Tech watch

Each quarter, we highlight the top products to look out for in the fast-moving world of project software.

It is not easy for project managers to know which software they ought to use for their planning and day-to-day jobs. Prior to making any purchasing decision, it is key to hear from others about what works – and what doesn’t.

This issue, Project has teamed up with CrowdReviews, an online platform where software solutions are reviewed, to look at what project managers like and dislike most about the most popular project management solutions.

The algorithm behind the overall reviews on CrowdReviews is based on the number of responses, the average rating, the quality of the reviewer (ie, their relevance and independence) and other key factors. It determines which solutions work, and which practitioners struggle with. 

Below are five project management solutions that are known for delivering customer satisfaction. 

Software: Basecamp
Ideal for: Small and mid-sized businesses and enterprises
Deployment: Cloud
What it does: The platform enables project managers to organise tasks, discussions, deadlines and files, among others. More than 100,000 companies use Basecamp to organise and manage their projects
Key features: Real-time chat; to-do lists; document and file storage; centralised schedules; real-time reporting; mobile friendly
Users say: “The best platform so far”; “great collaboration tool”; “leading web-based project management and collaboration tool”
Website: www.basecamp.com

Software: Clarizen
Ideal for: Mid-sized businesses and enterprises
Deployment: Cloud
What it does: Clarizen is a collaborative work-management solution. Using an enterprise-grade platform, the software offers cross-company project management, configurable workflow automation and collaboration 
Key features: Portfolio management and project planning; document management; templates; resource management; case management; external collaboration; task management; budget and expense management; mobile connectivity
Users say: “Powerful task-management software”; “great collaborative tool”; “perfect project management tool”
Website: www.clarizen.com

Software: Jira
Ideal for: Mid-sized businesses and enterprises
Deployments: Cloud and desktop
What it does: Used primarily for task management, Jira develops workflows for project teams, allowing project managers to track tasks and projects on a live basis
Key features: Highly adaptive, easy-to-understand dashboard; agile-friendly; scrum; mobile friendly; integration with other platforms
Users say: “Lots of great features”; “effective tracking tool”; “flexible and user friendly”
Website: www.atlassian.com/software/jira

Software: Microsoft Project
Ideal for: Small and mid-sized businesses and enterprises
Deployment: Cloud
What it does: The reliable workhorse of project management software, Microsoft Project is designed to assist project managers in developing plans, assigning resources to tasks, tracking progress, managing the budget and analysing workloads
Key features: Real-time chat; to-do lists; document and file storage; centralised schedules; real-time reporting 
Users say: “Great management software”; “efficient tool”; “effective”
Website: goo.gl/r6KJgJ

Software: Trello
Ideal for: Small and mid-sized businesses and enterprises
Deployment: Cloud
What it does: Used by projects of all sizes, the Trello platform is based around a Trello ‘board’, which contains a list of tiles that are filled with cards that project managers and their teams can use
Key features: Live discussions; checklists and due dates; available on mobile; free to use
Users say: “Flexible way to organise your project”; “easy and organised”; “great planning tasks”
Website: www.trello.com
 

Which products and gadgets are you using? Get in touch and let us know which project management tools you have tried and tested. Email editor@project-journal.co.uk.