How To Choose the Best Project Management Tools For Marvelous Results

First and foremost, you must define your project objectives. Then you need to see if your current team is having issues with the project plan and how it is running. When considering the options for your project management tool, you need to decide if one platform’s features will help you solve your project problems and help you reach your business goals. You can use this list to help to conclude what features you are looking for in your tool.

Get Online and Research

The next step is to get online and do some research on the many tools available in the market. You can read some recommendations on industry websites and software review websites. You can also ask other project managers in your industry what software they use and how they manage it. Don’t forget to ask any other colleagues in your industry for feedback, as well.

Do a Test on an Available Free Trial

Most project management tools come with a free limited trial. You should take advantage of this trial to see if the platform is a good fit for you and your team. You should gather together your team and do a test run and pilot the tool concurrently. Be sure to include people from different departments and work styles to be part of the test.

Ask Your Team Members if they Like the Tool and Receive Feedback

After the trial period, ask your team for feedback on your project management tool. Ask your team these helpful questions:

• Would this tool make your work more efficient?
• What do you like/dislike about the platform?
• Can you see yourself using this platform daily in the long run?
• Would you recommend the tool to a colleague?

The answers to the above questions will provide you the information needed to either a) tweak something on this platform, or b) consider another platform altogether. 

Do the Math

Now you have to consider the costs of the tool. Do a financial business assessment to determine your overall budget for your project management tool. Remember, you not only have to consider the price per user, but also the cost of time of implementing the tool. Will this new tool streamline your workload, making your team more efficient and leading to long-term savings on manpower?

Executive Buy-In

Another advantage of many project management tools is executive buy-in. You can hold a meeting where you can present evidence that your chosen tool is the best for the company. If you have support from your company’s leadership, it can help implement your tool into your company’s culture.

Purchase and Set it Up

You can now purchase your project management tool based on your “seat count,” i.e. how many users you will need on the platform. The next step is your implementation plan. When setting up the platform for your team, consider these facts:

• your timeline for bringing everyone needed onto the platform
• What training is needed for members of your team?
• When are you going to set up the key integrations, and who should be in charge of setting them up?

Once everyone is squared away, make sure you continuously use the tool for your project management tasks. Make yourself available if anyone has any questions.

Do A Retrospective

Once your tool has been fully implemented, it is a good idea to look back at the entire process. Think about what worked and what could use some improvement. Reach out to your team with this information and ask for feedback. Perhaps they could assist you with any elements.

It is also a great idea to do periodic check-ins with your team to make sure their navigation of your chosen project management tool is fulfilling the needs of your project goals.