Project Manager Tools
As a project manager, it can hurt to hear those classic seven words: “This meeting should have been an email.” When we hear those words, we know that we need to do whatever it takes to do better for our team. But even with the strongest project management techniques, sometimes we do make meetings that are as meaningful as we want them to be.
This is when project manager tools become essential. Project manager tools are tools that help you ensure that your meeting is running smoothly and that your team will be able to meet all of their objectives. You might be thinking, “I already use project management tools, but still, my meetings are sometimes wandering, difficult to manage, and leave team members feeling confused.”
You’re not alone. Many project managers struggle to realize their meeting goals because their companies do not equip them with the proper project management tools. Most companies make their project managers work with a hodgepodge of different tools like Google Docs, Zoom, and Microsoft Calendar. Although all of these tools are good on their own, project managers often struggle to integrate all of these tools when they are managing a meeting. How many times do you have to copy and paste meeting agendas into emails or send out links to documents?
With project manager tools like Docket’s project managers can keep track of all of the aspects of their meeting in one tab. And what’s more, all of the other team members will be able to keep up too. Although having a platform to integrate all your project management might not seem absolutely necessary, for many teams, it is a total gamechanger. When project managers can step away from the day to day drudge of sending out meeting agendas, keeping time, and sending follow-up emails, they can step back and look at the bigger picture, ensuring that their company is working with the utmost speed and innovation.
Best Project Management Tools
As you start to think about finding the best project management tools for your team, you might be wondering “what are the different types of project management tools?” Examples of different tools will be the best way to talk you through a list of project management tools types.
Online Meeting Tools
There are lots of services that you can choose between when it comes to virtual meetings; however, not all services are created equal. As you choose the right meeting tool for your company, you should consider how easy it will be for you to integrate that tool into the rest of your project management workflow. There is a good reason that Zoom has risen to the top of online meeting tools, it’s because it is easy for other tools to integrate with Zoom. This is why Zoom quickly pushed out Skype as the top video conferencing platform.
List/Agenda Tools
Any project management tools list would not be complete without including list making tools. It seems so simple, many of us find ourselves using the notes app on our phone to write lists or agendas for our meetings. We need to learn that we are better than that. Docket and other similar companies offer tools that will help you create agendas that are easier to share and more intuitive than the scribble you wrote on the back of a cafe napkin.
Calendar Tools
Frankly, it’s shocking to see how often companies fail to integrate their calendars. Even though creating a cohesive company calendar is an essential step to effective meetings, many companies have no consensus over which calendar apps are best. Similar to online meeting tools, the most important thing in a calendar tool is versatility. A calendar tool should be easy to integrate with add-ons like Docket and Calendly.
Project Management Software
Now that we have given some project management tools examples, it’s time to talk about project management software; the larger scaffold that your company can use to connect its project management tools into a comprehensive project management plan. With the correct project management software, your company can simplify meetings, ensure that projects run as quickly and smoothly as possible, and take a few steps back to look at the big picture.
With that in mind, what are the types of project management software (AKA project manager software)?
Tasks Manager Software
Companies like Monday.com, SmartSheet, and ClickUp offer task manager software that helps companies gently monitor their employees’ projects from start to finish. At their simplest, these task manager systems are essentially a list, helping project managers look at which tasks are getting done, who might need more time, and who seem to be struggling with their tasks. These software also offer analytics to help project managers calculate how long a task should take and how long the overall project might take.
Open Source Project Management Software
Some companies want or need to host their own project management software. If this is the case for you, there is no reason to fear. This does not necessarily mean that your company is consigned to a life of terrible meetings and inefficient projects. Open source project management software offers more than simple task manager software can. Open source project management software can provide valuable budgeting and scheduling insights.
Simple Project Management Software
When people look for the simplest project management software, they are usually looking for a program that will work so seamlessly it will feel like it’s not even there. This type of project management software is sometimes hard to come by because the project management software with plenty of features is often difficult to use. Docket prides itself on providing project management software that is both easy to use and full of useful features.
Project Management Apps
Project management apps are a great solution for businesses on the go. Teams that have lots of members out in the field at any given time often find that the best place to get their team all on the same page is a project management app. Electricians or plumbers that work for a larger company often use project management apps to communicate, clock in and out on projects and share information.
So without further ado, here is a list of the top productivity apps that make the best team apps. Remember, if your company decides to invest in a project management app, it is worth taking the time to ensure that both the app version and the desktop version of the interface are easy to use and easy to integrate into other platforms.
Docket For Zoom
Docket offers a project management app for Zoom meetings. This app helps you manage Zoom meetings and stay on task, on time, and on budget. The app ensures that all of the meeting participants will be armed with the most up-to-date information before the meeting and that they will all receive useful updates after the meeting ends.
Basecamp
Basecamp offers a simple interface and lots of options when it comes to sharing files and schedules. However, this software is on the more expensive side. This means that basecamp is probably not the best choice for a small business.
Asana
Asana has become a popular choice for project management because it offers a simple interface that is very easy to use. Because they offer plans that have varying costs based on the number of employees a company has, they are a great choice for smaller businesses or new businesses.
Casual
Equally popular but incredibly unique, Casual offers a different style of project management. With Casual, your company will create flowcharts for different tasks that can help you visually understand what needs to be done to complete the project. This can help employees all stay on the same page, without looking at a simple to-do list. Casual is a free app, and it works just as well for solopreneurs as it does for large businesses.
Project Management Tools And Techniques
Looking at the top project management tools, it is clear that there are at least four project management techniques that a project manager can use to make a meeting more impactful. They are:
- Ensuring that the entire team has access to the schedule for the project on the same platform,
- Ensuring that the project manager has access to all of the best project management tools and technique.
- Creating clear meeting agendas and using project management tools to keep your team on agenda,
- And finding ways to monitor different tasks as the project continues after the meeting.
In simple lists of project management tools examples, it can sometimes be tough to get across the importance of evaluating project management tools. As a project manager, one of your most important jobs is to ensure that everyone has the right tools to get their job done. The perfect tool can help your team stay on course, without adding more complications. Find a project management tool that both serves your team and serves you, the project manager. Find the right tools for you to get the job done, and communicate seamlessly with your team.
