We use a number of commercial software solutions in project management. In this article we discuss tools for scheduling, task management and business diagrams.
Scheduling We have used MS Project for many years for developing and managing schedules and resources. In recent months we have looked at alternatives including Project Libre (a free, open-source application) and Project Plan 365 (a subscription-based application very similar to and compatible with MS Project). We have concluded that MS Project remains the best application for us and we have upgraded to MS Project Professional 2021. We also use Office Timeline (a Powerpoint add-in) which produces very nice looking GANTT charts and can interface with MS Project. Milestones Professional is an interesting and more powerful alternative to Office Timeline which we are considering for future use.
Task Management We are currently trialling ClickUp (the latest version 3.0) which is a sophisticated task management tool for projet teams. There are many similar tools out there (e.g. Trello, Monday, ATMS). But we like ClickUp. The pricing model includes a very usable free tier. The interface is highly configurable. We expect that Click-up will become an integral part of our working practise.
Business Diagrams We use MS Visio Professional 2021 for creating business diagrams including organisation charts, flow charts mindmaps et al. It is easy to use and there are literally thousands of customisable shapes out there. There are lower cost alternatives (e.g. My Draw) but we continue to like Visio.
