These methodologies provide structured approaches to planning, executing, and closing projects. Within project management software too.
Now we are at the how to select good project management software step. By now you must have figured out that there are many project management software that offer solutions. But you must know that this is the serious part, you must know what you are getting into. because choosing the best project management tool for 2024 involves careful consideration of your team's needs and project requirements. Here are steps to guide you,
01-Define Your Need - Why?
First of all, you need to outline your requirements. Identify the missouts, and what you need to make your project's workflow more effective.
- Consider features like task creation, assignment, setting deadlines, and prioritization, and you must understand whether you need a simple to-do list or a more complex task hierarchy.
- Evaluate whether you need real-time communication tools, options for file-sharing, and document editing then decide the level of collaboration your projects require.
- Check whether you need features for assigning specific tasks to resources, tracking resource utilization, task management, and managing the project costs.
- Decide if the software needs to handle a large number of tasks, multiple team members, and complex project structures while maintaining efficiency.
02-Free Version / Free Trial Period - Why?
Checking on the free version / free plan or the trial period that project management software offers is also an important step when choosing project management software for your team because it helps you to assess the software's suitability for your team before committing.
- Check if the project management software options you're considering provide a trial option because most project management software providers offer a trial period where users can explore the features and functionality of the software for free during the period.
- Make sure that the trial period offered by every project management software is sufficient for your project team to thoroughly test it and assess its compatibility with your project needs.
- Some trials may have limitations on certain functions that software allows you to use, so it's essential to understand the extent of your access during the trial.
When considering project management systems for a small-scale business with a small team, it's important to customize your rating to the unique needs and limitations of smaller teams.
- They could benefit from software with a user-friendly interface because it could reduce the learning curve by helping the team members to quickly adapt to the new tool.
- You must look for project management software that offers affordable pricing plans or free options with basic important features to suit the financial limitations of a small-scale business.
- Check whether the software goes along well with other tools commonly used by them like email, calendars, or file storage solutions.
Handling the data is also a critical aspect and a step when it comes to project management software solutions. Let us see why.
- Identify what types of data your projects generate and needs to be managed. This includes tasks, timelines, resources, project milestones, project status, and any other relevant project-related information.
- Find whether it is easy to input and update project data in the project management app because intuitive interfaces and streamlined data entry processes contribute to more accurate and up-to-date project information.
- Cloud-based solutions provide accessibility from anywhere, making collaboration among team members regardless of their physical location.
- Look for features like encryption, secure user authentication, and access controls to safeguard sensitive information from unauthorized access
When you are evaluating project management software for teams, there are many important facts to consider to make sure it's the best fit to manage a project or multiple project planning. Here's why,
- Make sure to look for effective project management software with great collaboration features including real-time communication tools, file sharing, and collaborative editing capabilities because effective collaboration features maximize teamwork and the chance of a successful project.
- You must consider the scalability of different project management software because that type of management software makes it easy to accommodate the growth of your team and projects by making sure that the software remains effective as the scope and complexity of projects increase.
06-Project Management Platform - Why?
If we consider a project management platform, we can conclude that it involves looking at the broader ecosystem that supports project and task management within an organization.
- Serve as a centralized hub for all project-related activities by bringing together tasks, timelines, resources, communication, and collaboration tools in one unified space.
- Organizes tasks and projects, providing a structured way to break down large projects into manageable tasks and allows the creation of project hierarchies, milestones, and dependencies.
- Include visual tools like Gantt charts to represent timelines aiding in planning, scheduling, and monitoring progress, providing a clear overview of task dependencies and milestones.
What is the Top Project Management Software for 2024?
Now we are in the core section of this article. To select the best software for project management you must have a good understanding of available popular online project management software and what they are offering. Here is a list of the best project management software tools. Let's get to it.
Best Software for Project Management
Here we have listed out the 10 selected best project management solutions just for you.
- WorkLenz - A hybrid solution, Resource Management+Project Management (All in one)
- ClickUp - Best for agile development teams.
- Monday - Best for startups.
- Asana - Best for collaboration.
- Zoho - Best for integrations.
- Jira - Best for product development teams.
- Trello - Best for project visualization.
