The Ultimate Guide to Visual Project Management Software

Projects today no longer follow a linear path primarily because projects have become exceedingly data-rich (think: data related to labor estimates, capital costs, operational expenses, key performance metrics, task lists, cost-benefit analysis worksheets, risk profiles, and beyond).

The mere process of collating, analyzing, monitoring, and managing the diverse data touch-points throughout the project is emerging as a near-impossible task.

That’s not all.

Projects are becoming increasingly complex and demand agile turnovers, thanks to the advent of technology and rising customer expectations. Moreover, the inability to control external factors such as environmental effects, a hike in the cost of materials, workplace accidents, and so on negatively affects project performance and, by extension, project success.

In fact, one of the biggest pet peeves of project managers is the inability to manage the project pace, which often leads to project failure, according to recent research.

This is where visual project management software comes into play.

The importance of visuals in project management cannot be undermined. Here’s what science tells us:

• According to a study by MIT, humans are wired to process the world better in the visual format. The study claims that the human mind can “identify images seen for as little as 13 milliseconds.”
• Another study claims that visual learning offers better results than traditional learning systems.

Needless to say, even in the project management field, visual project management tools are becoming more commonplace (and understandably so).

So, What is Visual Project Management (VPM)?

According to PMI, “Visual project management is a new practice concept that integrates visual thinking tools and data visualization methodologies with more traditional project communication, reporting, and facilitation practices.”

In other words, visual project management, or VPM as it is commonly known, is a type of ‘lean’ project management methodology. It empowers project managers to:

• Achieve project tasks and milestones efficiently and effectively within the proposed timeline
• Gain insights into key project deliverables and boost visibility
• Engage in visual thinking and leverage tools
• Improve the project performance and effectiveness
• Remove potential threats and uncertainties
• Plan, control, and complete projects using visual techniques and tools

The takeaway: The visual project management methodology enables project managers to leverage ‘visually-rich’ tools to improve project awareness and understand critical project data points and key performance metrics.

Top-4 Benefits of a Visual Project Planning Tool

The biggest benefit of visual planning software is that it empowers project managers to demonstrate complex ideas in a simplified and easy-to-understand format using diagrams and visual boards. This invariably helps save your team’s time and allows you to utilize your resources optimally.

A visual project management software also showcases key work processes clearly. In simpler words, this means that everyone understands their role and responsibilities in bringing the project vision and ideas to life.

Here are the 360-degree advantages of using a visual project management tool:

Increased Agility

A strategic visual project management tool empowers project managers to save time and allows the team to understand the project progress at a glance.

Biggest benefit: Say goodbye to convoluted and lengthy project briefs as well as updates. Visual project management allows the team to work with greater speed by gaining access to insights at the click of a button. Plus, the right tool can provide contextual information and offer actionable insights into the ‘entire story’ of the project performance.

Improved Convenience

The right tool can help team members communicate effectively by eliminating the need to send lengthy and time-consuming emails or conduct endless meetings. It also helps to make the information more ‘actionable,’ thanks to the intrinsic insights-driven approach.

Biggest benefit: Project managers can utilize the ‘saved time’ and use it for problem-solving other crippling issues that may be plaguing their projects.

Better Clarity

A visually-driven project management tool clearly demonstrates the task/project progress, empowering the team to identify the pain points and roadblocks quickly and make data-driven decisions.

Biggest benefit: It ensures quicker buy-in from key stakeholders and informed decision-making as everyone’s on the same page about the project status or progress.

Increased Transparency

A robust visual project management is one that can empower project managers with a bird’s eye view of the entire project. This increased transparency prevents chances of human error or misunderstandings.

Biggest benefit: The tool paves the way for improved collaboration, allowing team members to communicate effectively and improve project workflow.

The Top-3 Different Types of Visual Project Management Tools Available at Your Disposal

Project managers can take advantage of many types of visual project management tools, such as flowcharts, Kanban board, the Gantt chart project management software, timelines, and more. The type of tool and technique you choose will depend on the project you are dealing with.

Let’s look at the top-3 visual project management tools you can choose from:

To Wrap Up

Think of a visual project management tool as the superpower your team needs to:

• Visualize key processes and workflows in real-time and monitor project progress or status on the fly
• Understand the role every team member plays and how it affects each  other
• Anticipate accurate and realistic timelines
• Manage projects with greater ease and more fun
• Drive data-informed decisions ‘in the moment’ instead of waiting for weekly reports to come in

Simply put, if you want to condense mountains’ worth of critical project information into a simple, aesthetic, and easy-to-digest visual format, you need to leverage the power of the right visual project management software. Pick the right tool for your team and see your team members succeed, one project at a time.