Are you finding it challenging to keep your web projects on track? Studies have shown that implementing web based project management software can significantly enhance team productivity and collaboration. For instance, research published by the Project Management Institute indicates that such tools facilitate real-time communications and efficient information sharing, leading to improved outcomes (PMI). Additionally, a study in the Institue of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Xplore digital library highlights that virtual project teams benefit from these tolls through better coordination and performance (IEEE Xplore).
Whether you are an independent designer or part of a larger agency, adopting such tools can be transformative. Options range from a free web-based project management tool to project management tool open source web based solutions, catering to various needs and budgets. This blog helps you determine what features to look out for for varying purposes.
Choosing to employ a web-based project management and collaboration tool in your organization offers numerous advantages. The most notable benefits are as follows:
Asana
Asana software is a versatile web based project management tool that has both free and paid plans and is designed to simplify task management with its powerful features. Its free plan is most ideal for small teams and individual designers seeking to manage simple project workflows. Users can employ its Task Creation and Assignments feature to create tasks, assign them to team members, and set deadlines. Projects can be viewed in multiple formats including Kanban boards, lists, and calendars. Asana’s free plan also offers limited reporting features to track task completion and project timelines. Basic integrations include Google Drive and Slack for enhanced functionality.
Why It’s Great – The free plan offers unlimited tasks, projects, messages, activity logs, file storage, and assignees.
Wrike
Wrike software is another well-known web-based project management tool accessible through a browser on any device. The software’s free plan supports small teams with essential project management features, including task management and team collaboration. Users can create tasks with due dates and assign them to team members. Its collaboration features include real-time editing, comments, and file-sharing capabilities. Wrike’s free plan also has basic time-tracking features to monitor how much time is spent on tasks. The software also has a visual timeline in the shape of Gantt Chart View to help manage project schedules effectively.
Why It’s Great – Wrike offers customizable dashboards for tailored workflows and time-tracking functionalities to monitor project progress.
Top Features Of Free Web Project Management Tools
Since web project management tools free versions often have limited functionalities, it is important to settle on one that meets your specific requirements. Free tools typically contain varying combinations of the following features:
When looking for open-source management tools, it is important to consider the customization prowess of the software. Determine if you have access to community forums for troubleshooting and feature enhancements. An open-source tool should be free to use without the costs associated with proprietary software. It should also have the ability to integrate with other open-source or proprietary software solutions easily.
Taiga
Taiga software provides Agile project management features that support Scrum and Kanban methodologies with boards for visual task management. It also allows teams to maintain a backlog of tasks that can be prioritized. Taiga has a Sprint Tracking feature that enables users to plan sprints and track project progress effectively. It provides customers with four plans, Taiga Cloud Basic and Taiga Self-Hosted being free of cost, Taiga Cloud with Premium Support for $70/month, and Taiga On Premises with custom pricing.
Why It’s Great – The free plans can accommodate unlimited number of users and projects.
OpenProject
OpenProject’s capabilities as an open source web based project management tool include project planning tools, time-tracking features, and collaboration tools. The software offers Gantt charts for scheduling tasks and managing timelines. It also allows users to log hours spent on various tasks directly within the platform. When it comes to collaboration, OpenProject has forums and wikis for team communication and documentation sharing. It is a solution well-suited for teams needing comprehensive planning and tracking capabilities in an open-source environment.
One let-down of the platform is that the free Community Plan is available only On Premises and not in its Cloud management software.
Why It’s Great – OpenProject has built-in time tracking and reporting features.
For a project management tool to be suited for teams, it needs to have efficient collaboration tools and good security measures such as encryptions and user permissions.
monday.com
monday.com software is one of the best project management tools for web development teams. The software’s customization abilities allow users to tailor workflows based on their specific project needs either using a template or from scratch. monday also offers various views for project tracking in shape of Kanban boards and Gantt charts to visualize project status easily. Since working in large teams involves repetitive tasks, the software’s automation features are a great clutch. Users can automate notifications or status updates based on triggers they set by themselves.
