Project Management is a delicate balancing act – whether you’re solely managing an internal project or it’s something that’s client-facing, the key to a smooth, successful and productive campaign lies in “control” and keeping that control constant. This principle applies to all projects, from ongoing SEO work to one-off website updates. There are plenty of tools available to help manage a project, from internal communicative software to agile-approach Kanban boards; you can find anything to help keep projects progressing. However, there’s a few in particular that we’ve tried, tested and told all our friends about – so we wanted to share these with you in hopes they might make your project management that bit more productive.
Slack
Easy and fluent internal communications are pivotal in project management, especially as more people start to work remotely and can’t just learn over a desk to speak to a colleague. Usually, there’s going to be several team members involved in a project, so being able to reach out for a status update at the drop of a hat is crucial. Slack does this and more. Whether you’re using Slack in the browser or through the app, it includes some valuable features such as setting up dedicated channels for each project, voice/video calls, and the option to set up external “connect” channels, so clients can get involved too. Throw in some helpful automation, functional API with other tools, and the opportunity to fire over a gif in an instant and well…we certainly think it’s a winner.
Missive
Emails don’t have to be a chore – yes, we’re all looking for that pipe-dream inbox zero, but with Missive, that dream can be a reality. Missive boasts some incredible features, but perhaps its most noticeable one is the collaborative email function. If you’re faced with writing a challenging email and want a second pair of eyes on it, you can just tag in a co-worker, and they’ll be able to read, edit (and in most cases improve!) your email from the comfort of their own ergonomic office chair. There are also options like Snooze, which allow you to remove the email from your inbox temporarily but have it pop back up again at a specific time so you can prioritise and handle tasks in an orderly fashion.
ClickUp
We’d need a whole other blog just to list all the functionality that comes with ClickUp – but in a nutshell, it’s an incredible project management / CRM software that you can use for keeping records of clients, projects, and tasks. It includes various “views” such as a Gantt Chart for Waterfall management or a Kanban Board if you’re adopting an agile methodology. You can create various spaces, be these project or customer specific, and add multiple folders and lists for all historic and ongoing work. It’s incredibly flexible, allowing you to leave notes / assign tasks to colleagues, so they’re clued up the on comms and targets of the project.
That’s only scratching the surface, so if it sounds like ClickUp is right up your street, we’d recommend checking it out.
Yay
Much like Slack, Yay has been fantastic at catering for colleagues split between a mixture of office and remote working. The VoIP software links perfectly to office handsets or through a mobile app so you can take an urgent client call whether you’re at your desk or in your home office. You can scrap the traditional handset altogether if you’d prefer to just use the desktop app and have eyes on your colleague’s availability. Yay will show when someone’s on the phone – so you be prepared to take any messages off the bat should someone need them but they’re engaged.
Google Drive
A stone-cold classic, Google Drive is an excellent shared-access platform for project-related documentation. Google Drive gives you the freedom to create Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and Forms on the fly and save these in any folder setup you desire. You can create shared links for documents and pass these to clients whilst also giving them different levels of access, such as viewer or editor. This makes Google Drive perfect for progressing a project with a client if you need a space where they can share files that are too large for email.
Project Management doesn’t necessarily need any tools to be successful, but you may find yourself struggling to maintain your sanity without them, as you lose track of projects. We certainly find these tools help drive and steer projects towards completion, and we’d be lost without them – get in touch and let us know if there are any tools/software you recommend!