Best Project Management Software For Consultants | Expert Recommendations

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2 years ago
This article showcases our top picks for the Best Project Management Software For Consultants. We reached out to industry leaders and experts who have contributed the suggestions within this article (they have been credited for their contributions below). We are keen to hear your feedback on all of our content and our comment section is a moderated space to express your thoughts and feelings related (or not) to this article This list is in no particular order.

Forecast.app

This product was recommended by Maria A. McDowell from EasySearchPeople

Forecast.app is one of the best project management software for consultants that I have used. The Forecast.app has impressive features like the Auto-Scheduling feature, which is perfect for project scheduling, automatic assignment of resources and tasks, and cost estimations. It also has a drag-and-drop feature that enables me to adjust plans and resources instantly. Forecast.app also has a feature that automatically creates a budget for every project with key financial metrics to track planned and actual costs. Forecast.app offers 14 days of free trial for new users and has a premium plan of $31.76/month.

Basecamp

This product was recommended by Fanny Surjana from Quenchlist

Basecamp is the best project management software for consultants I can recommend. Basecamp is the best project management software for consultants because it’s simple to use and helps you stay organized. With features like to-do lists, message boards, and file sharing, you can easily keep track of all your projects and collaborate with your team. Plus, the price is right – it’s free for up to three users.

MavenLink

This product was recommended by Shivbhadrasinh Gohil from Meetanshi

MavenLink is a project management and team collaboration tool that is fully-fledged with all the advanced features a consultant firm would require. The tool makes task collaboration, communication, and workflow smoother and efficient with its robust features and powerful APIs. Furthermore, it allows creating customer fields to flex with the ever-changing requirements of a consultant firm and get the work done in a more efficient manner. MavenLink pricing plans starts at $228 per annum for up to five users with $48 extra per user, which is really fair as compared to other alternatives.

Brief

This product was recommended by Max Shak from SurvivalGearShack

Using Brief, you can prioritize and focus on important tasks while minimizing distractions among your team members. By focusing your day, Brief helps you achieve professionally and personally more. The dashboard of this software combines team chat, video, to-do lists, file sharing and storage, helping you focus on priorities that have the greatest impact.

Asana

This product was recommended by Sweet from OurPCB Tech

For the uninitiated, Figma is an online design and prototyping tool used by companies from GitHub to Square to ClassPass. With a recent valuation of billions and hundreds of employees, Figma has cemented itself as one of the fastest-growing tech tools. Figma uses Asana, a web-based project management tool founded by Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz, to keep their team on track. Asana offers a full suite of project management tools, from to-do lists to Kanban boards to calendar views for project tracking. You can also customize the view based on what is most important to you. There’s a list view to organize tasks and see who’s doing what, and a project timeline lets you manage overlapping tasks and adequately manage resources. Should your team use asanas? Asana’s depth of functionality and customizable views make it an excellent choice for larger companies where visibility into project details is critical. As Figma Product Manager Badrul Farooqi explains: My role as PM involves a lot of coordination, a lot of communication, and a lot of connecting people to make sure they have everything they need to make each other successful. We needed a lightweight tool that could scale with us over time. However, these options also make Asana overwhelming and prohibitively expensive for small teams or teams that need specific features like time tracking. Advantage: – Customizable views help you choose how to view your projects – Modern User Interface and Design – Lots of integrations with popular apps ShortComing: – Too many features make it overwhelmed and bloated for many use cases – Not very friendly to new users. Steep learning curve. – Expensive if you need more than the basic free plan Price: – Starting at $10.99 per user per month

Zoho Projects

This product was recommended by Brian Kelleher from Killer Guitar Rigs

Zoho Projects is the best project management software for consultants because it offers a wide range of essential features for managing projects efficiently. You can create and assign tasks, track progress, set deadlines, and generate reports to help you keep tabs on your project’s progress. Zoho Projects integrates with other Zoho apps, making it easy to manage your projects from a single platform.

Wrike

This product was recommended by Steven Walker from Spylix

Wrike is noted for its wide range of tools facilitating project planning, workflow, and collaboration. Wrike is much easier to use and set up than other work management tools, so it came in second on the list. Wrike is used by Google, Jaguar, Mars, and others.

Jira

This product was recommended by Steven Walker from Spylix

Jira Software is a flexible project management application for agile teams. Teams can use a project template or design their procedure. Jira issues, also known as tasks, track each workflow process step. The Jira automation engine allows teams to automate tasks effortlessly. With all project data in one location, reports can be generated to track progress and productivity.

