Now that remote work has become part of the “new norm” of life after COVID-19, many stay-at-home workers are starting to experience new, unforeseen challenges such as IT issues and lack of communication/organization tools.
Project management is hard enough without having to coordinate an entire remote team. This is why many Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) cloud-based project management tools such as Wrike and BaseCamp are experiencing a massive surge in popularity.
We want to share with you five of our favorite PM tools that you and your team members can immediately begin using to help keep your projects on track and running as smoothly as possible.
Slack
Slack is a freemium messaging app that allows you to communicate effectively with team members. It also has a wealth of features that will enable you to manage projects directly from the app itself. There are also thousands of third-party connectors that will help extend the usefulness of Slack.
The basic version is free. However, you will need to pay upwards of $6.67 per user per month if you’re looking for more functionality, such as the ability to read past messages beyond a specific date. If you’re just working with a smaller team, you should be able to get by with the free version of Slack without having to upgrade.
Trello
Based off of the Kanban method of project management, Trello is a powerful tool that you and your team members can immediately begin using. There is a very short learning curve, and most people are up and running in a matter of minutes.
However, this doesn’t mean that Trello is a one-trick pony. There are many unique project management features that you can configure to help you and your team members stay focused.
Attachments, adding members, due dates, and highly configurable email reminders are just a few of the many robust features that Trello offers. The basic version of Trello is free; however, if your team requires more functionality, you can always upgrade to their business class.
BaseCamp
Basecamp was always popular, but with the advent of remote working, it’s quickly become an essential project management tool. If you and your team require more functionality than a basic Slack or Trello account can provide, Basecamp is the next obvious choice.
It’s for organizations and individuals who require a robust set of project management features such as client portals, idea management, milestone tracking, and powerful collaboration tools. It allows you to manage projects as well as an entire team.
Basecamp comes with a flat monthly subscription fee—no matter how many team members you have. You’re allowed to have unlimited projects, users, and given full access to all features.
Monday.com
Monday.com is another project management tool designed for teams who need more than just basic functionality. This cloud-based PM software will help you manage both your team members and projects smoothly and efficiently. Gantt charts and timelines are only a few of the many features that will ensure that workflow and team handovers run smoothly.
Monday.com helps eliminate the often-confusing chain of re:re:re: emails that most projects accumulate. Using your email inbox as a document repository is challenging at best. Monday allows you to keep all of your project information and collateral in an easy to use, centralized location. You and your team members can also automate your manual workflows, thereby freeing up everyone’s time from having to perform manual tasks.
Wrike
Cloud-based project management tools, such as Wrike, offer users a robust set of tools that will enable them to manage their projects and coordinate with team members. Best of all, you can access the software anywhere you or your team members go—in the office, at home, or even on your phone while at lunch.
Time tracking, timeline views, and automated notifications are just some of the many productivity features that Wrike offers. It also comes with several 3rd party integrations that help extend its usefulness and functionality. It’s free for up to five users—which provides limited functionality. Paid plans start at $9.80 per user, per month, and come with the entire suite of productivity and collaboration tools.
Marketing Help in Raleigh
We hope this blog post has provided you with a few ideas on how you can more efficiently manage both projects and teams while working remotely. If you have a question or need help with your marketing, give the experts at AlphaGraphics of Downtown Raleigh a call.
At AlphaGraphics of Downtown Raleigh, we’re much more than a print shop. We’re also marketing experts who you can count on to help you when it comes time to market your business. To learn more about how AlphaGraphics of Downtown Raleigh can help with your content graphic design and marketing needs, you may
email us,
request a quote, or call us at
(919) 832-2828.