Best Project Management Software For Design Agencies | Expert Recommendations

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2 years ago
This article showcases our top picks for the Best Project Management Software For Design Agencies. 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.

Trello

This product was recommended by Connor Hewson from Assured Marketing

For us as an agency Trello is the greatest way we can manage multiple complex design projects at once. It’s user interface allows workflows to be easily split across team members, all of which can have their progress checked by department managers. The way in which aspects of a project journey can be simply mapped out across different stages gives us a clear indication of who needs to perform which task in order to finish certain aspects and move towards full completion. Simply put, Trello really allows us to have clear guidelines on accountability amongst our team and ensure everyone is working on the same page to have a project finished within deadline.

ClickUp

This product was recommended by Maria A. McDowell from EasySearchPeople

ClickUp is a software that offers a range of built-in creative features for every step in a design process. It enables teams to collaborate on a design project by providing proofing, chats, threaded comments, and file sharing features. ClickUp has one of the best user interfaces that enables project managers to share project files with clients. It also offers multiple design templates for building and managing creative workflow for teams. ClickUp helps project managers organize tasks through task checklists, subtasks, and task template features. ClickUp offers native integration with Dropbox, G Suite, and Slack.

nTask

This product was recommended by Shiv Gupta from N/A

nTask provides a simple platform for creative teams to collaborate on diverse projects and communicate in real-time. It’s a fantastic piece of cutting-edge project management software for keeping track of all your assets and designs. You may engage with external stakeholders and discuss your progress with nTask. It comes with a variety of tools that make project management easier for creative teams.

Hive

This product was recommended by Shiv Gupta from Incrementors

Hive is one of the top project management software and solutions for creative projects. It offers a large library of customizable templates and allows you to be as versatile as possible with your process. It’s a fantastic application that transforms the way you manage processes and projects in the past. Hive gives you your dashboard where you can keep track of your work and projects with the rest of the team. It is one of the most popular sites for document sharing and creative collaboration.

Basecamp

This product was recommended by Steven Walker from Spylix

Basecamp is a web-based project management tool that is both ancient and popular. Basecamp is an easy program to use. You establish a new Basecamp for each Project you’re working on, and your team members will be able to view and manage each project aspect separately from there.

Zoho Projects

This product was recommended by Steven Walker from Spylix

Another famous project management program is Zoho Projects, which is used by hundreds of businesses worldwide. Intel, Jaguar, Timex, IKEA, and Nascar are just a few well-known companies that use this project management platform. You can appropriately manage your projects using Zoho Projects by generating new Project Feeds for the various types of projects you’re working on and breaking those projects down into smaller tasks to delegate work to your team members.

DesignDocs

This product was recommended by Stewart Dunlop from LinkBuilder

This software focuses primarily on the financial aspects of design teams. It has a built-in accounting package, which means you can save a lot of money by not outsourcing to other teams, and it’s specifically made for designers. DesignDocs is also great an increasing workflow by providing information at the top of your list. DesignDocs has team project information that makes working in large and small teams easy. Everyone on your team can work in DesignDocs at the same time. Everyone has access to key project information, which is located in the system at all times. It’s perfect for business growth. DesignDocs was created to deliver top service with a short learning curve. It lets you keep all your information in one location and helps you transfer information easily to other departments and addins if you prefer other options. It’s one of the top software companies for business efficiency, made specifically for designers.

Podio

This product was recommended by Lyle Florez from EasyPeopleSearch

Another popular project management tool among businesses is Citrix’s Podio. It combines the characteristics of e-mail and chats services to provide a comprehensive collaboration solution. It also includes a server for exchanging documents and information and a project management tool.

Asana

This product was recommended by Lyle Florez from EasyPeopleSearch

Asana is another project management platform that may be utilized by various teams, including marketing, HR, and creatives and designers. It enables effective and easy project management and fosters team participation to get faster outcomes.

SmartDraw

This product was recommended by Lyle Florez from EasyPeopleSearch

SmartDraw is a full-featured drawing program that lets you create diagrams, templates, tools, and symbols. Flowcharts and organizational charts, engineering and network diagrams, application and site mock-ups, wireframes, and much more can all be created using SmartDraw.

ScreenDragon

This product was recommended by Siva Mahesh from Dreamshala

Screendragon is a powerful work management platform designed for high-performing, in-house teams. It’s a preferred tool for Fortune 500 companies and global creative agencies such as McCann World Group, TBWA, and JWT. Screendragon stands out for its fully-integrated solution for project management, resource management and forecasting, creative proofing, workflow automation, and budget management. It’s a platform that covers the end-to-end creative work process from planning, production, delivery, and monitoring stages. It possesses a unique interface designed for fast adoption, especially among non-technical users.

MeisterTask

This product was recommended by Kimberly Silva from FindPeopleFirst

MeisterTask is a Kanban-style software that makes project management more efficient and creative through beautiful design and a simple user experience. Teams can organize and manage tasks in a beautiful, personalized environment that fits their needs. MeisterTask also helps teams put all of their task-related files in one place. You can attach media files up to 250MB and use the built-in attachment viewer to look at them. MeisterTask is already set up to work with a lot of popular tools, like Slack, GitHub, Harvest, and a lot of email apps. It’s also possible for using Zapier or IFTTT to integrate your tasks with dozens of other software.

Productive

This product was recommended by Erica Tan from Best in Singapore

Productive is an end-to-end platform for agency management. Our tool’s main objective is to provide agencies and service providers with a complete and real-time overview of their business.

Monday

This product was recommended by Erica Tan from Best in Singapore

monday.com is a project management tool. One of the many features is a CRM functionality, which allows you to add a CRM board to your project management boards, and manage your prospects in a very visual interface that is not common with other typical CRMs.

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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. 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