- Wrike - Best for AI features.
- MeisterTask - Best for executing simple projects and best for small business
- SmartSheet -Best for workflow automation.
Shall we get into the details now? You might have different questions about these, can they manage projects? is work management possible with these? Can we track projects? is there any task management software? is portfolio management possible? was the Microsoft project replaced? Let's find out......
01.WorkLenz
WorkLenz is a professional hybrid solution especially created focusing on both project management and resource management which are the key aspects in the area of project management. The name WorkLenz might be a bit new to you but it is a rising great project management app designed and managed by the best and most experienced team. The most important fact about WorkLenz software is that it is in continuous development according to customer feedback & requests to make it perfect for everyone who is looking for the best solution to come out of the traditional project management scope. This project management software makes a powerful task management tool also which makes it the best task management software.
Anyone can use the software WorkLenz even users who are new to project management because this is one of the easiest project management tools to use when you are familiar with it.
Key features and aspects of WorkLenz:
- Workspace & Boards -Can organize work using workspaces and boards. Workspaces contain different boards that represent projects or workflows. Boards can be customized to fit specific project needs.
- Project & Task Management - Users can create tasks, set due dates, assign responsibilities, and organize tasks into projects. This supports effective project planning and execution.
- Collaboration & Comments - facilitates collaboration through comments, discussions, and attachments. Team members can communicate within the platform to provide updates and share information.
- Track Time - provides time tracking features to monitor and log the time spent on tasks. This is beneficial for tracking project progress and managing workloads.
- Drag & Drop - The intuitive drag-and-drop interface allows users to easily move cards between lists, change priorities, and update the status of tasks.
- Road Maps - provides tools for creating and visualizing project roadmaps. This feature helps teams plan and communicate their long-term goals and strategies.
- Dash Board & Reporting - allow teams to create custom reports and dashboards to monitor project progress, track performance, and gain insights.
- Pricing -
Free Plan: Feature- 5 team members + 1GB + 3 active projects + Features(Dashboard ,Schedule,Kanban board,Tasks list,Project insights,Reporting,Time log,Road map,Workload)
Enterprise Monthly Plan: $5.99 per user/ per month + Unlimited Team Members + 25GB + Unlimited Active Projects + All the features in Free Plan
Enterprise Annual Plan: $3.99 per user/ per month + Unlimited Team Members + 25GB + Unlimited Active Projects + All the features in Free Plan
- Free Trial Period - 14 Days
02.ClickUp
ClickUp software can help you with project management and productivity and this platform is designed to help teams in collaborations and manage their work efficiently, some of the key features of ClickUp are task management, document collaboration, goal tracking, time tracking, and more. In addition to that, this ClickUp project management software is known for its customizable and flexible approach which helps users adjust the platform according to their needs like various project management methodologies and team workflows.
Notable features of ClickUp:
- Management of Tasks - Users can create, assign, and track tasks with the assistance of customizable fields and workflows.
- Document Collaboration - Can store and collaborate on documents directly within the platform.
- Integrations -To streamline workflows Clickup integrates with several third-party tools and applications.
- Customizable View - Users can choose different views such as List, Board, Calendar, and more according to their preferences.
- Pricing -
Free Plan: Feature-rich free plan
Unlimited Plan: $7 per user per month
Business Plan: $12 per user per month
Enterprise Plan: Contact ClickUp for custom pricing
- Free Trial Period - is limited by ClickUp AI use.
03.Monday.com
Monday.com is a flexible and user-friendly work operating system designed to increase collaboration, project management, and team communication. Another interesting fact is that Monday.com was formerly known as Dapsule. This is used across different industries and teams, from small businesses to large enterprises because its visual and flexible approach to project management makes it suitable for various workflows and collaboration needs.
Key features and aspects of Monday.com:
- Visual Work FLow - Provides a visual representation of work through customizable boards and visual workflows and is included with Kanban-style boards, Gantt charts, and timeline views.
- Task & Project Management - Users can create, assign, and track tasks within boards, and customizable columns and labels allow them for detailed task management.
- Integration Hub - Integrates with various third-party tools and services through its Integration Hub so this allows users to connect their work across different platforms and tools.
