You Need A Project Management System

If your experiences working with clients and businesses is any similar to mine, you have undoubtedly been in situations where it seems completing tasks, communicating, and staying on track can be impossible to do.

Think about it.

Let's say your new client has just decided to move forward with collaborating with you through email. They send over the initial deposit, you thank them for doing so, and now it's time to get started on the project.

But wait.

Your new client also has your phone number and follows you on Twitter, Facebook, IG. If you are a graphic designer, you most likely need to have your client provide you certain assets before you can begin - a style guide, logo, vector files, etc. So you reach out via email and ask your client to send them over - and that's where it starts to go downhill.

Your client may have received this request via email, however with having access to you via social media and direct contacting by having your phone number, this allows your client to reach out via any platform to deliver the assets you need to begin the project. This lack of centralization with communicating is typically the catalyst that begins to derail a project before it has even begun!

Your client might try to deliver these assets via Facebook Messenger. Or maybe they are scrolling on Instagram when they see your latest post and realize they have forgotten to send over your requested items. So they decide to follow up with you by sending you a message over IG. The problem that comes with this is the fact that information and context relative to the tasks at hand get spread thin across many platforms that will force you to revisit messages on Email, LinkedIn and Text.


The result?

An inefficient communication stream where vital information must be accessed through multiple applications. Would it not be easier to have a platform where you can set deadlines, upload and access files and documents needed, communicate directly with your clients and collaborators all from a centralized source? Uh...duh.

Enter Project Management Systems - also known as a PMS.

A PMS creates an efficient platform where collaboration is made easy. So now that we know what tool we need to manage our projects better, how do you know what to look for and the right PMS to use? Are you a big business? Small enterprise? Freelance?

PMS Features

  • Time Tracking
  • Application Integration
  • Set Due Dates
  • Assign Tasks and Milestones
  • Instant Chat
  • Document and file upload and sharing
  • Direct messaging and mentions
  • Multiple collaborators
  • Reports
  • Automation

What's the right PMS for me?

There are literally dozens of project management systems available for all levels of business. Finding the right one for you is super simple. Most offer a free trial to test the waters and see what works for you. We use Nifty PM. It's a highly visual and integrated PMS that even allows us to Zoom our clients directly from the platform. We love their Time Tracking Feature, instant comment section, and their automated tasks features. Nifty has allowed us to stay on top of our client communication, prevent scope creep - fucking yuck - and allow us to integrate other applications we utilize for a more seamless experience for our clientele.

Nifty PM - Via Capterra

Here is a list of some popular PMS applications as we head in to 2022:

  1. Monday
  2. Asana
  3. Smartsheet
  4. Hive
  5. Wrike
  6. FunctionFox
  7. ClickUp
  8. Celoxis

Efficiency, collaboration, and centralization will be core pillars as we move forward into the future. It's essential to use a Project Management System. For your client's sake - and your own sanity!

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