The Use of Project Management Tools

The project team can compile and/or use a range of project management tools that will assist in the planning as well as the execution of a project. The project manager can use these tools to monitor and control the execution of the various project activities. It is however critical that the output of the tool/ technique should meet the requirements of the client and the project.

Below is a summary of the range of tools available:

Click here to view and download a handout with an example of project management tools.

Evaluating Project Management Tools

The project manager should continuously evaluate the effectiveness of the project management tools and techniques that are applied. When assessing the effectiveness of the tools/ techniques consider the following:

• Making sure it was a shared tool – i.e. making sure it was accessible to the team.
• Making sure it included an alert/notification feature.
• The ease of inputting and changing data.
• The ability to assign priorities to tasks.
• Ensuring the tool supported task dependencies.
• The tool allows for comments on tasks.
• Security features.
• Gantt charts feature.
• The ability to assign roles and responsibilities.

Project team members should have a standard process for assessing tool effectiveness as well as procedures to communicate problems to the project manager/ relevant authority. When problems are experienced with a tool/ technique relevant role-players or stakeholders should be consulted.

Once solutions were sourced in consultation with the relevant authorities a change request sheet should be completed and dually authorised. Thereafter the change control log sheet should be completed. The change should be communicated to all relevant role-players/ stakeholders. (Refer to Learning Unit 6 for templates).