- Reporting - Users can create visual reports, track key performance indicators (KPIs), and gain insights into project progress.
- Pricing -
Basic: ($8/month per user): Includes unlimited free viewers + mobile apps+ 5 GB data storage
Standard: ($10/month per user): Includes project timeline view + 5 native integrations + 50 GB data storage
Pro: ($16/month per user): Includes time tracking + chart view + 100 GB data storage
- Free Trial Period - 30 Days
04.Asana
Asana is a popular simple project management and collaboration tool with many users and it is especially designed to help teams organize and manage teamwork in addition to providing a flexible and easy-to-use platform to manage tasks and plan projects along with team collaboration. Let's see what Asana has to offer.
Key features of Asana:
- Managing Tasks - Users can organize tasks into projects and customize them with various fields apart from that they can create tasks, assign them to team members, set due dates, and track progress too.
- Projects - By using lists, boards, calendars, and timelines projects can be visualized in different views
- Calendar View -Through calendar view that helps teams manage deadlines and schedules effectively users can visualize tasks and timelines
- Mobile Accessibility - Team members can manage tasks and projects from anywhere with the Asana mobile apps for iOS and Android.
- Pricing -
Basic: Free version
Premium: $10.99 per user per month, billed annually
Business: $24.99 per user per month, billed annually
Enterprise: Contact Asana for details
- Free Trial Period - 30 Days
05. Zoho
Zoho is another project management tool that you should look into because it is a place of online productivity and business applications developed by Zoho Corporation, and it offers many software tools that provide various business needs like project management, customer relationship management (CRM), collaboration, and more. Among many other products in the Zoho suite, Zoho Projects is notable because it is a project management and collaboration platform.
Key aspects of Zoho Projects:
- Management of Tasks - Users can create and assign tasks to team members, and then track progress.
- Gantt Charts -By using Gantt chart users can visualize timelines and dependencies.
- Collaboration -Through discussion forums, file sharing, and commenting on tasks Zoho eases communication and collaboration among the team.
- Documents - To streamline project-related documentation users can collaborate on documents within the platform.
- Pricing -
Free: 5GB + 2 Project
Premium: $4 per user billed annually(Month)/ $5 per user billed monthly +100GB + 20 Projects
Enterprise: $9 per user billed annually(Month)/ $10 per user billed monthly +120GB + 30 Projects
- Free Trial Period - 30 Days
06. Jira
Jira, developed by Atlassian, is a widely used project management and issue-tracking platform that is particularly popular among software development teams. It offers a suite of tools to help teams plan, track, and manage their work efficiently. In addition, this is adaptable and used across various industries beyond software development. Its adaptability, customization options, and strong integration capabilities make it a comprehensive solution for project management and collaboration
Here are some key aspects of Jira:
- Issue Tracking - is renowned for its powerful issue-tracking capabilities and teams can create, prioritize, and assign tasks or issues, allowing for comprehensive project oversight.
- Agile Project Management - Agile boards, sprints, and backlogs are integral features for teams practicing Agile development and support Agile methodologies, including Scrum and Kanban.
- Custom Workflows - Allows users to create and customize workflows to match specific project and team processes so this flexibility is valuable for adapting the tool to different methodologies.
- Scrum & Kanban Boards - Scrum boards facilitate the planning and execution of sprints, while Kanban boards offer visual workflows for continuous delivery and efficiency.
- Pricing -
Free: 10 Users + 2GB storage + Unlimited projects+ more…
Standard: $8.15 per user(monthly)+35000 Users + 250GB storage + Everything from free plan+ more…
Premium: $16 per user (monthly) + AI + Everything from standard plan + more…
Enterprise: Enterprise plan pricing is available when you enter 801 or more users above + Everything from the premium plan + more...
- Free Trial Period - 30 Days
07. Trello
Trello is another popular and user-friendly project management tool developed by Atlassian, yes it is the mother company of Jira too. It is known for its simplicity and visual approach to managing tasks and it uses boards, lists, and cards to help individuals and teams organize and prioritize their work. What makes it suitable for many users and projects is its simplicity and flexibility apart from that Trello is favored because it is easy to use and has visual appeal often.
