Every project is different, and so are project teams: each has its own working methods, processes and communication styles.
Agile project teams are highly communicative and work with frequent feedback and revisions. Teams that work using the waterfall method tend to communicate less, but focus heavily on planning and making sure expectations are clear from the start.
Even between teams that use the same project management methodology, there can be big differences, such as preferences for Kanban or Scrum.
Therefore, no project management tool can serve as a one-size-fits-all solution for all teams. Companies should build their own project management stack that fits seamlessly into the processes and ways of collaborating across different teams.
What is a project management stack?
The project management stack is a collection of different project management tools that teams use to effectively manage projects. These software solutions can be integrated with each other for seamless data exchange, so teams don't waste time on repetitive data collection tasks and can focus on more strategic project needs.
Well-designed project management tools can prevent many of the problems that project teams typically face, such as poor planning, communication delays, or failures due to inadequate risk management.
Before putting together a suitable project management stack, it is important to analyze the current size of the company (employees and turnover), consider the complexity of the projects and get a strategic overview of the project management tools available on the market.
This article is intended to help you take the first steps and highlight the most important considerations when making your selection.
The topics of this article:
Evaluate project management processes
3 Basics for a Solid Project Management Stack
How do the tools work together?
Considerations when comparing project management software
Project Management Tools: How to Build the Right Project Management Stack for Your Business
Evaluate project management processes
Before you can plan your project management stack in more detail, you first need to understand your team's project management needs.
The following exercise can help:
Organize a meeting with the project management team to discuss the existing project management processes and tools. Use a whiteboard (or a digital whiteboard for remote teams) and sticky notes and flowcharts (like the example below) to write down each step and visualize the process flows.
project management tool MyDraw
Visualized project plans on a digital whiteboard in MyDraw ( source )
Then, ask your team members to identify the steps and workflows where they are facing challenges. This will help you identify bottlenecks that are hindering your team's efficiency, such as manual processes or ineffective communication.
You should focus on solving exactly these challenges when selecting project management software.
3 Basics for a Solid Project Management Stack
The project management software category includes many different solutions, such as requirements management tools or remote work software . Get an overview and choose the right tools by focusing on three core areas: planning, monitoring and collaboration.
1. Planning
In this initial phase, the project manager calculates the time, budget and human skills needed to complete the project. To do this, they need project planning tools that can prioritize important tasks and assign them to the right people.
This requires two types of project management solutions: project planning software and resource management software .
What is project planning software?
Project planning software allows the project team to map out the critical project paths. It breaks projects down into a sequence of tasks and estimates the time required to complete them.
The software often includes features such as Gantt charts, calendars, resource planning and communication tools. Additionally, there may be features for task management, budgeting and expense tracking.
How does project planning software help?
Visualize the project timeline on a calendar
Identify task priorities and dependent tasks
Identify risks and bottlenecks
Communicate with team members about project schedules
When do you need project planning software? Your company should consider project planning software if your team is looking for a tool to manage task priorities so that projects are completed on time and within the available budget.
Representation of central project processes with Gantt charts in Wrike ( source )
More information about project planning software:
How to create a project plan in 5 steps
Manage multiple projects simultaneously with multi-project management software
What is resource management software?
With resource management software, companies can effectively manage the skills and availability of employees. The software is used to plan and optimize the allocation of people (resources) to a project. Central functions are employee planning, qualification matching, personnel forecasting and timesheet management.
How does resource management software help?
Plan personnel allocation to projects
Overview of existing or still required qualified personnel
Track the time employees spend completing tasks
When do you need resource management software? Your company should consider resource management software if your team members are working on multiple projects at once and are overwhelmed with work. The software allows project management to identify bottlenecks and conflicts in work allocation.
More information about resource management software:
Resource Planning in Project Management
2. Monitoring
Continuous monitoring of project milestones and goals is essential if project plans italy telegram data are to be implemented successfully. Project monitoring tools allow you to keep track of all important results.
Project tracking software and software for time and expense tracking are particularly crucial.
What is project tracking software?
Project tracking software allows companies to track different areas of a project, such as schedule and budget. The software offers advanced reporting features to visualize data and measure project KPIs.
How does project tracking software help?
Keep track of the status of project schedules and milestones
Visualize resource utilization
Make decisions based on insights from past project performance
When do you need project tracking software? Your company should consider project tracking software if your project managers notice scope creep, i.e. a gradual expansion of the project scope or budget. The software can be used to continuously monitor important project metrics and analyze past performance in order to optimize future project plans.