Project management systems can be game changers in your communication flows, your productivity and even employee morale—when used correctly. We’ll cover what a project management system is, discuss some criteria to help you choose the right system for your business, and review the pros and cons of some of the most popular project management software.
A project management system is an essential tool that organizations use to plan, execute, monitor, control and close projects. With the right project management system, teams can successfully deliver projects on time, within budget and with maximum efficiency
As projects grow more complex, having a robust project management system becomes critical to organizational success. Companies that implement effective PM systems see improvements in productivity, collaboration, visibility and risk management. This allows them to gain a competitive advantage in their industry.
In this comprehensive guide. we will cover everything you need to know about project management systems. including
What is a Project Management System?
A project management system refers to the frameworks, methodologies, processes tools and techniques used to manage the various phases of a project. It provides structure and guidance for planning scheduling, resource allocation, collaboration, communication, budgeting, forecasting and reporting.
The core elements of a PM system include:
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Project planning tools – Gantt charts, work breakdown structures, network diagrams etc. to map out project activities.
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Task management – Creating, assigning, tracking and reporting on tasks.
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Time tracking – Tracking time spent on tasks for billing and payroll.
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Resource management – Managing teams, allocating resources and optimizing workload.
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Collaboration tools – Managing communication and file sharing between team members.
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Dashboards and reports – Tracking project health, budgets, issues and risks.
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Processes and methodologies – Standard operating procedures for executing projects consistently.
The right project management system centralizes all this information to provide real-time visibility into the status of projects.
Types of Project Management Systems
Project management systems come in many forms:
Project Management Software
Specialized tools like Asana, Wrike, Smartsheet and monday.com that are purpose-built for managing projects. They contain features like Gantt charts, Kanban boards, time tracking, resource management and custom reporting.
Custom In-House Systems
Large enterprises sometimes build custom PM systems tailored to their needs by integrating various applications like JIRA, Tableau, Microsoft Project etc.
Manual/Spreadsheet-Based Systems
Using spreadsheet software like Excel or paper-based methods to track projects. This works for very small teams but does not scale well.
Agile-Specific Tools
Solutions like JIRA, Trello and VersionOne built specifically for agile development teams following scrum, kanban etc.
Key Features of Project Management Systems
Modern project management systems share some key capabilities:
- Task management – Break down projects into tasks, set due dates, assign owners and track progress.
- Gantt charts – Visually map out project schedules with dependencies and milestones.
- Time tracking – Log hours spent on tasks for billing and payroll.
- Resource management – Manage team members and their workloads.
- Dashboards – At-a-glance views of project health, budgets, issues etc.
- Collaboration – Team communication, file sharing and feedback gathering.
- Custom reporting – Reports on budgets, progress, roadblocks etc.
- Integration – Connect to other business systems like email, documents, spreadsheets etc.
- Security – User access controls and data encryption.
Additional capabilities like portfolio management, demand management, risk analysis, automated workflows and AI/ML can also be found in some advanced systems.
Benefits of Using a Project Management System
There are many advantages to implementing a comprehensive PM system:
- Increased efficiency – Automation, workflows and centralized data improve productivity.
- Better collaboration – Smooth communication across locations and departments.
- Enhanced visibility – Real-time status updates on project health.
- Consistent processes – Standardized ways of working lead to repeatable results.
- Improved resource management – Optimal utilization of teams and assets.
- Reduced risks – Early warning signs of issues that threaten budgets or timelines.
- Data-driven decisions – Analytics and metrics provide actionable insights.
- Higher ROI – Projects deliver maximum business value.
According to research, organizations with mature PM systems complete 80% more projects successfully compared to low maturity organizations.
Who Needs a Project Management System?
While initially adopted mainly by engineering and construction firms, project management systems today are utilized across domains including:
- Software development
- Marketing and advertising
- Consulting and professional services
- Financial services
- Manufacturing
- IT and telecom
- Healthcare
- Government
Projectized organizations where a significant portion of work is delivered via projects tend to derive the most benefit from PM systems. However, any team that manages multiple priorities and deadlines can benefit from increased visibility and coordination enabled by a basic system.
