Tools for Project Preparation and Delivery

July 26, 2023

Project management presents intricate challenges, but adopting the right tools can significantly streamline workflows and enhance collaboration among colleagues. This article highlights essential tools that aid in project preparation and delivery, ensuring each phase and task is executed with precision and quality.

Messaging Platforms

Messaging platforms facilitate instant communication among project team members, enabling swift message exchanges and idea discussions. They expedite responses to changes and issues, optimizing work coordination. These platforms also support file sharing, including images, design layouts, reports, and other relevant materials, simplifying collaborative file management. Group chats and team discussions further fortify communication, reducing decision-making timelines.Messengers also serve as effective notification channels, reminding participants of task deadlines and critical project milestones. Integrating with task management systems, schedulers, and time-tracking tools, they forge a link between communication and specific tasks while facilitating task management and progress monitoring.

Prominent Choices
Slack

A widely embraced work communication and collaboration platform boasting a robust feature set, including project communication channels, tool integration, and file sharing capabilities.

Approximate Cost $8.75 per user per month

WhatsApp Business

A tailored version of the popular WhatsApp messenger catering to business communication needs, encompassing features for business chats, customer interactions, and brand management.

Cost Free

Telegram

A versatile messenger embraced by both individuals and businesses, offering encrypted messaging, group chat creation, and support for diverse media formats.

Cost Free

Microsoft Teams

A comprehensive messenger and collaboration tool by Microsoft, offering text, voice, and video communication options, along with seamless integration with Microsoft applications and services.

Approximate Cost $6.00 per user per month

Google Hangouts

A messenger facilitated by Google, integrating with Gmail and Google Calendar, providing text messaging, video conferencing, and document collaboration features.

Cost Free

Cloud Storage Solutions

Cloud storage centralizes project data, including documents, files, images, videos, and audio recordings, making information accessible to all project participants irrespective of their location, thereby promoting effective collaboration and file sharing. The platforms facilitate concurrent file editing, commenting, and real-time collaboration, elevating communication and collaboration within project teams. Automatic data backups shield information from loss or damage, bolstered by encryption and access controls to ensure data security. Scalability in storage capacity aligns with evolving project needs without grappling with physical space constraints on local servers or storage devices. Particularly beneficial for remote teams or geographically dispersed participants, cloud storage ensures seamless access to project data from diverse devices connected to the internet.

Leading Players
Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3)

A highly scalable, reliable cloud storage solution by Amazon Web Services (AWS), adept at data storage, retrieval, and remote access.

Approximate Cost $115 for 5 TB/month

Google Cloud Storage

Google's scalable and dependable cloud storage service, offering rapid data access and integration with other Google Cloud services.

Approximate Cost $115 for 5 TB/month

Azure Blob Storage

Microsoft Azure's versatile cloud storage offering, accommodating a wide array of data types, including text files, images, and videos.

Approximate Cost $90 for 5 TB/month

Dropbox

A widely recognized file storage and synchronization service, combining collaboration and document sharing features.

Approximate Cost $15 for 5 TB/month

Box

Another reputable data storage and collaboration platform, emphasizing secure file storage, access controls, and collaborative work.

Approximate Cost $15 for 5 TB/month

Activity Boards

An activity board acts as a visual representation of project progress, offering insights into ongoing work. It serves multiple purposes:

• Progress Tracking

Displaying task status, providing a project overview, and estimating completion timeframes.

• Priority Management

Facilitating identification and reshuffling of tasks based on priority.

• Enhanced Communication

Enabling information sharing, idea exchange, and issue resolution.

• Deadline and Dependency Management

Visualizing task dependencies and deadlines to prevent delays.

• Productivity Assessment

Gauging work efficiency and swiftly addressing concerns.

In essence, an activity board streamlines work organization, progress tracking, collaboration, and successful project completion.

Key Players
Miro

An online visual collaboration platform catering to various needs, including brainstorming, diagram creation, and real-time collaboration.

