Hi all,
I recently started at a very small development firm, and I’ve noticed that most of the project tracking is kept in people’s heads rather than in a system. It got me wondering:
What tools or processes do other developers use to track their projects?
With so many moving parts, it’s tough as a new guy to keep everything straight the way the senior team members can. I’d really appreciate any insight or examples of what’s worked well for you.
Thanks in advance!
Based on the most helpful WSO content, here are some insights and tools that can help you track projects effectively in a small development firm:
Organizational Software: While some developers rely on their memory or ad-hoc methods, using project management tools can significantly improve efficiency. Tools like Microsoft Project, Smartsheets, Podio, ZoHo, and Wrike are popular for tracking timelines, schedules, and tasks.
Email Management: Staying on top of emails is crucial. A good practice is to respond or take action as emails come in, flagging low-priority items for later. This prevents important tasks from slipping through the cracks.
Whiteboards and Sticky Notes: For smaller teams, physical tools like whiteboards for tracking project phases or sticky notes for reminders can be surprisingly effective.
Excel Sheets: Many firms still rely on Excel for tracking project details, budgets, and timelines. It’s flexible and can be customized to suit your needs.
CRM and Contact Management: Tools like Salesforce, Cloze, or ZoHo can help manage contacts and communication, especially when dealing with external parties.
Financial Analysis and Reporting: For tracking budgets and financial metrics, software like Argus, QuickBooks, or Yardi is commonly used. These tools can also help with generating standardized financial reports.
Document Management: Tools like Dropbox, Box, or Google Drive are great for organizing and sharing project-related documents.
Integration Tools: If you’re using multiple systems, integration tools like Zapier or IFTTT can help streamline workflows by connecting different apps.
Proactive Communication: In a lean team, being aggressive in communication is key. Don’t hesitate to follow up with team members or external parties to keep things moving.
Custom Solutions: Some firms develop their own systems or use a combination of tools tailored to their specific needs. For example, creating a deal tracker or audit tracker in-house can address unique challenges.
If your firm is open to adopting new tools, start small by introducing one or two solutions that address the most immediate pain points. Over time, you can refine and expand your system to cover more aspects of project tracking.
Sources: Small Developer Advice - Second Week, What kind of tools / apps do you wish existed in the industry?, How do you guys organize yourselves?, What software/apps do you use?
Project stages or probability can be kept on a whiteboard or excel sheet you use all the time.
Details could be sent in a weekly project status update to your boss. If you don't report what you're working on, how will your boss quantify your efforts and achievements when it comes time to promote you?
Thank you bro
I kept a personal detailed tracker in excel and reported public updates at our weekly staff meeting.
Asana is my project management software for development
A due diligence spreadsheet should do the trick, no expensive software needed. Manage team tasks within Microsoft To-Do. Then track pipeline with DealNav.
See if your firm would be open to using a project mangement software like Dealpath, Smartsheets, etc.
If you want to be cheap, you could use google sheets or one drive and keep a master excel sheet per deal.
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