Choosing a Project/Workforce Management System to Improve Collaboration

Organization, documentation and process are all key features of the success of any workplace’s efficiency. Even solopreneurs who wear all - or most of - the hats in a business are well-advised to keep these features top-of-mind when getting things done. When the need for collaboration among two or more team members is thrown into the equation, it becomes even more crucial to keep track of who is responsible for what and when. When several people are working on the same project, it’s a smart idea to implement some sort of project or workforce management system so as to maximize efficiency, communication and overall productivity.

There are a myriad of products and systems that aim to help manage a workforce’s collaborative endeavors all along the spectrum, sporting a wide variety of features and available interactions. As with any technological implementation, it’s best to invest some time researching what is on the market and who uses it with the greatest success. Not that you should choose a system just because others in your industry use it, but this is a good place to start because industry leaders are industry leaders for a reason - others may have chosen a particular system because it does indeed fit their needs best.

That being said, the bottom line is the system you choose should suit your particular workplace.

In assessing your business’ needs, you’ll want to take into consideration such factors as:

Number of users - Can the system you’re considering handle the number of users you plan to manage within it? Some solutions limit the number of users to a certain level and in order to add users, you must purchase a higher plan. Is that variable calculated into your budget?

Integration with your existing systems - Learn how the system operates. Is it web-based? Will it work with the technology you now use or will you need to invest in new computers and/or devices?

Degree of technology-friendliness - How technology-heavy is the system and is your team capable of using it (or learning to use it without a steep and time-consuming learning curve). It can be daunting and stressful for employees to have to learn a complicated workflow system in order to continue to do work they already know how to do without a system in place.

Once you’ve narrowed the field to a few solutions, choose among them by assessing them on the basis of:

Overall complexity of the system - It’s not worth it to get a super-complex solution when your needs are relatively straightforward. Too many options will simply be overwhelming to users which runs counter to your goal of increasing ease of workflow. Additionally, the more complex the solution, the more likely it comes with an unnecessarily high price tag.

Availability of training and customer service - If the solution is offered with different levels of support, does the level you choose come with the training and style of customer service from which your business will best benefit? Some service levels offer no onboarding assistance or limited startup training which can slow your team’s adoption of the new technology. Other levels offer only chat-based customer support and not email or telephone assistance. Determine what your team will need and make certain the solution you choose offers it.

Getting your team’s collaboration running smoothly is a boon to productivity and efficiency and there’s certainly a solution out there that will suit your workplace’s needs. Just make sure to choose based upon the needs of your business, its existing technology and budget, and your employees’ ability to adopt a new system so that collaboration can rise to new heights in your workplace.

Could your business’ productivity benefit from a well-considered collaboration solution?