Approximate Cost $10.00 per month

Lucidchart

A diagramming and visual modeling platform offering collaboration features, facilitating the creation of workflow diagrams and project plans.

Approximate Cost $7.95 per user per month

MURAL

A platform fostering creativity through digital whiteboards and brainstorming sessions, promoting virtual collaboration.

Approximate Cost $9.99 per user per month

InVision

A versatile platform for designers and developers, facilitating interactive prototype creation, design reviews, and team collaboration.

Approximate Cost $4.95 per user per month

Figma

A comprehensive design and collaboration tool enabling real-time creation and commenting on design files.

Approximate Cost $45.00 per user per month

Backlog Tracking Systems

A backlog tracker efficiently manages and tracks project backlog items. It serves several purposes:

• Task Planning and Prioritization

Structuring tasks, setting priorities, and determining work cycle contents.

• Change Management

Tracking new requirements, adding tasks to the backlog, and managing their lifecycle.

• Resource and Time Planning

Estimating workload, identifying dependencies, and pre-allocating resources.

• Feedback and Discussion Medium

Enabling comments, suggestions, and questions related to tasks.

A backlog tracker adeptly orchestrates backlog management, task planning, change adaptation, and transparent project execution.

Prominent Contenders
Trello

A versatile online platform for project and task management, facilitating the creation of lists, cards, and labels for organized work.

Approximate Cost $6.00 per user per month

Jira

A software development tool with robust activity board features, encompassing bug tracking, scheduling, and release management functionalities.

Approximate Cost $77.50 per month

Monday.com

A project management platform that provides flexible activity boards, enabling task card creation, deadline setting, progress tracking, and collaboration.

Approximate Cost $10.00 per user per month

Asana

A popular task and project management solution featuring activity boards, project and task creation, subtask management, and collaboration features.

Approximate Cost $13.49 per user per month

Notion

A comprehensive collaboration platform with activity board capabilities, facilitating dynamic templates, task and project organization, and tool integration.

Approximate Cost $10.00 per user per month

Visual Feedback Collection Systems

Utilizing a visual feedback collection system, such as GoComment, during project delivery to clients serves several objectives:

• Gathering Enhancements and Recommendations

Clients contribute improvement suggestions, recommendations, and insights for product or process advancement.

• Bug Rectification and Enhancement Facilitation

Clients pinpoint specific fixes or enhancements required, highlighting errors, gaps, or inconsistencies.

• Fficiency via Task Automation

Automating task creation for bug fixes and enhancements.

Overall, a visual feedback collection system during project delivery aids in evaluating work quality, identifying improvements, resolving issues, and enhancing the final product to meet client requirements.

Notable Players
Usersnap

A feedback collection tool enabling users to annotate and comment on visual elements of web pages and applications. It simplifies feedback management via screenshots and comment organization.

Approximate Cost $189.00 per month

GoComment

A visual feedback collection system tailored for websites, web applications, and designs, offering user-friendly feedback gathering and integration with task tracking systems.

Approximate Cost $20.00 per month

BugHerd

A feedback collection tool designed for web development and testing, enabling direct task and comment creation on web pages and automatic information submission to developers.

Approximate Cost $129.00 per month

Marker.io

A visual feedback tool seamlessly integrating with platforms like Trello, Asana, and Jira, enabling easy task creation, screenshot capturing, and comment addition.

Approximate Cost $149.00 per month

Userback

A comprehensive visual feedback collection system for websites, web applications, and designs, offering screenshot capture, targeted annotation, screen interaction recording, and comment functionalities.

Approximate Cost $159.00 per month

In Conclusion

Collectively, the estimated budget for these tools ranges from under $100 to over $500 per month for a team of 5-15 members. Leveraging these tools alongside essential tools like notepads and emails can empower you to navigate project management complexities, streamline communication and collaboration, maintain control, and successfully accomplish projects within set deadlines and specifications.