ClickUp

This product was recommended by Louie Hartley from N/A

ClickUp is a robust project management software application that allows you to organize and complete all of your team’s projects from one place. Users can use a centralized workspace to plan projects, organize activities, and manage resources, as well as communicate and interact with team members and visitors. To visualize tasks, users can construct Gantt charts, calendars, and timelines. Wikis and documents can also be created, shared, and edited collaboratively with ClickUp. For improved communication and collaboration, users can comment on documents and tasks, assign remarks, and communicate with other team members. The option to construct custom dashboards as well as six built-in report kinds for team reporting are among the reporting features.

Monday

This product was recommended by Bianca Trembly from The Best Calgary

An Intuitive project management software for consultants. Manage all of your projects in a single glance. Get a high level overview to see your projects in a glance. Update your progress with just one click. With monday.com you can create boards to represent projects at a high or low level as well as create weekly tasks to get things done faster. Customize your customers’ projects to their needs Create and customize boards to show clear and concise information and make your customers realize their full potential with monday.com’s project management software for consultants. When consultant management projects are visual and clear, it’s easier for your customers to see the big picture and the potential for their success. monday.com is an organization tool with applications as broad as your imagination. Pull up reports quickly with our search everything feature Collaborate, reflect, and brainstorm with your team while pulling your reports to later discuss using our search everything bar. Look at all projects still in progress, or reflect on projects that you have finished. Plan out expectations and what needs to get done for future consulting projects. Share projects with your customers and colleagues. Plan out goals with your customers and provide resources for them to succeed.Collaborate with your team to help facilitate and enhance business growth. Use shareable boards to tailor what your clients see and make them feel like they are the most important. Integrate seamlessly with other platforms Integrate with other platforms effortlessly and seamlessly. Sync your communication methods to our platform as well as import or extract data from other platforms in just a few simple steps.

Project Bubble

This product was recommended by Josh Nelson from Seven Figure Agency

With this software, you may save both time and money. simply by making project management and administrative duties more straightforward. With straightforward labeling choices and sub-task hierarchy for deeper organization, you may re-prioritize tasks and projects using drag-and-drop features. You can structure your workflow and manage various customers and projects from a single dashboard by inviting teams to particular projects and assigning tasks to teams.

Trello

This product was recommended by Chirag Dhawan from N/A

This free online tool is intended for task management of all types. Trello is a visual collaboration platform for project and task planning. Trello provides tools for defining projects, their requirements, and tasks, allowing you to decide workflow and ensuring projects are finished sequentially. Trello comes with a digital board on which you can create and prioritize tasks. Managers may also build procedures, establish deadlines, allocate tasks, and monitor progress. Trello users may collaborate on cards by posting comments and adding documents. It allows you to easily understand where items are in the pipeline and follow the work of team members. Trello boards may be customized by users for many types of task management. Trello makes it simple to organize several individuals working on the same project.

Ramco Professional Services Automation

This product was recommended by Will Cannon from Uplead

Ramco is one of the most preferred end to end solutions that offer not only a productive project management tool but also an effective attendance and payroll management tool that caters to the service industry, especially the consulting companies. This tool can be implemented on-premises as well as in the cloud which supports both large and small firms. This software also features a budgeting tool, resource management, and billing management tools.

Accelo

This product was recommended by Allan Stolc from Bankly

The biggest flex of Accelo is the high level of security it provides when keeping client information. In consulting, all data should be free from any cyber attacks, and Accelo ensures that client data is safe within the contract duration. Moreover, it includes automatic time tracking that helps consultants check their productivity and the billable hours they spend for the day they render their service. Accelo is also great for collaboration and effective reporting, allowing consulting teams to complete their projects before deadlines.

Bitrix24

This product was recommended by Will Cannon from Uplead

Bitrix24 is an effective project management and collaboration tool that is most suitable for small businesses as the package is available free of cost. Bitrix24 features a number of tools like CRM, time tracking, integration of a social networking type collaboration tool, and resource and task management tools. The simplified and user-friendly approach of the software has impressed most of the small companies that manage all their operations online. This software is available free of cost for unlimited users with limited resources which can be further upgraded later.

