Some possible disadvantages when using project management software
To make an informed decision about shifting to project management software, it’s good that apart from knowing all the benefits, you should also recognize some of the disadvantages as well.
Every software product has advantages and disadvantages. Here are 5 possible disadvantages of project management software you should know about before making the transition from managing projects manually:
1. Can be considered a costly investment
Quality project management software costs money and for some companies, the price tag may be a reason why they hold off from switching to project management software. Apart from the costs of the software, its implementation and maintenance cost money too. Some products are often sold with different modules that may make them more expensive. But you need to weigh out the cost/benefit over five years and soft costs can dwarf the software investment.
2. Complexity
While project management software is meant to help companies organize things and streamline processes, learning the system may take time. Based on the program’s complexity, there is a learning curve that needs to be taken into consideration.
Project managers will need to learn how to use the program’s key features and ensure that their team members learn how to use the components relevant to the tasks they need to perform. It will obviously take time for everyone to get up to speed before the new system is used by everyone smoothly.
But let’s not forget the advantages too…
Related Content:
See: Making Sense of Help Desk and Project Management for more on complexity and success.
3. Project Management vs. Execution
Project management and execution are not the same things. Once a task has been scheduled by the system, someone has to actually do it. The tendency is that people forget and may become too reliant on the system, often not realizing it until they get an alert for an unmet deadline. Some project resources think it can be a waste of time to update their task status but this step is very important to keep the project manager up-to-date. Bottom line it’s far better than sending in email updates 🙁 Uuuggghhhh.
Project managers can’t allow themselves to become dependent on the software. They need to ensure that team members are making progress and submitting their deliverables on time.
4. Access Control
The latest versions of online project management solutions enable access for multiple users. This makes sharing of data much easier. However, while multi-user access has its collaborative benefits, you will need to avoid unauthorized viewing of sensitive project data and monitor access control. Forget to change the settings in access control, and you could have many eyes viewing private company information.
5. Interface
If you and your team are using project management software for the first time, you’re most likely making the transition from traditional spreadsheets. At first, you may be frustrated by how difficult it may seem to navigate the interface of the tool at first, but rest assured that it just needs some getting used to. Without anything to compare it to, you may not realize that the reason you’re not quite grasping how to use the tool is that the interface was, in fact, poorly designed.
Poorly designed interfaces that are ugly and overloaded can cause quite an inconvenience and instead of raising productivity causing you and your team may want to go back to the old way altogether.
The thing is, project management software should be easy-to-use. Entry Software knew how crucial it was to create a solution that resulted in better projects, more productive teams, and happier customers. And that’s why their TeamHeadquarters Project Management application has a simple-to-use interface that can control 100% of project interactions.
Furthermore, the advantages of project management software often outweigh the disadvantages. Yes, project management software will require a financial investment, however, the increased team productivity provides a quick payback. As for the complexity and learning curve, acquiring a new skill is never a bad thing. And when it comes to execution, project managers need to recognize that project management software is utilized to assist and complement them, not to take over their role entirely.
Bottom line. If you make the effort to use the project management software to its potential, your investment will be well worth it.
To understand the pros and cons of project management software, click here.
