Project Management Software
- Brian Endicott
- Mar 31, 2023
- 4 min read
Creating a more collaborative and engaged remote team
Are you struggling to manage your team's workload? Are your internal communications and processes all over the place? Then do I have a story for you!
If there's anything that the COVID lockdown should have taught us, it's that absence makes the heart grow fonder... no? The reality of work is far more complicated. Let me take you back.
Beginning sometime around 2016, after a leadership change in marketing, the workload for creative work in our department grew exponentially. After being somewhat siloed for years, we were opened up to a more collaborative and request-heavy world with the rest of the corporation. This was both exciting and daunting. It didn't take long to realize a more fluid and detailed process was needed to ensure we were meeting the company's needs.
To schedule and plan for all of the new requests, including identifying key project information and tracking their position in our internal processes, I implemented and began to use a project management software called Nozbe.
Nozbe, a project management desktop app in the Apple app store, had a free plan that allowed us to begin recording and tracking requests in a more detailed and transparent way. Gone were the days of lists on the old notepad. We used the software to create project classifications that allowed us to begin organizing each request. From there, we worked on identifying a project workflow that helped move each request through our required internal processes. This included identifying everything from the project initiator, regulatory sign-off, approvals, and any potential external partners involved.
To say it was a game changer, albeit cliché, would be an understatement. This software carried our team through years of work. It allowed us to bring the functional organization we needed to build out structured team interactions while ensuring communication was consistent and thorough. Anytime questions about a project came up; we had the answer. We were set! Then came 2019.
Another leadership change led to dramatic changes in the department, including shifts in strategic direction and our working relationship with the rest of the company. What remained of any siloing was finally and inextricably demolished. The floodgates had been opened. Our workload increased even further, and with it, we identified a need for even greater collaboration and improved processes. After some back and forth with our leadership, it was determined it was time to implement a more robust software that would meet the needs of the moment. With the team in agreement, I set out on a discovery process, reviewing a multitude of software options that fit the mold. Trello, Jira, Asana, Basecamp, and Wrike were the software options I chose to focus on. Each one has its pros and cons.
The List:
Trello - I was already familiar with Trello. I used it on two previous occasions, collaborating with team members personally. Trello popularized the tiled project workflow system, and its free option certainly was an attractive element of the software. But, the software wasn't as robust as we were looking for, and it felt too "open-source" for what we wanted.
Jira - A favorite of our Microsoft IT team, I put Jira through its paces. The adoption seemed OK, but the software itself seemed like it was geared more toward an IT ticketing system. It didn't have the marketing and creative workflow feel we were looking for.
Asana - One of the more popular options, Asana had the bones of good marketing and creative project management software, BUT the cost was immense. After a trial period, we were concerned that user onboarding and adoption might be an issue.
Basecamp - I had previously used Basecamp twice in my 12 years at the company, and I can tell each time I HATED this software. The UX feels clunky and overly complicated. While every project management software has plenty of options for users to interact with the software and their projects, this software, to me, by far was the worst I had used.
Wrike - This software was new to me, so the trial period was important. I worked with the Wrike team to review capabilities and pricing, and the plugin options seemed viable for future needs. The only barriers identified at the time were cost and the fact that Wrike was relatively new. This meant that the software was going through relatively frequent updates while trying to play catch-up with its competitors.
The clear winner for us was Wrike.
After weeks of trial, I pulled together a report to provide feedback to our new leadership. After some discussion, we settled on the software I felt I could comfortably recommend for various reasons. It had the robust collaboration tools we needed. It allowed us to scale the user base with the team or the entire company, It added radical transparency to our project load and workflow, all at a price we could easily sustain.
Wrike's onboarding team was thorough, and user adoption, after several meetings, was fast and seamless. With our team adapting to Wrike and a new work method, we convinced other internal teams to use the software.
This was all to our benefit, especially during the lockdown and COVID. With our team spread out across the country, and both offices closed to in-person work, Wrike allowed us to continue to push out our projects without missing a beat.
Three years of vetting and using project management software has reinforced a few key takeaways that should be true for any creative or marketing team.
Detailed processes for project creation and tracking are key to the success of any team. Your workload will ebb and flow throughout the year; it's important to ensure that those processes guide the team as a foundation for any work.
Consistent collaboration, even at a distance, builds a strong team generating a creative ideating machine! Keep the lines of communication open to everyone on the team, and you will be all the better for it.
Radical Transparency should always be the core value of your team. Transparency builds trust, and trust builds openness. Your team should feel open to offering ideas and objections during collaboration and the process.
Project management certainly helped our team in many ways, but in the end, it's up to you to build your team in a way that works well for you and the culture of your company.
Which project management software do you use?
Trello
Jira
Asana
Basecamp
You can vote for more than one answer.
This blog was not sponsored by any of the brands mentioned in the content.
© 2023 Brian Endicott
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