With a variety of project management tools in the market, it is easy to get lost. However, choosing the next solution for your team should not be left to chance. Getting recommendations and reading reviews is excellent, but if you want a tool to stick, there is something more to the choosing process.
Read on to find out how to choose the right project management tool for your team. Maybe this time you will not have to look for another one!
1. Understand Your Process
Before choosing any tool or method for the team, you should spend some time and truly understand how it operates. If you are on the team – great, you already know the stuff. If you are an outsider – ask and gather information on how the team works.
Understanding the process will give you the foundation necessary to find the correct tool and to understand the needs of the team.
2. Gather Requirements
After familiarizing yourself with the process, see what tools are essential for it to run. You need to clarify what the team needs from a project management tools to pick one that fits the mould. Do you work in one space or are the members separated? Are you editing many documents? Do you need to specify various specs in the tasks? Is there any method the team prefers to use? All of these are essential things to note and write down before setting out looking for your tool. Do not worry about making your list too extensive, and it needs to have everything.
3. Analyze The Possibilities
After compiling your list of requirements, it is time to set out and see what the market has to offer. There are several project management tools on the market. Thus it would help if you did not compromise right out of the gate. Look for a tool that fits everything you need and only if that is not available, then take another look at your list. See what an absolute must is and what could be lived without. Look for a tool that has all of your musts. Ideally at least some of the nice to have. Narrow down the list to 3-5 and try them out.
4. Acquire Recommendations
Once you have the shortlist of candidates, ask around to see what other users have to say. After using the tools you consider, they might point out some crucial details. Or they may praise one solution or another and make your decision easier. Either way, it is good to know what others’ experiences are.
5. Choose Your Tool
After trying all of your finalists out and reading reviews, the only thing left to do is make your decision. Think about your list, which tool will be able to fit it in the long term, and how your team received it. It is essential to choose a tool your team will get behind as they will be the ones using it and deciding if it is a good one or not.
Ultimately pick a tool that fits your process or what you want it to become. If there is enough persistence, you will be able to change the process, but a tool will not change to fit you.
