ProjectManager.com has just released a study on how project managers view project management tools. Five-hundred and seventeen professionals in the LinkedIn group took the survey. According to the group's demographics, 67% of the LinkedIn members are project managers with 44% of the group members in IT.
I wasn't able to download the full report, so I am reporting off the summary. Even so, the summary has four interesting findings:
- 56% of project managers are unhappy with current tools.
- 48% of project managers say that lack of integration is their number one complaint.
- Only 26% of project managers use the collaborative features in their tools.
- There is a growing demand for simpler tools.
I think this is a very revealing quote from the report: "Of those who participated in the survey 33% said their tool takes too much time to use, 26% said their team won’t use it, 13% said their tool was too complicated and 12% said the tool required too much training."
In my opinion and in my experience working with a number of project management tools, the biggest impediment to their use is that enhance the flow of communication and collaboration. I often talk about how the tool forces the project team to meet the needs of the tool rather than vice-versa. I remember the early days of using Microsoft Project and how much information I had to put in at first just to even build a decent network diagram.
My favorite project management tools are a whiteboard, dry-erase markers, stack of Post-It notes, and a blank wall. Think of how these simple tools enhance communication and collaboration by recording what the project team members decide in their conversations while not hindering the conversations. An online tool that I like to use is Padlet because it captures the simplicity and the flexibility of a white board, blank wall, and Post-It notes.
What are your favorite project management tools and why? How do they help you and your team communicate and collaborate?
