4 Tools To Help Project Managers The work of a project manager is quite literally spelled out in the name. One on those lines would assume the work is all about allotting tasks and completing projects. In a broad sense this assumption is not far from the truth however, a project manager does much more than these two tasks.
By Kavya Pillai
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The work of a project manager is quite literally spelled out in the name. One on those lines would assume the work is all about allotting tasks and completing projects. In a broad sense this assumption is not far from the truth however, a project manager does much more than these two tasks. In definition, a project manager is the individual responsible for delivering the project.This individual leads and manages the project team, with authority and responsibility from the project board.
Several times a project manager is working simultaneously on several projects with one or more than one team. In such instances tasks of a manager increase and makes it difficult to see a project through effectively. Here are 4 tools a project manager could use to make their work efficient.
1. Microsoft Project
Microsoft Project helps managers not just in planning tasks but developing, distributing resources and tracking progress. The MS project has an intuitive interface and is a highly regarded software solution to help assist your tasks. The software simply put is a database of simple automation possibilities and has three blocks; tasks, resources and calendar. The main advantage is Efficient organization of work using MS Project scheduling Complete and convenient tracking of all changes and project developments Highly customizable schedules to comply with specific projects Various possibilities for representation of projects, adding ideas, filtering data Prediction and prevention of risks Summary reports and efficient management of records
2. Trello
At work, multiple tasks, emails and notifications create chaos. It is imperative to be able to get your tasks organised according to their level of importance. Offices thrive when they keep every employee on the same page, touch base and allocate new tasks efficiently. Trello, simply put, helps gain this clarity for businesses. It is a free tool that tracks the progress of individuals and teams. It also integrates other prominently used tools like Google Drive, Slack and more to keep a clear track of work. Trello has an easy user interface which means, it won't take you long to learn how to use it. Teams like Sales, Marketing, HR and Operations, can design and customize Trello to fit their own needs and working styles. The tool's integrations help you manage cross-team collaborations efficiently without losing your time on repeating communications.
3. Evernote
Evernote is a tool that can help build a huge knowledge base for project managers. It can be used to create to-do lists and store all kinds of information about your projects in files and notes. In addition, Evernote can be supplemented by other tools needed by PMs. It is a cloud-based project management tool, which you can access from any device - smartphone, tablet or PC. There are several tools in Evernote, which in combination enable you to manage your tasks effectively. Evernote provides assigned access for different users. For personal tasks, you can use an individual notebook. If you work with a team and want to challenge your employees, then it is better to work on a pad with public access, allowing you to determine the levels of access for different kinds of colleagues.
4. SmartDraw
SmartDraw is one more tool for creating a variety of graphs, charts and presentations. With this app you can quickly and easily construct flow charts, PowerPoint presentations, mind maps and other images. The program offers more than 70 of these types of material. SmartDraw provides a set of templates for a variety of goals such as project charts, decision trees, genograms and many other types of visual data. It supports cloud service, so you can share graphs, charts and diagrams with the team. SmartDraw is much easier to use than Visio and comes in both MS and macOS versions.
