Finding the Perfect Tool to Get Organised & Manage Your Projects
Getting organised is more than just a productivity boost; it reduces stress and improves your enjoyment at work and your work-life balance. Effective task, project, and programme management allows you, your team, and your business to prioritise work, meet deadlines, and achieve goals with less hassle. However, navigating the multitude of project management tools available today can be an undertaking in itself!
Project Management Tools
The choices can easily become overwhelming, especially when there are so many similar options. With nearly 70% of desktop operating systems in the UK running Microsoft Windows, we are taking a look at the various tools that Microsoft offers to streamline project management and enhance collaboration.
Microsoft Project
Microsoft Project is the go-to solution for managing complex projects with detailed timelines, resource allocations, and dependencies. It is ideal for project managers who require detailed planning tools and comprehensive project tracking. It has three different versions (enterprise level Microsoft Project Online, Microsoft Project for the Web, and Microsoft Project Desktop)
Benefits of Microsoft Project:
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Advanced Planning: Schedules, Gantt charts & resource management
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Customisable Reports: Generate comprehensive reports
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Integration: Seamlessly integrates with other applications
Drawbacks of Microsoft Project:
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Complexity: Steep learning curve, complex for beginners
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Cost: Microsoft Project plans are paid for
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Solution: Discover our Microsoft Project Training Courses
Microsoft To Do
Microsoft To Do is a personal task management app designed for individuals to organise their daily activities and to-do lists. It’s ideal for managing personal productivity and staying on top of individual tasks.
Benefits of Microsoft To Do For Project Management:
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Personal Productivity: Manage personal tasks effectively
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Sync Across Devices: Keep tasks updated for on-the-go management
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Integration: Integrates with Office for unified task management
Drawbacks of Microsoft To Do for Project Management:
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Collaboration: Designed for individual use
SharePoint
SharePoint is not strictly a project management tool. However, it excels as a collaborative platform for document management and team projects, so we’ve included it here to help you get organised. It provides a secure, mobile, central hub to store, classify, and manage all your documents and information.
SharePoint Lists are a powerful feature for organising information, tracking tasks, and managing projects. Lists can be customised to track anything from simple to-do items to complex project milestones, making them extremely versatile. You can create custom lists to track various types of data; Integrate lists with other SharePoint features and workflows; and share lists with team members for enhanced collaboration and data management.
Drawbacks:
- Complex Setup: SharePoint can be complicated to set up and configure to meet specific business needs.
- Solution: Learn More About Our SharePoint Training Courses to ensure you can leverage SharePoint’s full potential with ease.
Microsoft Planner
For teams seeking a more straightforward tool to organise tasks and collaborate, Microsoft Planner, available within Microsoft 365, is now revamped for better task organisation and team collaboration. The new Planner in Microsoft Teams lets you manage team workloads, track goals, organise sprints, and view dependencies on a timeline. With the paid version, you gain access to features like AI Copilot, advanced timelines, lead and lag dependencies, resource requests, and program management, offering real value for comprehensive project management.
Benefits of Microsoft Planner for Project Management:
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It’s free: The standard version is included with your Microsoft 365 plan.
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Ease of Use: Simple, visual, with drag-and-drop functionality
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Collaboration: Shared task lists & progress charts
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Integration: Works seamlessly on the web, and Microsoft applications
Drawbacks of Microsoft Planner for Project Management:
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Limited Features: The free version lacks advanced project management features
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Paid Features: Detailed reporting, Gantt charts, resource management
Explore our Microsoft 365 training courses to learn how to maximise its capabilities and integrate it effectively with other tools.
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Using the right project management software enhances collaboration by providing clear visibility into task progress and team responsibilities. It ensures that everyone is on the same page, reduces miscommunication, and fosters a more cohesive working environment. Scheduling becomes more manageable, allowing you to allocate resources effectively and ensure timely project completion.
Choosing the right project management software depends on the complexity of your projects and your specific needs. Whether it's using Microsoft Project for detailed planning, Planner for integrated task management or SharePoint for document collaboration, each tool offers unique benefits.
We know that mastering any project requires a blend of technical proficiency and essential business skills. That's why we don't just offer comprehensive training in the software and tools that you use. Work with us to acquire the business skills that you and your team need, AND the certifications required for dedicated Project Managers and Programme Managers.
With IT, Project Management, and business skills combined, you can not only leverage technology to its fullest potential but also navigate complex project environments, make informed decisions, and lead your team to success.
Empower your team with the right project management tools and skills to use them. Get in Touch
