Do small projects need a project manager?

Before focusing on project management software, a brief introduction helps framing the topic. Is a project manager required for smaller projects too?  

Managing a project might evoke in most people the image of gigantic efforts, with complex meetings and many dedicated teams. However, this is not always the case.  

Projects are carried on even in a small-scale, and counting on a project manager usually proves beneficial and worth the investment. Especially in small projects, resources are often limited, and effective coordination, along with continuous communication and precise task delegation, is vital to provide a successful outcome.  

A project manager holds a crucial position in this regard. His role involves not only supervising team members to ensure each effectively fulfils their responsibilities, but also monitoring tasks are completed within specified timeframes, allocated budget, and correct scope. Consequently, the presence of a project manager would significantly increase the probability of success for projects of any size, from small-scale to larger ones. 

Do you really need project management software?

It may be argued that traditional means like relying on emails, spreadsheets, or even pen and paper, suffice for handling small projects. However, it is essential to recognise the challenges that often arise without the support of specialised software. While these approaches may be enough for managing elementary task, they are not always reliable and often lack the complexity of features offered by specific project management software. 

Think about optimally managing resources within an organisation. Without the support provided by project management software, team members need to chase each other for information and manually update spreadsheets to keep track and balance the workload. As the project progresses and tasks, people, and even requirements may change, it becomes more and more challenging to maintain accurate and up-to-date information.  

The result is significant effort and time losses trying to ensure there is no over- or under-allocation of resources. Even assuming no mistakes occur during the various manual updates, which are likely to happen frequently with spreadsheets, the effort doesn’t seem worthwhile. 

A project management software, on the other hand, can enhance and simplify project management activity in all companies. It provides a centralised platform for planning, organising, and tracking project progress. Essential features such as task assignment, scheduling, and progress monitoring drive efficiency and transparency within the team. Moreover, the ability to collaborate in real-time, regardless of geographical constraints, fosters seamless communication and teamwork, saving significant amounts of time that can be spent for more important tasks. 

Optimising costs: choosing the best Project Management software for small teams

When considering the best project management software for small teams, it's imperative to be mindful of budget constraints and scaling opportunities.  

By only focusing on features that align with project requirements, the investment in project management software ensures to deliver maximum value to the team and the company. This approach allows to minimise the costs during the initial phase, as companies that manage small-scale projects usually operate with tighter budgets.  

Additionally, selecting the right project management software involves prioritising tools that allow for scaling subscriptions alongside business growth, since preferring a platform specialised in small-scale projects only may lead to important limitations ahead.

In fact, the moment the business will grow, and more complex projects will start to be managed, a platform offering a higher number and more advanced features for project, resources, project portfolio, and financial management will be required. This will eventually cause to have employees to get acquainted with a new platform and start from scratch to familiarise with it, holding back the development of the entire business. 

Therefore, it is essential to invest in a software tailored to the specific needs and scale of the team, that gives the flexibility of upgrading to more advanced features when it will be necessary. 

For instance, PQFORCE Smart Edition is designed to specifically address small teams’ needs and concerns, without overlooking the features that will come in handy once the business will be growing. It is completely free for the first 5 projects and 50 resources, and it is packed with the most useful features for managing a small-scale project. Moreover, additional resources and projects slots can be purchased independently, ensuring that you pay for what you really use. 

Incorporating Gantt Charts, Workload & Absences, and Kanban Boards

PQFORCE project management software gives its users way more than just useful features such as Gantt charts, Workload & Absences view and Kanban boards with TODOs. It gives you the possibility to seamlessly integrate these views with each other, to maintain a complete overview of the project in any moment. For instance, Gantt chart allows to visualise project timelines, dependencies and milestones, while Workload & Absences gives an understanding of how under or overwhelmed with activities an employee is.  

Combining Gantt chart with Workload view provides anytime the project manager with the necessary information for planning each resource to the right activity, and to do it respecting deadlines, powering the organisational agility, flexibility and adaptability.   

Integrating these views provides teams with a holistic understanding of project progress, resource allocation, and task management. 

Yes, Project Management software can also be used in small projects

In conclusion, utilising project management software in small projects offers different benefits such as enhanced collaboration, increased transparency and improved productivity, and the long-term advantages greatly outweigh the initial and temporary setbacks. 

Leveraging the capabilities of project management software, also small project teams can optimise their efficiency and ensure successful project outcomes.  

Additionally, it’s essential to choose a scalable platform that can grow with your needs, both in terms of budget and features. Even if the company’s focus is mainly on small-scale projects, it’s worth to implement best practices and correct procedures as soon as possible, to adapt them within the organisation and find the perfect balance accordingly. 
Besides the immediate benefit achievable even with small-scale projects, eliminating bad habits and implementing efficient solutions before the company reaches an enterprise level will definitely result in consistent money and time savings.

In an increasingly competitive landscape, the ability to leverage technology to its fullest extent is key to staying ahead of the competition.