Do You Need Project Management Software?
Signs You Might Need It
Work falls through cracks
- Tasks get forgotten
- Nobody knows who's doing what
- Deadlines slip without warning
Communication is chaotic
- Information scattered across email, chat, documents
- People ask 'what's the status?' constantly
- Updates require meetings to share
You work in teams
- Multiple people on same projects
- Handoffs between team members
- Need visibility into others' work
When You Don't Need It
Solo operation
- Just you
- Simple task list works fine
- No coordination needed
Very simple work
- Few concurrent projects
- Straightforward tasks
- Natural workflow without tracking
You've tried and failed
- Bought software before
- Nobody used it
- Problem wasn't the tool
The Real Question
Project management tools help when there's genuine complexity to manage. If you don't have that complexity, software adds overhead without benefit.
Ask yourself:
- What specific problem am I solving?
- Will my team actually use this?
- Have simpler solutions failed?
Types of Project Management Tools
Kanban Boards
What they are: Visual boards with columns (To Do, In Progress, Done) and cards you move between them.
Examples: Trello, GitHub Projects, basic Notion
Good for: Visual thinkers, simple workflows, small teams, flexible processes.
Limitations: Less structured, no dependencies, limited reporting, can become messy at scale.
Task Management
What they are: Lists of tasks with assignees, due dates, priorities, and organisation features.
Examples: Asana, Todoist, ClickUp
Good for: Action-oriented teams, clear accountability, tracking completion.
Limitations: Can feel like endless lists, less visual, reporting varies.
Full Project Management
What they are: Comprehensive tools with timelines, dependencies, resource management, reporting.
Examples: Monday.com, Wrike, Smartsheet, Microsoft Project
Good for: Complex projects, formal project management, larger teams, client work.
Limitations: Can be overwhelming, expensive, requires discipline to maintain.
All-in-One Workspaces
What they are: Flexible platforms combining documents, databases, and project features.
Examples: Notion, Coda, ClickUp
Good for: Teams wanting one tool for everything, custom workflows, flexibility.
Limitations: Requires setup time, can become cluttered, less specialised.
Popular Tools Compared
Trello
What it is: Simple, visual Kanban board.
Pricing:
- Free: Unlimited cards, 10 boards, basic features
- Standard: £4.20/user/month
- Premium: £8.50/user/month
Pros:
- Very easy to learn
- Visual and intuitive
- Good free tier
- Works for simple needs
- Power-ups extend functionality
- Fast and responsive
Cons:
- Gets messy with complexity
- Limited structure
- No timeline view (Premium only)
- Not for detailed project management
- Can outgrow it quickly
Best for: Small teams, simple projects, visual thinkers, those who want simplicity.
Asana
What it is: Task-focused project management.
Pricing:
- Basic: Free (up to 10 users, limited features)
- Premium: £9.25/user/month
- Business: £20.75/user/month
Pros:
- Clean, usable interface
- Multiple views (list, board, timeline)
- Good task management
- Solid free tier for small teams
- Nice integrations
- Mobile apps work well
Cons:
- Advanced features require paid plans
- Can feel complex for simple needs
- Timeline requires Premium
- Some features buried in menus
- Not cheap at scale
Best for: Task-oriented teams, those outgrowing Trello, mixed work styles.
Monday.com
What it is: Colorful, flexible work management platform.
Pricing:
- Free: Up to 2 users
- Basic: £7/user/month (minimum 3 users)
- Standard: £9/user/month
- Pro: £14/user/month
Pros:
- Very visual and customisable
- Multiple board types
- Good for different workflows
- Decent automation
- Strong integration library
- Dashboards included
Cons:
- Minimum user requirements
- Gets expensive quickly
- Can be overwhelming
- Performance can lag
- Feature bloat possible
Best for: Teams wanting visual flexibility, those who'll customise, growing businesses.
Notion
What it is: All-in-one workspace combining notes, databases, wikis, and project management.
Pricing:
- Free: Individual, limited blocks
- Plus: £7/user/month
- Business: £12.50/user/month
Pros:
- Incredibly flexible
- Documents + databases + projects together
- Beautiful for internal wikis
- Good templates available
- Can replace multiple tools
- Modern feel
Cons:
- Requires setup time
- Not a dedicated project tool
- Can become disorganised
- Performance with large databases
- Learning curve for advanced use
Best for: Startups, documentation-heavy teams, those wanting consolidated tools.
ClickUp
What it is: Feature-rich 'everything app' for work.
