5 Advantages of Using Project Management Software

5 Advantages of Using Project Management Software
By Stefan Jordev

It is pretty clear to all of us by now that we live in a digital era. Even more then some of us we would choose to. Mobile phones, tablets laptops and PCs are working towards minimizing face to face interaction, and are doing a great job at it by the way.

And while we can only remember times when many games (such as Solitaire and Hearts) were played in real life, and between real friends, there are some benefits the technology advancement brings to the table. Especially for project managers. What can these fine gadgets help you with, you might ask? I have prepared a list of experience-based advantages that have made an obvious difference since implementing a project management software solution.

1. Improved estimation.

   Having a software do the estimation for you can greatly improve the whole process of estimating the time and resources needed for a particular project. This is of the upmost importance in project management. It will be there following you though your whole project, and helping you make the right decision. After all, you wouldn’t want your project finishing 2 weeks after the deadline, would you?

2. Greater control.

   Having all your documents on one database (and hopefully backup frequently) can give you greater access and control over all your documents relating the project. This means greater control of the documents whether you are at the office, at home, or have taken a leave of absence and there is an emergency. This also means time saved in runs between offices, and clicks between e-mails.

3. Easier tracking.

   Imagine you now have a software installed on yours and your employee’s computers. That means looking up who is working on what is just a few clicks away. You can easily track your resources and intervene, before people who still rely on notebooks would ever get the chance (wink).

4. Better collaboration.

   Some managers may not agree with this, but project management is not about a project manager enforcing his iron fist on his employees.  The members of the team have to work together and share resources towards achieving the results. The software will ease their sharing of tasks and resources, and the result will be more satisfied employees, and a more successful manager.

5. Measuring results and comparing projects.

   And, when all is said and done, you have to see what has been achieved, and even more important what has NOT been achieved. Also if you manage some independent projects and wish to see which one has been better, or simply look back on finished projects and see if your team is making any progress your software solution will be there to help you.

Stefan Jordev has an M.Sc. in E-business Management. He currently works at Seavus, the company behind the leading MS Project Viewer – Seavus Project Viewer. Stefan is a passionate contributor to the online project management professionals’ community and has over 100 project management posts.