Why It’s Great – monday.com is a popular choice for teams needing flexibility as it has the capability to manage diverse projects. Its versatility makes it a great all in one web agency project management tool for larger teams.
Trello
Trello software, as a web-based solution, offers many features suited for team functions. It provides board-based task management that utilizes boards, lists, and cards to organize tasks visually in a Kanban style. Integration with Power-Ups allows users to enhance the functionality of the software with additional calendars and reporting tools. Teams can benefit from Trello’s collaboration tools to comment on cards, attach files, and set due dates collaboratively on tasks.
Why It’s Great – Trello provides teams with a straightforward visual approach to task management. It has an easy drag-and-drop functionality for task management.
When selecting the best project management tool for a web design agency, it is important to take into account various features to enhance collaboration. These features may include visual representation, client collaboration, version control, repetitive task templates, budgeting, and customizable workflows.
Web Design Project Management Tools For Creative Teams
For a web design project management tool, design collaboration features, i.e. tools that allow designers to share mockups directly within the platform are essential. To manage different iterations of design files effectively, the software also requires version control systems to safeguard previous designs. A client feedback integration is also useful as it allows clients to review designs directly within the tool, thereby streamlining the approval processes. These features ensure creative teams work efficiently whilst maintaining clear communication with clients.
Basecamp
Basecamp software offers To-do lists and task assignments to let users create lists of tasks with assigned responsibilities and deadlines. It has integrated communication tools such as message boards and campfire chats that facilitate discussions about ongoing projects in real-time. Basecamp also centralizes storage for all project-related documents to ensure easy access for team members. In short, the software is well-suited for creative teams needing a simple yet effective way to manage web design projects.
Why It’s Great – Basecamp offers simplified project overviews for more efficient client updates, making it one of the best project management tools for web design agencies.
ClickUp
ClickUp software’s customizable task views and priorities are a plus point for creative teams looking for flexibility in their workflow visuals. The software’s goal-setting functionalities help align design objectives with measurable outcomes and its time tracking and reporting tools provide detailed insights into time spent on design tasks. ClickUp’s reporting also ensures resources are allocated efficiently. The software is most beneficial for creative teams, requiring flexibility in managing design projects while tracking performance metrics.
Why It’s Great – ClickUp has advanced task automations that help save time and robust integrations that expand the software’s functionalities depending upon the users’ needs. It is widely considered to be the best project management tool for web designers.
All-In-One Tools For Web Development And Collaboration
Your all-in-one tool for web development and collaboration needs to support an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) or code repositories for developers working on projects directly within the tool. Collaboration features are also essential, as real-time editing or commenting on codes and documents is needed in web design. Task automation features allow repetitive processes to be put on the back burner, allowing teams to focus on the technical side of things.
Airtable
Airtable software combines the simplicity of spreadsheets with project management features, making it an ideal web design project management tool. Its database functionality with a spreadsheet interface allows users to organize data intuitively while maintaining relational database capabilities. Airtable also has custom views and filters that enable teams to visualize their data in ways that suit their workflow best (grid, calendar, or gallery). The software is versatile enough to serve both development tracking needs and collaborative efforts across various projects.
Why It’s Great – Airtables' customizable databases also serve as efficient asset tracking systems.
Teamwork
Teamwork software is particularly useful for organizations managing multiple client projects simultaneously while maintaining clear communication lines across teams. It is an excellent all in one web agency project management tool as it has task and sub-task organization that allows detailed breakdowns of larger projects into manageable parts assigned across team members. Teamwork also has time tracking and billing functionalities that ensure accurate tracking of hours worked on projects, which is crucial for client billing purposes.
Why It’s Great – The software has a comprehensive suite of task management and collaboration features that can be used in a wide range of industries and sectors.
Navigating the complexities of web projects becomes far more manageable with the right web-based project management tool. Whether you are a freelancer, a creative team, or a growing agency, the tools outlined in this blog offer a mix of free, open-source, and tailored solutions to suit your unique needs. From free web-based project management tools like Asana and Wrike to all-in-one web agency project management tools like Airtable and Teamwork, these platforms are designed to boost collaboration, streamline workflows, and ensure project success.