There are literally dozens of good
project management software applications out there, with
Microsoft Project being one of the
most popular mid-range project management packages, and the
likes of
Primavera being popular at the higher end. Free and open source
project tools are also available to download or use via a web
browser.
What does project management software do?
At the most basic level, project management products will help
your organisation to
manage projects from start to finish, and allow employees at
different levels to have an input into the process.
Project management software has been around for a number of
years now and as a result, it does
far more than just manage the projects themselves.
Project applications can also carry out scheduling, cost control
and budget management, resource allocation, collaboration,
communication,
quality management and documentation or administration.
The aim with these is to handle all
aspects and complexities of larger projects and help keep costs
down.
What do businesses tend to use project management software
for?
Projects can be complex and dependent on many different
factors, departments, and outcomes.
As such, project software can help to determine which events
depend on one another, how exactly they depend on each other, and
what happens if things change or go wrong.
In addition, they can schedule people to work on various tasks,
and detail the resources – physical, financial or anything else -
that are required, and this is called resource scheduling.
People also use project management software to deal with
uncertainties in the estimates of the duration of each task;
arrange tasks to meet various deadlines; and juggle multiple
projects simultaneously, as part of an overall objective.
Types of Project Management Software: Desktop
There are different ways in which project management software is
made available by vendors and service providers.
Firstly, organisations can buy it as a desktop package, and this
typically gives the most responsive and graphically-intense style
of interface.
Desktop project management applications typically store their
data in a file, although some have the ability to collaborate with
other users, or to store their data in a central database.
Multiple users can share file-based project plans or data held
on a database, if only one user accesses it at a time.
Types of Project Management Software: Client Server
Server-based collaborative project management applications are
also available. These are designed to support multiple users who
are
working on different parts of a project.
Server-based project management systems hold data centrally and
can also incorporate collaboration tools so that users can share
knowledge and expertise.
Types of Project Management Software: Web-based
Project management software can be implemented as a web
application. This is accessed through an intranet or extranet, or
the internet itself, using a web browser.
Benefits of web-based project management applications include
the fact that they can be accessed from any type of computer
without installing software.
The software is also automatically updated and maintained by the
service provider, and the nature of the system makes it naturally
multi-user.
Also, web-based software tends to come with a monthly charge
which is cheaper than buying and maintaining the application
yourself.
However, web-based project software tends to be slower to
respond than desktop applications, and project information is not
available when the user is offline.
Types of Project Management Software: Integrated
An integrated system combines project management or project
planning, with
many other aspects of company activities.
For example, projects can have bug tracking issues assigned to
each project; or the list of project customers can become a
customer relationship management module, with each person on the
project plan having their own task lists, calendars, and messaging
functionality associated with their projects.
Five Popular Project Management Applications
- Microsoft Project
Microsoft Project is one of the more popular packages and it now
offers a web interface and deep Office, Outlook and Sharepoint
integration. -
Matchware MindView
MindView has an easy-to-use spreadsheet-like layout, and its mind
map option lets you see your project in visuals, reminiscent of
brainstorming bubbles. - Project Kickstart
Project KickStart is an easy-to-use project management package that
integrates with other applications like PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel,
Word, Microsoft Project, and ACT!. -
RationalPlan Multi Project
RationalPlan Multi Project has features to manage resources and
budgets as well as multiple projects. It has an interactive Gantt
chart, normally available only in higher-end suites. - Basecamp
Basecamp is a low-cost web-based project management and
collaboration package which is gaining momentum.