Which project management system is right for you?

Being dependent or even addicted to your to-do list can be a source of stress and frustration. It is therefore better to find the best project management methodology so that it suits your own organization and so that it transforms the mental load into motivation!

The Kanban method

This is a so-called agile method that works in the form of tables and maps. Table columns can be organized according to project priorities or progress, while cards are moved around with a simple drag and drop to change the status of a task.

The advantage is to be able to segment the project and distribute the different missions in specific columns: “To do”, “In progress” or “Done”, for example. In the past, we stuck Post-its on the walls or Velleda paintings, today everything is done digitally.

The to-do list

It is a classic task management tool but no less powerful. Listing the actions to be done and then listing them offers the possibility of obtaining an overview of what we have to do. It is also possible to nest tasks to group them and accomplish them gradually. Be careful, however, to keep a place for possible contingencies depending on the nature of your profession.

This organization helps to increase productivity and adapts to all sectors of activity (or almost). Some software even allows you to create tags to categorize by “task family” or by client!

The calendar

This is a methodology that is aimed at both the “digital team” and the “paper team”. Operation via agenda is essentially structured around blocks of time to focus on a panel of tasks or a project. It also allows you to organize yourself according to recurring tasks and scheduled appointments.

Disadvantage ? The calendar gives a less chronological vision of the progress of the projects but it can be coupled with other software solutions if necessary.

The Gantt chart

In the form of horizontal bars that may or may not overlap, the Gantt chart is perfectly suited to medium or long-term projects. Its advantage is to break down the different phases of a project over time and to better understand the time required to finalize the mission.

This is a good way to mark out the interventions and to juxtapose them if some of them are correlated or can be carried out in parallel.

Criteria that must enter into your selection

To organize your day-to-day work, you can scour the web for the ideal tool that will accompany each strategic phase of your business development. But, fortunately for you, certain specialized sites are responsible for centralizing the best solutions in the same place, as is the case with this article which lists the main tools on the market.

Here are some ideas of features to analyze:

• the free or the amount of the premium offers;
• the possibility of collaborating with other people. Some tools are designed to facilitate exchanges (comments, task sharing, sending notifications, etc.) while others are more reserved for solo use;
• synchronization: if you are a fan of telework or travel, software that reflects actions on computers, tablets and smartphones will be more appropriate;
• the ability to turn emails into tasks to save time;
• an integrated time entry for those who like to work with timed blocks to manage their productivity and their breaks (we think in particular of the Pomodoro method).

Don’t forget that the choice of your future project management software must be consistent with your real needs and the configuration of your company !