How Exactly Project Management Software Works?

Project management software is a breakthrough in programming application where efficient tools in managing the stages of the projects, such as planning, resource allocation, execution, scheduling, and tracking and delivery of web projects and programs.

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What makes it distinct from traditional project management? It is due to its unique lifecycle process, which requires multiple rounds of testing and updating the various tasks based on customer feedback. Moreover, the majority of the IT-related projects observe and follow the agile methodology as it uses short development lifecycles called sprints.

The reason for the agile method is to concentrate on the continuous improvement in the development of a service or product. In this way, you’re able to keep up with the increasing pace of your business and to run through certain repetitive tasks again based on the feedback provided by the customer and stakeholder.

What are the Roles of Project Management Software?

Project management software handles many tasks and roles, and among them are the following listed below.

Define the Scope of Your Project 

Project management tools will help solopreneurs in putting together the blueprint or layout of their whole project from the formation of ideas to the fruition. It defines the purview or scope of your project.

Additionally, the software’s tools will help in allocating necessary resources, scheduling the timeline, outlining the plan for execution, defining a communication strategy, and specifying the steps essential for testing and maintenance. 

• Generate the Budget of the Project

Similar to the traditional way of managing a project, these tools will help you in generating your project’s budget and making sure that you are strictly following the budget or as close as possible.

Additionally, the project management software will also help in the moderation of your spending and the re-allocation of funds when deemed necessary.

• Making Leadership Smoother and Easier

Now, assembling and leading your project team or your business as a solopreneur is much easier and smoother to do compared to the earlier methods. With the help of the project management tools, everything is in order and arranged in one place. So, tracking and monitoring the flow of the tasks and people involved are a breeze.

• Monitor Execution and Progress of Tasks

Project management software also helps solopreneurs by easing out their tasks through the successful execution of every step of the project, which includes progress monitoring and status report creation.

• Time Management

In any project, staying on the schedule set is critical to its successful completion. So, just imagine if you’re doing this work manually, it will be confusing and exhausting to follow. And that is where the project management software comes to help.

As you’re receiving help from this software, you already have a contingency or alternative plans, which is imperative in handling risk management. 

• Regulations of Maintenance Standards 

The software continuously encourages constant product testing to unravel and fix bugs as early as possible. Also, adjust the end product according to the needs of the customers, and most of all, keeping the project on target.

In conclusion, you can say that project management software can gauge way beyond your normal list and see the bigger view of everything that’s currently happening within your business.

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What are the Best Project Management Tools for Solopreneurs? 

So, what are the best project management tools for solopreneurs? Without any delay, below is a list of the top five (5) of the finest and most advanced software or programming applications in the success of managing the projects for people who are working solo. The list follows the highest number of users who voted and provided feedback and reviews. 

• Trello

Trello is an ideal choice if you’re handling lots of repetitive or recurring projects for various clients, and if you’re an extremely visual thinker, as it is a visual collaboration tool by nature. The board is its basic organizational tool. Lists separate each board, and every list contains one or more cards that represent the tasks.

 ü Highlighted Features

 Create to-do list as cards easily

Checklist for each card

Image and file storage and sharing

Comments and collaboration

ü Integrations

 Bitbucket Cloud

GitHub

Google Drive 

JIRA Cloud

Slack

 ·     Asana

Apart from its clean and simple layout, Asana is a user-friendly project management tool that’s easy on the eyes. Hence, mastering this tool is easy-breezy. That said, creating a project using this app is like shooting fish in a barrel. 

It is also very convenient to monitor the current status of your project, which means it shows you exactly the things you’ve done, and the remaining items that you still need to complete. Furthermore, Asana allows the uploading of attachments and sharing of tasks or projects with other people involved.

ü Highlighted Features

Arrange project tasks as a part of roadmaps that you can see along with the timelines

Check project activities through the calendar

Check on your team’s progress

Create ideal projects to add tasks and milestones

Review milestones

Simple dashboards to report project progress

Track milestones

Monitor progress of the team assignments

Visuals tasks as cardboards

ü Integrations

 Box

DropBox

Google Drive

HipChat

Slack

Sunrise

·     monday.com Software

It offers a highly visualized project. In short, it’s an attractive and versatile project management tool that you can work on, which is unlike boring spreadsheets that you’ve worked on previously. With monday.com software, you’ll be working on an attractive interface or module.

 ü Highlighted Features

 Task Management

Time Tracking

Team Collaboration

 ü Integrations

Dropbox

Google Calendar

Google Drive

JIRA

MailChimp

Pipedrive

·     Smartsheet Software

This project management software lets you connect to your CRM or ERP data to your new projects. Its functionality is versatile, just like a spreadsheet. Hence, the name Smartsheet. In other words, it’s like a database with complete Excel-like formulas templates.

ü Highlighted Features

 Resource Scheduling

Task Management

Team Collaboration

·     Workfront Software

It provides one central platform where everything is happening. So, giving you an easier time to create projects and monitor their status. You don’t have to get confused or feel like you are in a never-ending maze due to its layout.