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Agile development stands at the forefront of the software industry, championing an iterative, high-speed approach reliant on effective team communication and collaboration for success. This piece underscores the indispensable role played by dedicated development teams in agile projects, shedding light on their significance, advantages, challenges, and vital management techniques. Engagement Models in Software Development As businesses embark on software development endeavors, they confront a pivotal decision in choosing the most suitable engagement model for collaborating with skilled teams. Fixed-Price Model Ensures project completion within set timelines and budgets, but may lead to increased costs for desired changes, limiting customization options. Time and Material Approach Offers flexibility by compensating teams based on hours dedicated to the project, allowing for easy adjustments and ideal for projects needing intermittent attention. Dedicated Team Model Balances fixed-price and time & material models, employing specialized teams for adaptable project scopes, ensuring reliability and flexibility in long-term delivery. The Importance of Dedicated Teams in Agile Development Agile development relies on dedicated teams, diverging from traditional project management methods. These teams prioritize frequent collaboration and communication to swiftly adjust requirements and task priorities. Comprised of professionals fully committed to the project, dedicated development teams collaborate to deliver innovative solutions and top-tier results. This section explores their crucial role in agile development and essential strategies for effective team management. Success in agile development depends on the expertise and cooperation of dedicated teams. Efficient communication, coordination, and excellence from every member are crucial for timely results, highlighting the necessity of dedicated software developers. Clear alignment with core business goals and expectations is essential for project success. The Advantages of Employing a Dedicated Team in Agile Development Using a dedicated development team in agile projects has many benefits. Firstly, their commitment ensures excellent results, boosting project success. Secondly, their teamwork increases productivity. Lastly, having a dedicated team improves oversight and control over the project's progress, aiding in accurate outcome estimation. Improved Collaboration and Communication Engaging a dedicated development team in agile projects also yields enhanced collaboration and communication advantages. This dedicated group fosters close cooperation among remote team members, bolstering comprehension of roles and responsibilities and accelerating progress towards business objectives. Establishing dedicated software development teams helps alleviate miscommunication and ensures alignment towards shared goals. Employing a dedicated team also fosters transparency, encouraging open expression of thoughts, seeking advice, and addressing concerns. Quality Assurance and Timely Delivery A dedicated development team in agile development leads to enhanced quality assurance, expedited delivery times, and early issue detection. Collaborative efforts enable swift and effective resolution of such matters, facilitating prompt progress to subsequent tasks. Implementing a dedicated software development team helps minimize delays and ensures alignment with quality expectations. Furthermore, dedicated teams operate with heightened productivity, enabling swift completion of development tasks and adherence to project deadlines. Flexibility and Scalability By enlisting a dedicated development team, projects become more adaptable and scalable. This enables easy adjustment to changes in market conditions or requirements. Businesses can readily modify the team size to match project needs without interrupting ongoing work, ensuring projects remain on schedule and are delivered punctually. Comparing In-House and Outsourced Development Teams In-House Development Team: An in-house dedicated team comprises full-time employees working solely for one company. They have deep knowledge of the company's culture, practices, and technology, smoothly handling projects from start to finish. However, there are challenges with in-house teams: Cost Concerns: Maintaining an in-house team can be expensive, including expenses like recruitment, training, salaries, and benefits, which may strain smaller companies or startups with limited budgets. Expertise Limitations: Internal teams may lack specialized knowledge, technical skills, or industry-specific expertise compared to external teams, particularly in niche industries or specific skill sets. Scalability Issues: In-house teams may struggle to adjust their capacity swiftly to meet changing project demands or priorities. Flexibility Constraints: Internally-based teams may find it challenging to accommodate varying working hours, meet project deadlines, or adapt to different methodologies compared to outsourced teams. Outsourced Development Team: External dedicated development teams, sourced from third-party providers, focus solely on the organization's projects. These professionals offer numerous advantages: Cost Savings: Outsourced teams often provide competitive pricing, reducing expenses on infrastructure, technology, and overhead costs. Access to Expertise: Engaging with a software outsourcing company grants access to specialists from a global talent pool with the required skills and experience. Scalability: Outsourced teams can adjust their workforce to match fluctuations in project scope and priorities, making them valuable for businesses. Flexibility: Remote outsourcing allows for greater flexibility in working hours, project deadlines, and delivery processes. Outsourced development team offers benefits despite challenges like language barriers and time zones. Good communication and teamwork can help overcome these issues. Leaders should consider these advantages when deciding on the best approach for their company's goals. Wrapping Up Having a dedicated team is crucial for success in agile development. Consider the pros and cons of internal versus outsourced teams. While internal teams offer control, they can be more expensive, whereas outsourcing provides expertise at lower costs. If you decide to go with an outsourced dedicated team, VT Labs can provide skilled engineers to meet your agile development requirements.

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