There are many tools and tools that are sometimes useful and sometimes necessary for the proper management of a project. Below are a number of (software) tools that can be useful for the execution of your project. Please note, we have extensively tested some of the tools below, while others we have only briefly reviewed. They are therefore not recommendations for a specific tool. The list is meant as a service for our customers. If you are considering a tool for your organization and you would like advice or assistance with the implementation of a project management tool, then please contact us. Also if you come across a (good) tool that is missing, we would like to hear from you.
1 MS project is a well-known and very complete tool for creating schedules (gannt charts, bar charts), resource planning, division of tasks, and keeping track of hours and progress. In theory you can use this tool to administer everything that happens in a project. Yet there are many projects for which this tool does not apply (this also applies to the alternatives for MS project). There are also projects where MS project (or an alternative) is necessary. Also, you can count on a considerable learning curve for MS project.
2 Ganntproject is a free open source alternative for MS project, which also works on Mac Osx and Linux.
3 Open Project is another open source software package for project planning
7 Prinzi
8 There are many other Alternatives for MS project. MS project is an expensive software package that is often only needed to a limited extent. There is a good chance that you can work well with a (free) open source version. Even if you work with a Mac or if you are looking for planning software that runs on a tablet (for example because you want to update the data on location and do not want to walk around with a big laptop) you will have to look for an alternative. Here is another list of similar software for creating bar charts. Consider carefully which parts of MS project or other ‘Gannt chart software’ you actually need. Rarely does an organization use all possibilities and often a simple (sometimes free) tool is sufficient.
Time writing
Time writing, a sensitive topic in many organizations, is sometimes inevitable when managing a (larger) project. Below are a number of software packages that you can use to save time (we do not make a recommendation!):
3 Replicon
There is much more time writing software availalbe, much of which is free. Pay attention! Time writing for a project requires a number of settings and options that are not offered by all software packages. For example, projects are mainly concerned with monitoring progress and less or not at all for financial monitoring (keeping track of the number of hours used per project). Many time writing systems have too strong a financial approach and are therefore not so useful for project administration.
Integral systems
Having remarked that we prefer simple solutions rather than very comprehensive ‘solutions for everything’, we provide below a list of integral project management software packages. This often includes planning, time writing, invoicing, communication, links to business planning software (ERP) and administration modules. Please note, not all company management systems are suitable for projects (and their often erratic implementation), even if the manufacturer of the software claims that it contains a ‘project module’.
1 4cis
3 Basecamp
4 Exact
6 Bitrix
7 BamBam (also suitable for agile)
8 Trello
This list is also far from complete. See more options here.
Agile / Scrum tools
Tools for Agile / Scrum projects usually focus on managing the product requirements list (product backlog or story list), in other words the distribution of the tasks in the team. Examples of more or less known Agile tools are:
1 Jira
6 Rally
Look here for more agile tools.
Comparison project management tool websites:
There are websites where you can compare features of the various providers of project management software. This is useful, but make sure you know what you want and that the presence of a feature in the software does not necessarily mean that this feature will work for you in practice.
1 Project management software comparison site 1
2 Project management software comparison site 2
Simple tools for your project
Often simplicity is the best.
1 Templates for project management in Word and Excel
2 Dropbox or another cloud alternative