When it comes to project management, there is no one-size-fits-all solution and there are a lot of options to choose from. The best project management tool for a given project depends on the specific nature and complexity of that project. For the purposes of this article, we will define a complex project as a project that involves a large number of stakeholders, multiple moving parts, and tight deadlines.
Over recent years there has been an explosion of products hitting the market designed to help teams of all sizes and sectors. As a result, there is a huge variety of software products to choose from, each with its own unique features and benefits. Choosing the best project management software for your organization depends on a number of factors, including the size and complexity of your project, the tools and techniques you require, and your budget. By considering all of these factors, you can choose the project management software that is best suited to your needs.
Project management software is designed to help with the organization and execution of project tasks. Common features include project scheduling, cost tracking, and resource allocation. Project management software is increasingly used across industries that run complex projects, including engineering, construction, and energy. These industries often use a large range of suppliers and contractors and projects are often delivered by consultancies who are working to tight margins. The benefits provided by using a cloud-based software tool include improved project coordination, better project visibility, and enhanced project control to help businesses improve the efficiency, quality, and importantly the profitability of their projects.
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the easiest-to-use generic project management (PM) software and what makes them unique. We’ll also discuss the benefits of each software and help you decide which one is right for you.
How does project management software work and what are its features?
Project management software typically includes a range of tools and techniques for project planning, risk management, resource allocation, project scheduling, project execution and control, and project closeout. Many software programs also include features for project portfolio management, which can help you to prioritize and manage multiple projects at the same time. Some software programs are specific to a particular industry, such as energy or healthcare, while others are more general purpose.
When choosing project management software, it is important to select a program that is compatible with your company’s systems and that offers the features and functionality you need. Many companies find themselves saddled with a software tool that is tricky to use and difficult to integrate with existing systems.
Make sure you select a flexible program that can fit in with the business systems you already have. For example, if you run your business on Microsoft 365, make sure your project management solution can integrate with MS.
At Proteus we think one of the most important factors is how much a team likes using a piece of software. If your project managers find a tool hard to use, time-consuming or counter-intuitive, the benefits may end up being wiped out by poor utilisation. That is why we have created a list of tools that are easy to use and liked by teams.
The top easy-to-use project management software tools reviewed
We can’t, of course, start this list without giving a stage to our own cloud-based software, Proteus.
Proteus is a project management software designed for complex projects, such as those in the engineering, infrastructure, and energy sectors. Proteus has many features to simplify the end-to-end project life cycle, including cost estimation and project planning, resource management, and budgeting capabilities. A key differentiator that Proteus offers is the fact it is designed to provide control and visibility over all the moving parts of a project. This may mean pulling together various different databases and creating a single source of truth for project managers. Teams don’t have to learn new ways of working or replace existing software infrastructures. Proteus costs $35 per user per month for all features plus a free, dedicated customer success manager. Bespoke development services are available for a fee.
Epicflow helps businesses keep track of deadlines, assigned tasks, and progress reports. This software program is great for teams of all sizes and industries. EpicFlow’s features include resource management and a task scheduling tool. Epicflow pricing starts at $4 per month per user for the Basic plan.
Monday.com is a software program that makes it easy to assign tasks, manage deadlines, and collaborate with team members. Known primarily for being a marketing project software, Monday’s strengths lie in its flexible workflow management features that suit varying management techniques. Monday costs $10 per user per month for the standard tier.
Asana is a software program that helps teams get work done. Teams can create to-do lists and reminders, and add colleagues, images, and files. Asana is a marketing and ops tool, to make the sharing of information and tasks easier and is less useful for complex engineering project management. It is easy to use and popular with SMEs and diverse groups collaborating remotely. Asana has a free tier but for more than just basic functionality, it costs $20.99 per user for the business tier.
Jira is a popular tool among developers that can be used for managing both simple and complex projects. Developers tend to use Jira to track bugs and development tickets. It offers a variety of features designed to help teams track progress, identify and resolve issues, and manage sprints. Jira has a free tier. For enterprise tiers, the price is considerably more and will be negotiated according to your business needs.
Which PM software is best for your business needs?
There are a lot of software programs available on the market, and choosing the right one for your business can be a daunting task. However, there are a few key factors to keep in mind that will help you make the best decision for your needs.
First, consider the size of your team and the scope of your projects. If you have a large team or complex projects, you’ll need a software program that is robust and can handle a lot of data.
Second, think about your budget. There are many affordable options available, so you don’t need to break the bank to get a tool that works well for your company. Ideally, you will be able to work with the software provider to ensure the tool is perfectly calibrated to your requirements. This may come with a development fee but it is well worth investing the money upfront and getting it right rather than trying to force-fit an expensive tool to your structure.
Finally, take some time to read online reviews and compare features to find the software that best meets your needs. With a little bit of research, you can find the perfect project management software for your business.
About Xergy and Proteus
Xergy Group’s Proteus work management solution is designed to work with your existing systems, and to scale and evolve as your business evolves. It was created by energy sector professionals, for the diversified energy sector, and delivers an end-to-end project management software platform compliant with ISO audit requirements and common project management frameworks.
How to get Proteus
Proteus’ project management software is a cloud-based system designed for businesses of all sizes to handle projects of unlimited complexity. Each Proteus feature is aimed at making bottom-line improvements by improving proposal win rates, resource utilization, streamlining workflows, providing quick and efficient access to resources, and reducing overheads.
One of the unique advantages of Proteus is that we offer a free onboarding consultation service to ensure the company account is set up according to your company’s needs. This makes getting your company up and running on Proteus quick and easy. Get your free Proteus demo here.
We recommend getting setup on a free trial. Proteus operates under a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model. We offer Enterprise packages and flexible pricing solutions: contact our team to learn more.
We designed Proteus to be simple, and that means you can get up and running on Proteus without an IT team or support from a programmer. You will want to spend a bit of time configuring the admin console so that you have everything set up to suit your company structure, but it’s very intuitive, and you don’t need a PhD in IT. However, we want you to get the best out of what is a brilliantly powerful tool, so don’t hesitate to ask for our support. We have a team of customer success experts who are ready to help you with the configuration process, so get in touch today by completing the form below.