That’s why it’s easy to keep track and update your projects and tasks, no matter where you may be, with Workfront Software.

ü Highlighted Features

 Agile Project Management

Digital Collaboration

Review and Approval Software

Resource Management

Project Management

Work Breakdown Structure

Below is a table showing all five project management software mentioned above, sorted out according to the highest number of reviews, along with their price range. 

 Project Management

 Price ( Starting Price)

 Rating (5/5)

 Number of Reviews

 Overall Rating

 Tool

 CAD

Ease

Functionality

Support

Value for Money

 (5/5)

  Trello

$0/month, Premium $9.99/month

4.5

4.5

4.5

4.5

17,214

 4.51

  Asana

 $0/month 

4.5

4.5

4.5

4.5

8,942

 4.42

  Monday.com

 $8/month 

4.5

4.5

4.5

4.5

2,106

 4.63

  Smartsheet Software

 $14/month

4.5

4.5

4.5

4.5

1,520

 4.44

  Workfront Software

 Quote-Based Plan

4

4

4.5

4

1,022

 4.31

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Solopreneurs Project Management Issues

 It is inevitable that any project can run through a series of problems, and solopreneurs are no exemption to that. So, whether you are someone who has lots of experience or just starting a career in entrepreneurship, handling a project is not simple and easy. You need to be updated to keep up with the pace of the business.

Time, scope, and budget are three essential things that you need to make sure you meet when doing a project. Despite all the efforts and availability of many resources, companies are still continuously having issues in tackling project management challenges, and solopreneurs are also experiencing a similar agony. 

By saying so, listed down are some of the issues that solopreneurs experience in handling project management.

• Unclear Goals

It is imperative that you must have clear goals of what you want to achieve. The lack of clarity as a solopreneur creates several issues in handling project management. In a recent study, about 39% of projects fail was due to a lack of planning and setting a clearly defined goal. You should lay a clear set of objectives to see where you want to go exactly.

• Issues on the Budget

Among the many issues of project management is financial, particularly the budget. It is one of the biggest obstacles to achieving effective project management. In 2017, a study revealed that there are about 49.5% of reports pertaining to costs as the biggest hurdle that everyone had encountered in project management.

• Communication Breakdown

Another significant issue in project management is the lack of communication. Having effective communication is immensely substantial for a successful project. One effective way to ensure the progress of your project is to collaborate with other people involved, such as clients, vendors, and other contractors.

Timely and transparent means of communication are prerequisites to make sure that all stakeholders get involved in the process. Therefore, communication breakdown is dangerous for a project because it affects everything about the work. It can create conflict and cause a delay.

• Inadequacy of Parties Involved

Even though you’re working as a solopreneur, you will still need to communicate and collaborate with other parties. By saying so, a good chain of parties involved is essential. Thus, you need to make sure that everyone in the project is capable of delivering the tasks. They must also know the importance of the deadline.

• Lack of Accountability

Speaking of collaborating with other parties involved in the project, it is also a huge issue if some of them, if not all, lack of accountability or doesn’t know how to take up responsibility because if that’s the case, you will surely have a problem seeing your project to fruition. 

• Unsatisfactory Risk Management

A significant aspect of project management is the early detection or determination of potential restrictions and problems that may come along the way. So, an adequate and effective alternative or risk management is a must. In this way, you’ll have contingency plans for what you’re going to do or how you’re going to resolve the issue as it may arise in the project.

• Scope Creep

It’s a phase in the project management process where there are inevitable changes or uncontrollable growth of the project. Most of the time, it can be beneficial to you. However, there are consequences that can come along the way, which most of the time outweigh the pros.

• Impossible Deadline

Another major issue in project management is an unrealistic deadline. When you set a deadline that is evidently impossible to fulfill, it creates chaos and can severely affect the quality of the products and services you offer. 

When you try to set up an impossible deadline just to make a good impression on the client, you are putting your reputation at risk. By doing so, you might end up hurting your business.

• Uninvolved Client or Stakeholder

It is significant that you and your client are on the same page. Limited engagement or uninvolved clients can create ripples of problems during the final stages of a project. Hence, it is a must to consider the feedback from the customer to keep them updated all throughout the duration of the project.

How to Avoid These Problems to Occur?

As mentioned previously, these are some of the problems you may come across in handling project management. That is why before even starting a project, you should have clear goals or objectives of what you’re going to complete and how you’re going to go about it. Additionally, when it comes to the project’s budget, make sure that you are providing an accurate estimation of the entire project.

It is also relevant to have constant communication with your client and other people involved to have seamless transitions and success of the project. You also need to make sure that everyone you are working with can comply with the completion of the project. They must be apt to the challenges that may come along way. They must have adequate skills to perform the tasks required.

Everyone should be accountable for their responsibility, including you. In this way, you are certain that everything will work well. Most of all, you must have contingency plans. So, when issues arise along with the duration of the project, you already know what you’re going to do. Again, rule of thumb, risk management in managing a project is essential.

Though it’s a natural phase that every project will experience, scope creep can also create tension and stress if not handled very well. Also, you must make sure that the deadline you are setting for the completion of the project must be realistic and not impossible to meet.

