How to Choose the Right Project Management Software

Featured image by Kaspars Grinvalds

Project management software helps your business stay organized and coordinates communication. Moreover, it gives you detailed records so you can analyze past performance. It’s one of the most important tools for an organization to have in the modern era. Your choice of platform could affect the productivity, cost efficiency, and dependability of your organization for years to come. Therefore, it’s important to spend time choosing the best option.

So what steps do you need to take to give this decision its due research and attention?

Key Features and Qualities to Consider in Project Management Software

Following are some project management tips. These are some of the most important things to consider in any project management software:

Niche Specialization in Project Management Software

First, you might consider whether this project management tool was designed as something general-purpose or for a specific application. For example, WonderDoc is project management software designed with chiropractic offices in mind. Oftentimes, purchasing a tool suited to your organization’s specific needs can be highly beneficial.

Overall Capabilities

This should go without saying, but you’ll need to take a close look at the tool’s overall capabilities. What can it do and what are its main limitations? For example, is it designed to streamline or improve internal communication? Does it offer functionality to communicate with clients and people outside the company? Does it have built-in task lists and other organizational tools? What about shared calendars? There are hundreds of features that project management platforms frequently sport, so do a thorough review.

UI and Design

Think about the user interface (UI) and overall design of the project management software Tracklify you’re evaluating. This may seem like a superficial choice. However, it may have a big impact on the tool’s integration in your organization and its overall performance and value.

For example, if the tool is designed smoothly and intuitively, it will be easier for your employees to learn how to use it. And if that’s the case, they will be much more likely to use it consistently.

Available Training and Education for This Project Management Software

Are there any video tutorials, training documents, or other forms of information available to your employees so they can learn how to use the tool faster and easier?

Reporting and Communication

What reporting features and tools are available to you? For instance, data visualization and automated reports can save time and improve efficiency, but only if those features are available.

Customizability and Flexibility

How much control do you have over how this tool looks, performs, and functions within your organization? For some business owners, it’s important to have as much customizability and flexibility as possible. In fact, for some, the best approach is to design and develop a custom tool from scratch.

Integrations

What kind of integration support is offered by this tool? Can you connect to other productivity tools you use in your organization? Can you use third-party apps and add-ons to modify the functionality of the tool?

Update Roadmaps

What’s next for this project management software? Are developers issuing regular security patches? Are there more features or design improvements on the way?

Customer Service

Who do you talk to if you have an issue with the software? Is there a way you can troubleshoot it? Also, is there an account representative who can help you?

Price

Of course, you’ll also need to think about price. The tool itself may be perfect, offering everything you need along with reliable, consistent functionality. However, if this project management software is too expensive, it may not be able to justify its own cost. That said, in some ways, you get what you pay for. And the best tools in the industry do tend to cost a bit more.

RELATED ARTICLE: THE ART OF MANAGING SMALL PROJECTS

Other Information to Research About Project Management Software

Additionally, you’ll want to take a look at the following:

Competitors

Once you have a project management platform you like in mind, do some research to see if this software has any direct competitors. What are these other tools like and what makes them unique? Are they better in certain aspects? How important are these aspects for your organization?

Reviews and Testimonials

Always look at the reviews and testimonials posted about a given project management tool before fully investing in it. How do people rate this project management software? What do they say are its biggest strengths and weaknesses?

Existing Customers

Do you know any other business owners or employees who have used this tool in the past? Can you talk to them to see what they think? Globally, 92 percent of customers trust the recommendations of friends and family members over all other forms of advertising—and for good reason. That is, you can trust what they have to say about the product.

Finding the Right Project Management Software for Your Organization

There isn’t a single “perfect” piece of project management software out there because different organizations have different values and different needs. The “right” software for your business is the one that offers the best possible fit. Keep this in mind as you continue reviewing your options.