Project management has now become an integral part of business processing. It helps the team and the business visualise goals and provide clarity on the project goals. However, choosing the best method for project management can be a rather difficult task as many factors affect the project. When the project kicks off, the project management method should allow managers to quickly assess the status of the project using a simple overview panel with real-time progress tracking. Addressing all the variables with one method is only possible in the ideal world. However, there are a few methods that come close to the desired output from a project management method.

Over the past few years, the amount and quality of project management processes and tools have improved drastically. But, choosing the best project management method still eludes many businesses. This article shall help you choose the right tool for your business.

The Contenders

Task List provides a simple overview of the tasks to improve efficiency and productivity. It also provides an outline of the tasks requirements and expectations of the overseer. It is the one spot where all the work needed to be completed in a project is collected. It also allows the admin to add priority to the task and assign individual responsibilities to the sub-tasks.

Nested Task List is the second contender for the best project management method. It is an upgraded version of the task list. The tool can automatically break down a bigger task into smaller chunks that can be tackled individually. This approach improves the tactical viability of project management and reduces the chances of a massive error.

The last selected challenger is Kanban, a project visualisation method developed by the Japanese industrial engineer Taiichi Ohno. He used Kanban to improve manufacturing efficiency when he worked at Toyota. Now, the tool has gained worldwide recognition and application. The unique quality of Kanban is that it displays all the visual details in a single place, thus, minimising the time required to track progress through reports.

Reasons to Use

Both the project management features are vital and considerably distinct from each other. However, they are similar as they allow you to break down the task into simple, specific deliverables with aptly assigned priorities. Furthermore, they allow team communication right in the tool itself with no need to switch to other platforms.

However, there are instances when one tool is better than the other. For example, while task lists are a great choice for planning a project, a well-developed Kanban board will allow better collaboration and execution. Likewise, task lists will improve overall progress tracking of the project, but Kanban boards are great visualisation tools excellent for improvisation. Hence, some newly developed project management tools attempt to incorporate both the functionalities in their systems.

The problem with creating a hybrid tool is that it will treat planning and execution as two separate projects and lose the necessary conjunction for smooth functioning. Some tool developers have found a solution to the problem by generating project management processes in both methods allowing the team members to study a single project in both visualisations. Such an approach provides the best of both worlds. However, it is up to the manager’s competency that the team would opt for the optimum visualisation for a particular project or task.

Before you conclude on which project management process is your ideal choice, identify the reasons for your approach. It will involve identifying the various factors such as the project sector, team size, the purpose, and the time frame of the project. Choosing the best project management method is finally the choice of the administrative personnel of the company. Use this article to identify your ideal project management method and improve your organisation’s efficiency and productivity.