Here are key aspects of Trello:
- Boards, Lists & Cards - The Boards represent projects and lists break them down into stages, and the individual takes or items are represented by cards.
- Drag & Drop Option - Users can easily move cards between lists, change priorities, and update the status of tasks with the drag-and-drop option
- Due Dates - Due dates can be set to track deadlines and ensure timely completion
- Power-Ups - Power-Ups are integrations and add-ons that extend Trello's functionality, and they can include integrations with third-party tools, calendars, and additional features.
- Pricing -
Basic: Free version
Standard: $5 per user per month
Premium: $10 per user per month
Enterprise: Starting at $17.50 per user per month and up
- Free Trial Period - 14 Days for Trello Premium
08. Wrike
Wrike is another popular project management tool available for you and it is a cloud-based project management and collaboration platform designed to help teams save time on their work processes and improve overall efficiency.
Key features and aspects of Wrike:
- Managing Tasks - Users can create, assign, and track tasks apart from that to provide a structured view they can be organized into folders, projects, and subtasks too.
- Gantt Charts - Gantt charts in Wrike offer a visual representation of timelines, dependencies, and progress. This feature is valuable for project planning and scheduling.
- File Sharing & Document Collaboration - Team members can share and collaborate on documents within Wrike. File attachments, document versioning, and proofing tools contribute to effective document collaboration.
- Request Forms - Wrike offers request forms that allow team members to submit work requests, helping to streamline task creation and project initiation.
- Pricing -
Basic: Free version
Team: $9.80 per user per month
Business: $24.80 per user per month
Enterprise: Contact Wrike for details
Pinnacle: Contact Wrike for details
- Free Trial Period - 14 Days
09. MeisterTask
MeisterTask is a task management and collaboration tool designed to help plan projects and execution. In addition to that the user-friendly interface with features that cater to individuals, teams, and businesses are some features available in this tool.
Here are key aspects of MeisterTask:
- Task Details & Descriptions - Users can add details, descriptions, due dates, and attachments to tasks, providing comprehensive information for effective task execution.
- Collaboration - Fosters collaboration through comments, mentions, and task assignments. Team members can communicate within tasks to provide updates and share information.
- Kanban-Style Boards - The Kanban-style board provides a visual representation of task progress and users can move tasks through different stages.
- MindMeister Integrations - Integrates with MindMeister, a mind mapping tool, allowing users to seamlessly transition from brainstorming and planning to task execution.
- Pricing (For versions) -
A free version: for unlimited users + projects
A Pro version: ($4.19/month per user, billed annually): for unlimited users + projects + additional features + unlimited integrations
A Business version: ($10.39/month per user, billed annually): for unlimited users + projects + additional security + priority customer support + security features
- Trial Period - 7 days for Pro Version
10. SmartSheet
Smartsheet is a collaborative work management platform designed to smooth various business processes including project management, and team collaboration.
Here are key features and aspects of Smartsheet:
- Grid View - Utilizes a grid-based interface that resembles a spreadsheet. This grid view allows users to organize, track, and manage tasks and projects.
- Care View & Gantt Charts - In addition to the grid view, Smartsheet offers card view and Gantt charts, providing users with different visual representations of their data and project timelines.
- Task & Project Management - Users can create tasks, set due dates, assign responsibilities, and organize tasks into projects. This supports effective planning and execution.
- Forms - Enables users to create customizable forms to collect data and information from team members or external stakeholders.
- Pricing -
Free: $0 for individual users.
Pro: $7/user/month with annual billing or $9/user/month with monthly billing.
Business: $25/user/month with annual billing or $32/user/month with monthly billing.
Enterprise: Contact sales for pricing.
Advance: Contact sales for pricing.
Conclusion
If your target is to make your project business etc more efficient and productive to have better results and be a good rival to your competitors the best decision you could ever make is to use a project management tool, you may have resources with management capabilities but changing world with time may not make it easy for you.
Lots of searchers think and look for the best free project management software but there is no free project management software, there are tools that offer free trial periods only. That is not a flow because we have to understand that Quality comes with a price.
Do your research thoroughly before choosing a good software, hope that this article gave you some insights too, Good Luck with your project!