How to Choose the Best Project Management Software for Your Team

Every business is different, but what unites them is the need for effective project management software. From a large corporation with multiple departments to a small family business, from a future unicorn just emerging as a dream in someone's garage to a gig economy guru, good project management software can be the missing link in the chain of success. Or the Sisyphean stone, rolling headlong down into the abyss of chaos, missed deadlines, dissatisfied customers.

There is no time, project, or industry that doesn't need project management software. However, a recent Wellington report shows that only 23% of companies take advantage of one. The reasons for this can be numerous, undoubtedly one of them is that in the ocean of software products on the market, it is difficult to choose the right one. which optimally meets the needs of each team.

Good project management software is like a Swiss Army knife – it is useful in any situation, at any time, and comes with a number of useful functionalities. Every work team or department will need a certain set of them, and what should unite them is their efficiency, ease of use, and customizability.

So, how do you choose the right software that offers all of this and has the potential to lead your business forward on the path to success? Let's learn which criteria to consider for this choice in the following lines.

What is project management software?

According to the forecast of Grand View Research, the global market for project management software products is expected to grow by almost 16% by 2030. According to data from last year's report of the Project Management Institute, the correlation between the success of companies and the integration of project management software into their work is obvious, because 77% of companies using such a product are high-performing. What secret formula have these businesses discovered that the rest do not know?

Project management software, as the name suggests, is a digital product/platform that is created to help work teams and departments work in synergy. A number of functionalities are integrated to support and facilitate collaboration, communication, project management, tracking and meeting deadlines, tracking progress, archiving and analyzing useful data and indicators, automating some routine tasks and more. In their essence and regardless of the tools they work with, these platforms save time, increase employee productivity and efficiency, create a good organization, and even provide information that would be difficult to obtain otherwise.

Useful platforms for project management usually include tools for assigning and allocating tasks, monitoring the progress of assigned work, monitoring the fulfillment of deadlines, internal communication, sharing and storing files and data, reporting. In addition to these functionalities, good project management software should have an easy-to-use interface, be able to be easily integrated into the work of all teams, be adaptable to all industries and niches, and be customizable according to individual needs and requirements.

Why Do You Need Project Management Software?

To find out whether the implementation of such software will potentially optimize the work of your team/teams, you should analyze the needs of the team according to the following parameters:

  • Number of employees in the team – How many people will use the software daily and is it necessary to additionally provide access to third parties on certain projects that require cooperation with external specialists? Ideally, the platform should offer convenience for young startups and exponentially growing businesses (scaling businesses and industries). Artavolo, for example, offers the possibility of both completely free access for small teams and solo use, as well as flexible plans for large teams and the need for more features (see more details about the Standard, Pro, and Enterprise plans here).
  • Type of projects/type of work of the department – Identify the needs of the team, taking into account the field of activity with its specifics and the specific style of work within the company. Software products such as Artavolo offer great freedom and flexibility in this context. The platform can be easily integrated into a number of industries, including marketing and advertising, human resources, sales, customer service, IT, creativity and design, and more. Ready-made templates according to the field of activity further simplify the process of integrating the platform. And the variety of views, including Grid, Kanban, Card, Notes, Forms, and the upcoming Calendar, ensures that the workflow within the company is not disrupted.
  • The need for optimized communication – The pandemic and the new work schedule it imposed have led to major changes in the way employees communicate (a study by Buffer suggests that 85% of employees use many more chat platforms). The oversaturation of digital tools has led to the so-called. Zoom fatigue. Therefore, the best option would be the introduction of a centralized and unified platform for communication and cooperation. The effect is positive and holistic (according to Grammarly, companies that rely on the most appropriate platform for internal communication score 30% higher productivity).

We can summarize that such a digital tool would bring a number of advantages and advantages to the work of each team. Regardless of the field of activity, the software serves to divide each large project into smaller and easier to manage subprojects and tasks. In this way, the risk of making mistakes, communication confusions, missed deadlines, incorrectly used resources, etc. is significantly minimized.

Project Management Software – Key Selection Criteria

Imagine the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles without Splinter. Or the Enterprise without Captain Picard. Each team member contributes with their own hard and soft skills to the successful completion of a project. But they all need to be guided by the wisdom, organizational skills and foresight of their sensei, teacher, navigator.

The role of good project management software is exactly that – to bring order and clarity to the work of each individual unit. This is exactly what Artavolo offers, providing the following amenities and a number of additional:

  • Centralized collaboration tools – When choosing project management software, choose one that has the full collaboration toolkit between everyone, such as internal communication, real-time file sharing and workflow, a shared calendar view, a workgroup, or a dashboard, all of which support interaction between employees and their work portfolios, and they offer more clarity about the stage of the project. A study by Harvard University shows that unified project management tools improve the level of collaboration within the team by as much as 33%.
  • Communication capabilities – Communication is the load-bearing wall of any work team. And here we are not talking about short conversations in front of the coffee machine at the beginning of the workday, although we do not deny their importance. increases collaboration between colleagues by 20%.
  • Automation of routine tasks – From this Smartsheet article, we learn that 40% of employees spend a minimum of a quarter of the working week performing routine and repetitive work tasks. Tasks that can be easily automated with the right project management software. Time that can be successfully used for more strategic planning, analysis, The University of California shares that automating these tasks increases the efficiency of each team by 45%.
  • Customization options – Very often in small companies and teams, it happens that everyone has to quickly learn how to work with a software without prior technical preparation and without taking into account individual needs and requirements. Products like Artavolo eliminate this problem. Numerous customization options ensure flexibility and a single product that adapts to all needs. Different views, in turn, allow for different visualization of the workflow for maximum comfort in each field of activity.
  • Simplified Integration and Access – Softwares like Artavolo that allow the integration of multiple digital tools greatly simplify everyone's work and save time. No need to switch between tabs, no missed notifications, no constant logging in and out of different accounts. Artavolo can be easily connected and works efficiently with e-mail, ChatGPT, Twilio, Excel, OneDrive, Google Drive, DropBox, JSON, Trello, SendGrid, Slack, Calendar and more.
  • Easy Progress Tracking and Information Analysis – A big aspect of project management is tracking the progress of each work task in a timely manner. Platforms like Artavolo allow anyone with authorized access to keep track of deadlines, ensuring that each project will be completed according to deadlines, budget, and requirements (with a 20% higher chance of success according to a study by University of California). On the other hand, companies that use project management software are under a 15% lower risk of errors and failure, being able to identify potential malfunctions and delays in time (Harvard University).
  • Simplified Data Import – Easy and fast import and sharing of data and files is another major criterion when choosing software. Properly storing and distributing work documents and files is an extremely difficult task without a proper digital tool. In the context of working on a project, it is also a daily task. Artavolo mediates fast, easy and secure Data import and information from computer files, Microsoft Excel, Apple Numbers, Trello, JSON, ChatGPT, etc.
  • Security – Security is also a very important factor when choosing software. Choose one that offers modern and strong security features, including two-factor authentication, encryption, role-based access control.

You now have all the components of the perfect formula for choosing the best project management software! Are you ready to give Artavolo a chance completely free of charge?