Projects are difficult because of the many deliverables, deadlines, and resources. Project managers (PMs) have their work cut out for them, so any assistance is helpful. Digital project management tools can greatly enhance tracking and organization, making them highly beneficial for any team. These digital tools can be easily implemented into a project, streamlining work and ensuring it stays within the timeline and budget. Below, we dive into the benefits of three digital project management tools: Jira, Smartsheet, and Monday.com, plus highlight the experience our Clarkston experts have had using them. 

Managing Projects  

Project management is challenging. It is complex due to a lot of moving parts with a purpose to meet a defined goal/requirements. Along with that are high-level phases that require PMs to have versatile skills. For example, the planning phase requires PMs to analyze the budget, scope, and resources. The PM’s responsibilities switch in the coordinating and monitoring phases to communicating with the team to provide status updates while also managing tasks and risks. 

Tools can be used to help the managers in these phases and execute tasks. Some PMs use Excel because it’s familiar and easily accessible; however, it doesn’t have near the advanced capabilities that digital tools have. Using digital tools can be more effective in assisting with all project management activities. 

Digital Project Management Tools Benefits 

The benefits of digital tools are significant. These tools can be integrated into the whole project, a workstream, or certain deliverables. No matter which way, you will see the same benefits.  

1. Tracking: A primary benefit is that the tools enable easy tracking of the timeline, deliverable due dates, and budget. In turn, there is better communication amongst the team. Improved tracking enables more effective use of the tools’ other features and capabilities.
2. Reporting: These tools offer reporting features that facilitate more frequent data-driven planning. For example, a PM can view historical task data collected by the tool and make informed decisions on resource utilization and allocation, timelines, and more for an upcoming phase. Another benefit is that visuals can be easily created for executive updates on statuses. 
3. Structured Workflow: Digital project management tools offer a structured workflow and timeline to monitor the team’s progress and scope creep. Additionally, deadlines attached to statuses hold teams accountable. 
4. Centralized Data: Having a digital tool keeps all data centralized, which results in saved time for training and knowledge transfer. Everyone has access to deliverables, so there is less back and forth between people or teams about information. Anyone can jump into the project and understand what has been done to complete their tasks.
5. Improved Agile Processes: Finally, the use of digital project management tools can enhance the agile methodology and its associated benefits. Agile principles of prioritization, collaboration, and planning are better facilitated by a centralized tool, especially those designed for the methodology.

Digital Project Management Tools 

Jira, Smartsheet, and Monday.com are commonly used and popular digital tools. They all have a similar purpose: to plan, track, and manage tasks. These tools, while helpful, will not make a project perfect. You get out what you put into the tool. However, the more detailed and organized the backlog, tasks, and sprints are, the more beneficial the tool will be. Below, we explore these tools in more detail: 

Jira 

Jira is best used for agile projects, specifically for software development teams. Having a team or workstream use it will get the most out of Jira’s capabilities while not trying to stretch what it can do. Jira is great for more detailed status updates with its reporting features and centralized data. 

For a retail client, Clarkston used Jira to run a data and analytics team, executing both new project work and ongoing support. The team consolidated all new development and bug fix work into a single backlog, enabling prioritization with the business to ensure that the team focused on the highest-priority work, not just defects or new reports. The unified backlog supported the growing team as new developers could quickly see all that was in flight and find ways to contribute. Standups were more effectively managed with Jira’s filtering capabilities and status tracking.  

The Clarkston team also integrated Jira with Slack. This enabled easier status reporting and introduced the ability for the business to submit new tasks via a form. The team helped the client team continuously execute work while introducing incremental process changes to optimize their workflow. 

Jira is optimized for smaller, agile projects or teams using this methodology. While you can implement Jira when hybrid methodologies are used, you may not get the same benefits.  

Smartsheet 

Smartsheet is a more comprehensive solution that works well for larger projects, regardless of the methodology used, due to its planning and tracking features. One Smartsheet developer said it’s “like a natural transition from Excel. It’s more user-friendly but still has the same familiar interface that makes onboarding easy.” Smartsheet magnifies the tracking, reporting, and structured workflow benefits that digital tools provide. 

Clarkston used Smartsheet to manage an ERP logistics project. It supported timeline management, sprint management, test management, a traceability matrix, and hypercare tracking. Because of Smartsheet’s intuitive UI, the PM expected the team to understand the basics of Smartsheet, and with each new phase, a new component or feature was introduced. This allowed Smartsheet to extend its support for project management as the team learned how to use the tool more effectively. The PM experienced numerous time-saving benefits by not having to create reports and status updates due to Smartsheet’s capabilities to pull together metrics. Additionally, automation smoothly facilitated updates, and the dashboard was easily linked to various sheets.  

Smartsheet is best suited for bigger projects to assist in getting started with planning. Smartsheet has the capabilities to track all aspects of phases and is easy to use, making it a good tool for anyone beginning with project management tools.  

Monday.com 

Monday.com is best used for smaller projects, as it has a learning curve. It has great capabilities for marketing and software development. Following the agile methodology, along with organization and tracking, will benefit you the most when using Monday.com. 

Clarkston used Monday.com to enhance marketing work on a project. The team used Monday.com’s social media planner. It was effective in planning social media posts and featured a calendar layout for easy viewing. This made tracking straightforward. However, the team needed more time to get used to reporting, exporting, and grouping in Monday.com, as these tasks were more complex than in other tools. The team found they were spending a significant amount of time managing tasks within the tool, which suggested that tools should align with and support project delivery. If a tool adds unnecessary complexity, it may be worth reevaluating how it’s being used. 

Monday.com is optimized for marketing work as its features are advanced. The more familiar you are with Monday.com, the bigger the scale you can use it on. Starting with marketing or development projects is a beneficial way to begin with this tool. 

Improving Project Management with Digital Tools 

While the tools can improve project management, it’s the underlying process that truly drives success. These tools can help optimize and streamline workflows, but they don’t manage them. That’s why strong project management processes are essential. It’s the project manager, the team, and the overall methodology that determine how to best leverage digital tools, deciding which ones to use and how to use them most effectively. 

Learn more about our Project Management Consulting Services.