Top Apps and Services for Project Management

You're ready to start brain-storming sessions and adopt your favorite process improvement initiative to tackle the latest set of problems in your company, but you don't have access to project management software to support your efforts. Luckily, modern innovation means there's a wide selection of free and low-cost solutions at your fingertips. Mobile apps, Google apps, and cloud-based services give project managers and business leaders the tools required to create productive team work.

Collaboration is the backbone of project management, but it's difficult to keep everyone on the same page. Trello, a free mobile and Web-based app, creates an electronic card system for taking notes, setting tasks, and delegating responsibilities. Anyone on the team can check in with Trello to find out what others are working on, reducing duplicate efforts, and all changes are tracked in real time. Trello is great for formal project management, but it also allows business leaders to track daily progress on team goals.

If you're dealing with simultaneous projects, then you might want to consider an all-in-one paid solution like Basecamp. At around $20 per month for up to ten projects, the app is a cost-effective way to ensure organized project management. Each project is presented on a separate page with links to task lists, discussions, and project-related files. You can control who sees what, ensuring confidentiality of sensitive projects. A single calendar makes it easier to set meetings, and shared discussion groups reduce the messy back-and-forth email deluge that projects are known for.

Not every project management tool is a total solution. Sometimes all you need are a few mobile apps that fill in the gaps in your own processes or software. One example is Gantter Project, a Google app that allows you to create Gantt projects in a shared Web space. The app is compatible with Microsoft Project; you can import or export data, making it easy to work with business partners who use the Microsoft system.

If you're looking for a solution that allows you to tie together employees from various locations and departments, as well as manage outside input from vendors or partners, then consider Yammer. The enterprise social network allows you to create groups, share files, create and view project notes, integrate existing apps like SharePoint or SAP, and manage mobile workers. As an extensive resource, Yammer is one of the more expensive options for project management, but it may be a good solution for whole-business communication management.

If you're just getting started with project management app use, begin with free downloads and app trials. Testing a number of solutions and tools will help you understand what you really need from an app or service. Avoid signing a contract for service without a solid understanding of how the product will help manage efforts and achieve goals.

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