Project managers face seven difficulties when implementing PM tools.

Even the simplest project, be it IT development, construction, or engineering, can be challenging to start and complete. Going through all project stages efficiently without proper management is even more demanding. As tedious as it may seem, having the right tools can simplify the required tasks and streamline your workflow.

In this post, we explain what the tools for project management are, why PMs should use them, and which tools for project management can help complete projects efficiently.

This article tackles 7 challenges, problems, and issues that project managers may face when using project management tools. By understanding these challenges and developing strategies to address them, project managers can maximize the benefits of these tools and enhance their team’s effectiveness.What Are the Tools for Project Management?

A project management tool is an app or online service designed to help with the following:

Project planning and implementation

Resource allocation and distribution

Setting up and optimizing schedules

With such solutions, single-project managers or entire teams can monitor budgets, better manage quality, and exchange documents and other important data between departments or colleagues.

A product management solution is usually a unified collaboration platform that simplifies communication, task synchronization, and reporting between project teams.

The variety of metrics and activities that a project manager needs to track while completing a project goes from, for example, server hardware updates to the budget distribution. Therefore, when you compare different project management tools, consider the availability of the required monitoring and management functions in your tool of choice.

Considering the following functionality list can help you choose the most suitable project management tools available to use:

Task listing/to-do lists: The opportunity to set up and assign tasks and update every task status is critical to keep the team synced while proceeding with the project.

Communication: Project management tools that enable convenient, fast, and smooth communication between team members helps to keep track of tasks and ideas, as well as to solve problems appearing while working on the project.

Scheduling: A built-in customizable calendar, milestone table, or Gantt chart can help you monitor the current progress per task and the entire project and distribute the remaining time more efficiently.

Data sharing: Organizing quick access and sharing space for project documentation and other critical data can save much time and effort for your team.

Reporting: Regular updates on the progress of every department are critical for PMs to keep track of the available and working resources. Additionally, a project manager who wants to ensure the progress tempo is satisfying will benefit from the all-in-one reports functionality in the project management tool.

It goes without saying that a PM’s work can become more efficient with the right tool. When you have all the necessary functions, features, and metrics in one solution, along with reminders and automated reports, time saved, on data collection and paperwork can be invested in analytics and optimization for future projects.

But the project manager has to address and tackle challenges and issues when adopting project management tools.

1. Overcoming Resistance to Change

One of the biggest challenges when introducing project management tools is getting team members to adopt and use them. Many people resist change, and some may feel threatened by the introduction of new tools. How can project managers overcome resistance and encourage buy-in from their team?

Case study: Paymo

Using Paymo, project managers and independent contractors can manage their projects through all of the project's phases, including planning, estimating, and closing. This includes sending invoices to clients and collecting payments online.

Dealing with this problem of resistance to change is more challenging because it is psychological and behavioral in nature and doesn't involve practical issues. However, as a manager, you can encourage a behavioral change in your team, however small it may be initially, by outlining the advantages of project management tools, time tracking, and task management.

2. Integration with Existing Systems

Many organizations have existing software and systems that they use for project management. Project managers must find tools to integrate with these systems to avoid duplication of effort and data entry errors. What are the challenges of integrating project management tools with existing systems, and how can these challenges be overcome?

Case study: MeisterTask

MeisterTask distinguishes itself from other agile management tools by implementing the Kanban board approach. The app enables easy management and resource distribution thanks to a comprehensive set of teamwork optimization features.

MeisterTask makes it easy to work together on projects with coworkers by allowing you to schedule tasks, assign tags, monitor their progress, and mention one another to stay in touch as needed. Also included in this solution is the ability for each team member to have a task board with tasks attached to it. The organization and scheduling of the tasks can then be adjusted to reflect changes in the project's progress or individual timetables.

3. Complexity and Learning Curve:

Some project management tools can be complex and difficult to learn. This can be a significant barrier to adoption, especially for team members who are not technically savvy. How can project managers address the complexity and learning curve of project management tools?

Case study: Trello

For those just getting started with project management, another well-known and well-liked option is Trello. Coworkers can communicate with one another within a task card, board, or list, comment on problems, and share information inside the platform thanks to numerous collaboration features.

With the exception of its automation features, Trello's learning curve is minimal because it is simple to use and learn.

4. Customization and Flexibility:

Project management tools may not always fit the specific needs of a project or team. Project managers need customizable and flexible tools to adapt to their unique requirements. What are the challenges of customization and flexibility in project management tools, and how can project managers address them?

Case study: ClickUp

Attempting to be more than just a tool, ClickUp is a project management program. A unified platform for PMs is created by this solution's combination of various features.

Project management capabilities, team member to-do lists, collaborative spreadsheets, document storage, and display recording software are just a few of the features that are combined in one tool called ClickUp. With the help of calendars, lists, Gantt charts, and boards, the solution gives you the ability to make intricate project visuals.

5. Compatibility and Interoperability

Different project management tools may use different file formats, communication protocols, and data structures. This can make it challenging to share data and collaborate across tools. What are the challenges of compatibility and interoperability, and how can project managers address them?

Case study: Jira

Jira, arguably the most well-known agile management tool, was developed to accelerate the creation of software solutions and goods. The idea behind agile development is to continuously improve software rather than launching a major update all at once.

Jira has a variety of unique capabilities as the solution designed for development organizations. An issue, which can be a bug fix, a project task, etc., is a fundamental component of Jira and represents the type of task that the team is currently working on.

6. Cost

Many project management tools are expensive, especially those that are designed for large organizations or enterprise-level projects. This can be a challenge for smaller teams or organizations with limited budgets. What are some cost-effective project management tools, and how can project managers balance costs with benefits?

Case study: nTask

Project management software called nTask has built-in features for scheduling meetings and keeping track of time.

You can use nTask to divide the overall workload for the team into various workspaces, each with a specific task to complete. The solution allows for the setting of productivity features for tasks, including scheduled deadlines, actual start and completion dates, task-specific to-do lists, and a comment section.

7. Data Security and Privacy

Project management tools often store sensitive data, such as project plans, budgets, and stakeholder information. This data must be kept secure and private, especially in regulated industries such as healthcare or finance. What are data security and privacy challenges in project management tools, and how can project managers ensure compliance with regulations and best practices?

Case study: Nakivo Backup & Replication

With NAKIVO's comprehensive solution, you can create automated workflows for incremental app-aware backup, recovery, and replication in a variety of disaster scenarios.

Project development heavily depends on data that teams produce, process, and store, in addition to project management tools that facilitate and streamline team collaboration. The IT infrastructure that the team develops and makes use of to work conveniently, effectively, and quickly is another essential component of the project.

Conclusion

Project management tools like Paymo, MeisterTask, ClickUp, Jira, Trello, and nTask can help you organize work for your team to keep every member productive and finish tasks on time. Various features in various tools make them suitable for different projects, and all these help solve challenges project managers face.

Also, you might want to take care of the project’s data protection. With the disaster recovery solution from NAKIVO, you can configure regular data backup and smooth recovery of entire IT infrastructures regardless of their type and size.

Every tool presented in this post has a free version: use that opportunity to test them all and choose the tool that suits the needs of your team and current project the most.