Pricing:
- Free: Unlimited users, 100MB storage
- Unlimited: £5/user/month
- Business: £9/user/month
Pros:
- Lots of features for the price
- Very customisable
- Generous free tier
- Docs, whiteboards, goals included
- Trying to be everything
- Active development
Cons:
- Can feel overwhelming
- Too many features can confuse
- Performance issues sometimes
- Interface can feel cluttered
- Feature overload
Best for: Teams wanting maximum features at low cost, power users, those who like options.
Microsoft Planner/To Do
What it is: Microsoft's project management tools, included with Microsoft 365.
Pricing: Included with Microsoft 365 Business (from £4.50/user/month)
Pros:
- Already included if you have Microsoft 365
- Integrates with Teams
- Simple and functional
- No additional cost
- Works with Outlook tasks
Cons:
- Basic compared to dedicated tools
- Less flexible
- Reporting is limited
- Mobile experience basic
- Often overlooked for fancier options
Best for: Microsoft 365 users wanting simple project management without additional tools.
Quick Comparison
| Tool | Starting Price | Best For | Free Tier | Complexity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trello | Free/£4.20 | Simple/visual | Good | Low |
| Asana | Free/£9.25 | Task management | Good (10 users) | Medium |
| Monday.com | £7/user | Flexible teams | Limited (2 users) | Medium-High |
| Notion | Free/£7 | All-in-one | Limited | Medium |
| ClickUp | Free/£5 | Feature hunters | Excellent | High |
| MS Planner | Included | Microsoft users | With M365 | Low |
Choosing Based on Your Needs
For Simplicity
Choose: Trello or Microsoft Planner
Why: Minimal learning curve, quick to start, no overwhelm.
You'll outgrow it when: Projects get complex, need dependencies, want reporting.
For Task-Focused Teams
Choose: Asana
Why: Balance of features and usability, good free tier, scales reasonably.
Works for: Most small business needs without overcomplication.
For Visual/Flexible Needs
Choose: Monday.com or Notion
Why: Customisable views, adaptable to different workflows.
Trade-off: More setup time, higher cost (Monday), learning curve.
For Maximum Features
Choose: ClickUp
Why: Most features at lowest price, generous free tier.
Trade-off: Can be overwhelming, feature overload.
For Microsoft Shops
Choose: Microsoft Planner + To Do
Why: Already paid for, integrates with Teams and Outlook.
Trade-off: Basic features compared to dedicated tools.
Common Project Management Mistakes
Mistake 1: Over-Engineering
Setting up elaborate systems with custom fields, automations, and views—then nobody uses them.
Better: Start with defaults. Add complexity only when simple fails.
Mistake 2: Tool-Shopping
Switching tools repeatedly hoping the next one will solve problems that aren't tool problems.
Reality: If nobody used Trello, they probably won't use Monday.com either. Fix the behaviour first.
Mistake 3: No Champion
Buying software without someone responsible for setup, training, and keeping it working.
Better: One person owns the tool. They set it up, train others, maintain standards.
Mistake 4: Everything in the Tool
Trying to manage everything through project management software—emails, documents, notes, tasks.
Better: Use it for project/task management. Let other tools do what they do better.
Mistake 5: Duplicate Systems
Project management tool plus separate to-do lists plus calendar tasks plus email flags.
Better: Pick one system of record. Everything lives there or is linked to it.
Mistake 6: Ignoring Integration
Project management isolated from email, chat, file storage.
Better: Connect tools where useful. Task from email. Slack notifications. File links.
Implementation Tips
Start Small
1. One team or project first
2. Basic setup (minimal custom fields)
3. Use for 30 days before adding features
4. Expand after proving value
Get Adoption
- Include team in tool selection
- Provide training (even if brief)
- Lead by example
- Make it the source of truth
- Review in meetings using the tool
- Don't maintain parallel systems
Keep It Working
- Regular cleanup of completed work
- Periodic review of structure
- Adjust as needs change
- Remove unused features
- Keep it simple enough to maintain
The Bottom Line
Project management tools help when you have genuine coordination challenges—multiple people, complex work, need for visibility.
For most small businesses:
Simplest needs: Trello or Microsoft Planner
Growing needs: Asana
Maximum flexibility: Monday.com or Notion
Maximum features/value: ClickUp
The best tool is one your team actually uses. A simple system that's maintained beats a sophisticated one that's abandoned.
Start with free tiers. Prove value before paying. Add complexity only when simple genuinely fails.
