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Key Takeaways

What is a Project Management Application?: A project management application helps teams organize tasks, track progress, and manage resources for streamlined project execution.

Why PMs Rely on Project Management Apps: PM apps offer real-time tracking and reporting to help project managers stay on schedule and handle issues proactively.

Key Features to Look For in PM Software: Task management, collaboration, and scheduling features are essential for keeping teams organized and projects on track.

Finding the Right App: Choose a PM tool that aligns with your project scope, methodology, and team’s workflow for maximum productivity.

When tasks slip through the cracks, deadlines are missed, or team communication falters, it can be tough to keep projects on track. This is where project management applications come into play.

This guide will walk you through what project management applications are, their most valuable features, and how to choose the right one for your unique project needs (using our evaluation criteria for project management software).

What Is A Project Management Application?

A project management application is a software tool designed to help project managers and project teams plan, coordinate, and execute tasks that need to be completed.

They can also be used to monitor and report on project progress for multiple projects at a time and provide insights into what needs to be done to keep projects on track.

Some of the most common features of project management software include: 

  • Task management and tracking
  • Project planning and Gantt charts
  • Document sharing
  • Team collaboration tools
  • Timeline management
  • Resource management

These key features should be part of your requirements checklist for project management systems.

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Why Do Project Managers Need Project Management Applications?

Project managers tend to use project management software and applications to keep track of their project status in real-time, as these tools tend to provide a clear overview of what needs to be done, how long it will take, and what resources are necessary.

Reporting capabilities can also help project managers to quickly spot potential issues or delays and address them before they become a problem. Having all the critical information and metrics in one place enables project managers to make informed decisions to optimize their processes and keep projects on track.

What Is The Best Project Management Application?

The best project management tools for you depends mainly on the type of projects you are working on and your needs.

Each of the best project management software offers different features and capabilities and work best with different project management methodologies, so it's essential to consider what you need to ensure successful project completion.

It's important to consider usability and how steep the learning curve is as well, as a difficult-to-use PM software takes longer to get up and running and can impact productivity.

What Are Some Of The Applications Of Project Management?

Project management is applicable to a variety of different situations, from small businesses to large corporations.

Some of the most common uses for project management include:

  • Task Management: Tracking what tasks need to be completed, what progress has been made on them, and who is responsible for each individual task.
  • Project Planning: Planning what resources need to be allocated, what project timeline needs to be followed, and creating a project schedule of what milestones need to be achieved.
  • Risk Management: Identifying potential risks that could derail a project and coming up with strategies for managing them.
  • Resource Management: Determining the best resource allocation, including organizing your team members, can help your team to better complete tasks and create a more effective project overall.
  • Reporting: Generating reports to gather and provide insights from project data about what’s going on with a project.

No matter what type of project you are working on, having a good project management solution can be invaluable in helping you stay organized and on track.

Need expert help selecting the right Project Management Software?

If you’re struggling to choose the right software, let us help you. Just share your needs in the form below and you’ll get free access to our dedicated software advisors who match and connect you with the best vendors for your needs.

Project Management Applications Help With Project Success

Find our list of the best project management applications here, and be on your way to choosing the right solution for your projects.

Ben Aston

I’m Ben Aston, a digital project manager and founder of thedpm.com. I've been in the industry for more than 20 years working in the UK at London’s top digital agencies including Dare, Wunderman, Lowe and DDB. I’ve delivered everything from film to CMS', games to advertising and eCRM to eCommerce sites. I’ve been fortunate enough to work across a wide range of great clients; automotive brands including Land Rover, Volkswagen and Honda; Utility brands including BT, British Gas and Exxon, FMCG brands such as Unilever, and consumer electronics brands including Sony. I'm a Certified Scrum Master, PRINCE2 Practitioner and productivity nut!