Project management can feel complicated and overwhelming, especially without a good system in place to streamline things. Meetings, phone calls and emails become endless, even as project scope widens and things get more overwhelming. Some of the benefits of project management tools and techniques include streamlined communication, more focused project scope and a team that more readily stays on the same page.

Benefits of Project Management Tools and Techniques

As the corporate landscape changes, more employees work remotely and teams are spread across large geographical areas. Project management tools like Asana, Trello and Omniplan unite team members on a single interface to make communication and meeting deadlines easier. Here are some of the benefits of project control:

  • Improved Customer Service: Instead of communicating with multiple contacts, your customers stay in touch with only the project manager. This point of contact can use the project management software to quickly answer any questions the customer has, respond to concerns and communicate with the team.
  • Timely Project Completion: Project management tools allow you to set an overall deadline, as well as deadlines for each player's part in the project. This helps keep things on track and minimize delays.
  • Limited Scope Creep: Project scope is communicated up front and listed clearly in the project management interface. Because everyone's role is clearly defined, it is less likely for the project to widen and become bigger than is practical. 
  • Seamless Communication: No more checking long email threads or sitting in unnecessary meetings just to clear up who is doing what. Project management tools have integrated commenting and messaging so that everything is in one place.
  • One Platform for Project Documents: People have varying preferences about which software they prefer for creating documents and other files. Project management tools allow everyone to upload what they have done onto one platform so that people do not have to log in and out of a million other applications just to figure out how to find what they need.
  • Clear Deadlines and Roles: Each team member's deadlines are listed clearly next to their tasks and they can see how those deadlines impact others' deadlines. Time management is easier when things are laid out clearly and employees understand how their actions impact their coworkers. 
  • Easier Project Changes: When project changes are necessary, the project manager enters those changes directly into the project management interface to keep everyone on the same page. 
  • Notifications: Team members can choose to allow notifications from the project management tool so they know right away when there has been a change or someone has submitted a task that impacts their work.
  • Staying on Budget: The overall project budget can be allocated between players and tasks to reduce costs and stay on budget. 
  • Risk Mitigation: When productivity and quality go up without increasing the budget, it is easier to avoid the risk of project failure and to include a time and resources cushion to handle unexpected challenges. 
  • Competitive Edge: With efficiency, productivity, budget and good customer service comes a competitive edge. The right project management tools can help your company stand out from the crowd to get ahead. 

Advantages and Disadvantages of Project Management 

While there are many advantages and disadvantages to project management tools, companies often find work easier once they land on the right solution for them. Some of the road bumps along the way could include the following:

  • Training: Teaching people how to use an interface can be complicated, especially for those who struggle with technology literacy.
  • Notifications: Some players may elect not to turn on notifications and therefore miss vital project updates. 
  • Access: Care must be taken to ensure that protected information is not seen by team members who lack clearance to view it. 
  • Cost: Purchasing or subscribing to project management solutions costs money, and then it costs money to train employees to use it and follow-up on their usage habits. 

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