Choosing the Right Project Management System
With so many options available, here are some tips for selecting a PM system:
- Gather requirements from all stakeholders including team members, managers and executives
- Evaluate solutions against must-have and nice-to-have features
- Ensure ease of use and quick time-to-value
- Check for strong access controls and data security
- Opt for open API and extensive integrations
- Choose a vendor with excellent customer support
- Start with a pilot before organization-wide rollout
It is also crucial to get stakeholder buy-in during the evaluation and change management processes.
Getting the Most Out of Your PM System
To maximize the impact of your project management system:
- Provide adequate training and support to users
- Define standard project management processes and methodologies
- Encourage adoption by demonstrating business value
- Continuously gather user feedback for enhancements
- Keep the system updated and integrated with other tools
- Use data from the system to improve project delivery
By taking a strategic approach, an organization can transform the way teams work and boost productivity, visibility and results across all projects.
The Future of Project Management Systems
Some interesting trends in PM systems include:
- Artificial intelligence – Automating routine tasks and providing intelligent insights.
- Advanced analytics – Leveraging data science for forecasting and optimization.
- Slack/chat integrations – Collaboration where teams already work.
- Mobile access – Managing projects on-the-go.
- User experience focus – Consumer-grade interfaces for adoption.
- Enterprise agility – Scaling agile practices across the organization.
As projects grow more complex and distributed, technology will play an even greater role in project delivery. Adopting a modern, feature-rich PM system today will prepare your organization for continued success.
Key Takeaways
- A project management system centralizes tools, templates, workflows and data to standardize and automate project execution.
- Benefits include increased efficiency, coordination, oversight and results.
- Core components include task management, Gantt charts, time tracking, resource management and reporting.
- Leading solutions offer a robust feature set with a user-friendly interface.
- Careful evaluation and change management are key to successful PM system adoption.
- AI, analytics and integrations highlight key development areas for vendors.
Implementing a high-quality PM system is one of the best investments an organization can make to build project management maturity. With the right solution in place, teams are set up for a dramatic improvement in performance and results.
What is a project management system?
A project management (PM) system is a tool, supported by technology, that helps streamline and organize business operations. A PM tool can focus on one area of a business, such as marketing, or extend out into all areas, from production to inventory and operations to IT and beyond. You might visualize it like a hub where team tasks are recorded, accessed, and measured.
What are project management systems used for?
There are multiple uses for project management systems. Some of the most common uses include these:
- Task management
- Workflow management and automation
- Project scheduling
- Project planning
- Team collaboration
- File sharing
Project management systems can be simple or complex, so this is by no means an exhaustive list of what they can do. Because they’re intended to be a centralized location for collaboration and project discussion, one business’s project management setup can look very different from another’s.
Let’s look at an example of how a project management system might work across departments:
A new product is being launched. Steps have to be taken in your production, accounting, and operational departments to support the rollout. Additionally, your design and development teams have to add it to the website and get the e-commerce pieces working.
On the other side of the building, your marketing team is creating tasks around social media launches, in-person events, and digital advertising. Each of these moving parts are all large undertakings and contingent, in many ways, upon the moving pieces of others.
Development, marketing, accounting, and other departments can each create boards within a project management software for their fragments of the project. They can input tasks into those boards and even connect the boards to sync related tasks across departments or put requests in front of the right people—say marketing needs the design and development teams to create a website component for product launch.
To help them better track their own workflow as tasks move from person to person, individual team members from each department can create personalized, filtered views within project boards. And managers can create similar views for reporting or more targeted supervision.
Many project management solutions also have data dashboard options, so managers can use task fields and reporting views to create charts, progress bars, and other visual elements for an at-a-glance look at project progress and check in on tasks that have fallen behind.
What Is Project Management Software?
What is a project management system?
A project management system is a model for overseeing the execution of a project. It can provide a framework for managing expectations, delegating responsibilities and creating procedures. A project management system may use specialized project management software or make use of common professional software packages.
What is project management software?
Project management software is designed to help businesses and individuals track projects, tasks and schedules. The core value of this kind of software is its ability to bring structure to complexity. It’s a great tool for staying organized and ensuring your team remains on task and aligned with project objectives.
What is project management & how does it work?
Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements. It’s the practice of planning, organizing, and executing the tasks needed to turn a brilliant idea into a tangible product, service, or deliverable. Key aspects of project management include:
What is a project management solution?
These can include general software applications such as spreadsheets and email applications, or specific project management applications such as Wrike. For that reason, you might also hear this referred to as a project management solution. It can be used for many aspects of the project, including:
