As the saying goes, for every minute spent organising, an hour is earned. But when you're simultaneously managing different projects, tasks, people, and deadlines, organising multiple moving pieces is easier said than done.
In today's working environment, pen and paper don't quite cut it, and manual spreadsheets may leave you wondering if a more comprehensive tool is available. The good news is work management software can help. It provides team and project management solutions and a space for collaboration and communication. It takes the hassle out of organising, providing help with coordinating schedules, task automation, team communication and collaboration, and project visualisation.
However, a quick internet search will likely tell you there are many different options on the market. Before you start your search, it's worthwhile to consider what software best suits your needs so that you can cut through the noise and go ahead with a clear intention of what you require.
So, without further ado, let's get started. Read on to learn everything you need to consider when choosing work management software.
Work management software can help with project and team management through intelligent solutions and integrated features. Collaborative work management (CWM) builds on this idea. It provides a platform that enables your teams to communicate clearly and focus on collaboration in addition to project and team management solutions. You can find out more in our recent blog post that will tell you everything you need to know about collaborative work management.
CWM provides help with team management and project management, including features to help with task planning and task management flexibility, access to real-time data accessibility and reports, customisation and automation of repetitive tasks and integration with other software. Additionally, CWM provides a platform where your teams can collaborate seamlessly and communicate clearly – a feature that is particularly crucial when managing remote workers.
Five key considerations for choosing the right software
1. Define what functionality you need
First things first: it's time to take a step back and assess what features and functions are most beneficial. Do you want to prioritise budget tracking? Is there a gap in resource management? Or perhaps project visualisation would be beneficial to your teams. Identify the most useful project requirements, and it'll soon become clear what tools are most crucial. Once you've prioritised, you can start to eliminate or push less important tools further down the list.
2. Specify the size and needs of your team
Now it's time to identify the set-up and requirements of your teams. Do your teams work remotely? If so, they will benefit from a platform that fosters collaboration and enables clear communication. Would your teams benefit from a simple interface or a more comprehensive and robust platform with lots of features included? Additionally, it's important to consider the size of your team/s and number of users you will need to accommodate. Doing so will quickly eliminate software that doesn't cater to the number of users you want to incorporate.
3. Establish your budget
Your budget is an integral factor in the decision-making process. It may limit or expand your options and will certainly determine the number of choices available. Establishing the amount before you search will save time as you can eliminate software that's over budget. When determining your budget, make sure to factor in the ongoing cost of the software. As well as an upfront cost, there will be a subscription fee in most cases. There are free tools available, though they will limit what you can accomplish and are unlikely to be able to cater to the needs of larger organisations.
4. Consider integration and ease of use
The next step after identifying your project and teams' needs is weighing up individual software. When looking at different tools, you should consider factors such as how easy it is to use. Complex software may require training, slow down production or fail in its objective to make life easier for you and your teams. Also, consider if it can be integrated easily with existing software. A key feature of work management software should be integrated with other software – ensure your software can work with what's already in use before committing to a subscription.
5. Assess features and functionality
Now it's time to take an in-depth look at the features you need. You could prioritise the features on your list to include the most important functions first. For example, is task management your number 1 priority? Or will you get more out of visual project planning? Aside from task management and project planning, other features to look out for include budgeting, progress tracking, reporting and analytics and resource management. When looking at software, keep these features at the forefront of your mind and ensure they meet all your criteria.
Ready to take the next step?
We can help you understand what options might be right for your organisation. Find out more about our solutions today.
