What to Look For in a Project Management Tool

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You could say I’ve been around the block when it comes to project management tools. Being in project management for 12 years has allowed me to try out so many different systems and software. From the most waterfall of waterfall tools to the best in the biz for software development and agile teams, I’ve seen it all. Despite that, I feel like I’ve just barely scratched the surface of what’s out there. As project management becomes more and more common in organizations of all sizes, tools are popping up left and right, and it can be hard to sort out the right tool for the job, especially if you’re new to project management. But I’m here to help!

In this blog, I’m breaking down some of the most important features you’ll want to look for based on your unique situation. I’m also making a few recommendations (my suggestions might surprise you!) based on my experience and recent research. By this end, you’ll be fully equipped and know exactly what to look for in a project management tool.

Let’s dig in.

Project Management Tool Features to Look For

Essential features in a project management tool look a little different for a creative entrepreneur, so that’s what we will focus on today. It’s likely your team is on the smaller side, which means you want a lean, mean planning machine by our side that streamlines your work and allows you to spend more time in your zone of genius and doing what you love!

Similar to a project manager who is responsible for gathering all the necessary resources to get shiz done, your project management tool should do the same…ideally on autopilot.

You’re always going to have a blend of operational processes (things that repeat over and over for the same result) and projects (any temporary endeavor with a definite beginning and end) happening simultaneously. A great project management tool can enable seriously streamlined workflows, effortlessly blending operations and projects into one happy (automated!) process. For example, spinning up a set of tasks for client onboarding upon receipt of payment, scheduling meetings, sending emails, and more, all because a transaction happened in your payment platform. 

I think a lot of people shy away from incorporating project management into their businesses because they think it’s going to add work to their plate, which I get; it feels like that to me sometimes, too, even as a super fan of project management :). But really, spending a little time up front will save you loads of time (and likely money) down the road. And if you need a little assistance getting everything set up and flowing smoothly, check out my affordable system implementation services for creative entrepreneurs.

Ok, hoppin’ off my soapbox, on to the features!

Project Planning

This might feel super obvious, but there are apps branding themselves as project management tools when they don’t have this basic functionality (I won’t name names). Specifically, as you’re assessing for project planning, you want to look for things like the ability to assign people, due dates, durations, timelines, and budgets. Also, you’ll want the ability to view it in a way that suits your work style: calendar view, Gantt chart, table, list, or Kanban.

Simple & Easy to Learn

What scares a lot of people away from project management tools is that their promise of ease and simplicity quickly goes out the window once you open the app and find yourself swimming in functions, integrations, apps, and automation. Understandably, this can feel super overwhelming, and it’s not uncommon to hear people give up before they even start — just had someone tell me the other day they signed up for a yearly subscription only to dump it before even starting because “it just wasn’t intuitive enough.” Looking at the tool they selected, I wasn’t surprised to hear that.

Unfortunately, there’s some great marketing out there, so it can be easy to be wooed. I have a few thoughts on the easiest project management tools for small teams, but for a quick rec, I’ll say Monday.com every time.

Collaboration

Collaboration is a key feature of a project management tool, even for a team of one, especially the ability to invite external guests to a select project or portfolio without having them see your entire organization. Features like messaging, live documents and whiteboarding, and video conferencing are all super helpful to streamline collaboration, allowing team members to stay within a single platform as they move from task to task and to keep all project docs together as you work with external teams.

Automations 

There are two types of automation when it comes to project management tools. What you’ll want to look for is the ability to automate workflows within a project, tasks between projects, and potentially even external sources (like I talked about in the intro). Having this will ensure you’ll get so much more than just the ability to manage projects.

Integrations

Integrating other applications, such as your calendar, email, file storage, Quickbooks, CRM, or even tools like Figma, can totally change the way you work, allowing your PM tool to become your central hub for operations and collaboration. Most tools have this functionality, but you’ll want to keep an eye on cost as, occasionally, you’ll have to pay extra for these efficiencies. I like to keep my business plan and my weekly business check-in agendas and notes right in the tool, so having the Google Drive integration is super helpful.

Mobile Functionality

Let’s face it: as creative entrepreneurs and small business owners, our brains almost never stop thinking about work (a blessing and a curse in my mind), so you’ll want something that’s with you when you need it. When a stroke of genius strikes, when you suddenly remember you forgot to update a task or message a team member, it’s nice to know you can create a quick to-do or complete the task right on whatever device you have nearby (goodbye, iPhone notes!).

Stability

Ok, so per my note in the intro, project management tools are popping up like crazy, meaning there are quite a few new ones out there that may still have a ways to go before they’re ready for prime time. I’m testing Hive right now (which I will review soon), and I’m finding some bugs that are seriously problematic for a project management tool. I was getting monday.com vibes circa 2017 when the app had tons of potential, but necessary features weren’t reliable yet (they’ve come a long way!)

Hopefully this helps clarify the things that are important to look for in a project management tool. While there are tons of options out there, as a creative entrepreneur there are certain things that will make a huge difference to help you stay on track with your projects and streamline operations.

What's most important to you when it comes to a project management system? Or, what questions do you have? Comment below!