Lastly, it is extremely relevant to engage with your client. It is imperative that you should include them in every aspect of the project flow. So, you’ll be on the same page. Thus, encouraging a smooth and seamless success of the project overall. These things mentioned above are just a few of the essential factors that solopreneurs should need to observe to secure the success of the project.

Please remember that even though you are working solo, you still need to work with different types of people to fulfill the tasks of your project. Hence, it is significant to determine the things to avoid.

Why Solopreneurs Need a Project Management Tool?

So, if you’re a solopreneur, such as an e-commerce entrepreneur, freelancer, or an independent designer, you need to have expert help. With project management software, a comprehensive system is given to you to help you in getting things done.

In other words, project management software aids in mapping out the tasks involved in the completion and success of your project, especially if you’re working solo. 

• Things get maximized when working with a handful of clients

With the mapping attribute of project management software, you can plan thoroughly and comprehensively every client and opportunity given to you.

• Track Movement of Work

Regardless, if you’re a solopreneur, you will still need to rely on others for your work to move forward. Things like vendor payment and receiving shipments, among many others, are just a few of the things that are beyond your reach.

So, for example, you might be waiting for the supplier to send you the right parts. The waiting time affects the flow of the project. Things can go awry during this state. There might be delays that could cause the disability of the other tasks of the project. 

With project management software, you’re able to manage everything flawlessly and seamlessly. Furthermore, you are able to comment, create subtasks, to-do alternative lists, and link relevant information, such as supporting documents and contracts. 

A huge benefit of having project management software as a solopreneur is that only not everything is in one place, but managing everything in your project is easier and quicker.

• Creating dependencies between projects and tasks

Through project management software, you are able to create dependencies between given tasks and projects. Hence, you can unlock the next task in a section that relied on that work. In this way, you are able to fit everything together.

It allows you to strategize doc and project plan to work for you. So, if there’s a delay from your vendor or supplier, project management software can change the due date. And the rest of the to-do-lists get updated accordingly. 

Overall, your entire schedule gets an update and then will tell you if you need to make an estimated timeline or not.

• Collaborate with clients and vendors

Despite working alone, you need to collaborate with other people in a project, such as clients, contractors, or vendors. Project management software gives you the main place for you to interact with them, which makes it more organized and flexible compared to email and chat alone. Most of all, all your conversations are secured.

• Project Template Creation

With the project templates, you have easy and quick access to all the things you need related to a certain task. It’s like you have a database that holds all your essential files or documents pertaining to the tasks of the project.

So, you will not forget what you need or what you have with particular projects that you’ve worked on or working.  

In saying that, the best project management software will include tools and features that can magnify your work, instead of building more friction or stress against you from getting things done. That is why it is best for solopreneurs to have this application.

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Freelance Project Management Software

Apart from solopreneurs, freelancers also need effective project management software to help them go on with their day to day tasks for their freelancing projects. The list above is also ideal for freelancers out there who are looking for project management software.

There are lots of options that a freelancer can choose. The best way to know which one suits them the most to understand the line of business they are involved with, and from there, they can know the features and tools they want to have in managing their projects. Thus, allowing them to choose only the best.

Best Task Management App for Solopreneurs

Using the best task management app for solopreneurs can easily reduce inefficiencies and ultimately achieve your productivity goals. The top five provided above are among the best platforms for the finest app in managing tasks for those who are working solo.

Some of the most helpful and effective app in handling task management include Basecamp for a project management tool, MailChimp for marketing platform for small business, Salesmate CRM for all in one CRM needs, SendGrid for email delivery service, and Todoist for task management.

Freelance Business Management

Freelancing provides unparalleled flexibility. However, there are also risks that can come along the way, such as when there’s not enough work coming in, and when you are clueless about where your next paycheck may come.

Employing applications and tools that can help you drive to success is among the first many steps that you should take when you’re in freelancing business.

When you have the right tools, such as the ones listed earlier, to help you gear up with your freelance business management, you can gain trust and projects from various clients.

Solo Project Management 

Regardless if you’re in a team or in solo project management set up, having the right management skills and tools can go a long way in helping you perform your tasks and projects accordingly. Everyone needs just a little push to commence and succeed.

Not to mention that solo projects require the most undivided attention and meticulous approach to push through and see its fruition. With the tools given above, you can have a better overview or outlook on how your project will go and succeed.

Asana vs. Trello

Two of the most notable project management tools/software that have been mentioned all over the world wide web are Asana and Trello. Hence, it is unavoidable that they are usually getting compared most of the time. 

While Asana can take a task-oriented approach, allowing it to offer better workflow functionality, Trello is user-friendly. It’s easy to work with Trello. Nevertheless, Asana has a more wide-ranging set of features. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, solopreneurs who are just starting up and don’t want to spend extravagantly to have a project management tool, you should either go for Trello or Asana. You only need to know what features you like or want to use in managing your tasks or projects. In this way, you would know which of the two suits you best. Also, both Asana and Trello offers free packages for solopreneurs. 

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