5 Online Tools And Management Tools For Any Starting Software Developer

Project management tools provide software developers with the means to increase productivity. But the internet is swimming with all kinds of these programs making it difficult to find the right one for the job.

Or is it really all that hard to locate an online management tool that will keep a project on track? In this article, we will look at what you should look for in such a tool and review our picks for the top five you should consider adopting for your next development project.

Why Development Teams Need Project Management

Software development projects depend on setting the right balance to become successful. That balance is between organizational skills, management abilities, and technical know-how. Management tools ensure that the balance is created and permits both managers and team members to keep the focus necessary to complete the project.

What Elements Drive Management Tools

There are key components to a strong and effective online management tool. Here is a breakdown of what they are and how they fit into the needs of a development project.

Define The Project Goals

A software development team can put a great deal of effort into ongoing meetings with a client to fully understand what their needs are. This is standard practice. However, project management software gives that team the tools they need to connect all the project requirements to the information pulled from these meetings. With all the project details kept in a central location, it becomes easier to define the goals of the project and stay within the parameters of it.

Transparency and Accountability

According to Forbes Magazine, Project management software promotes transparency in how the software development team operates. With roles containing clear definitions, tasks are easier to delegate to members with specific expertise for them. With all of this information shared openly with the entire team, each member gains an understanding of the importance of their contribution to achieving the overall goal. It ensures team members take the responsibility to produce a favorable outcome.

Everyone Is In The Loop

During the development phase, the scope of the project is going to morph. There will be changes and alterations that will result from various reasons and often many companies use odc offshore development center so communication is very important. Typically, client requirements will dictate a change in direction or the need for additional software updates. Regardless of how big or small the revisions are, project management tools track all of them, bringing everyone working on the project up-to-date on any changes, keeping everyone on the same page and focused.

The Five Best Online Tools and Management Tools For Software Developers

Here is the list you have been waiting for. In it, we provide a short description of each tool and a short review of the most popular features of each.

1 - Hive

Hive is a popular project management tool. It utilizes artificial intelligence which makes it easy for development teams to stay on track and keep up-to-date on the progress of a project.

For project managers operating with teams that are in various locations, Hive can pull everything together with its team collaboration function. Other key features that make Hive a good choice of development teams include the dedicated email box program called Hive Mail, portfolio view, project layouts, resource management tools, task management capabilities, and templates. 

2 - Workast

Workast is another very popular project management tool. It integrates directly with Slack, which makes it an attractive add-on for teams already using Slack.

Key features that make Workast a good choice include daily work tracking, project management tools, to-do lists that can be monitored, task automation, due date assignment that can be extended when required, and repeat task creation.

Workast also permits project managers to follow the work of individual team members so that if someone is struggling, action can be taken to assist when necessary in support. 

3 - ProofHub

ProofHub is an excellent choice for development teams simply because it has one particular feature that sets it apart from most other project management tools. It is the flexibility that is provided from the multiple view option.

This gives several different views of the same project which can be useful in different applications. Other great features include a group chat tool, custom reporting, task management, custom workflows, kanban boards, online collaboration features, and much more.

4 - Zoho Projects

Zoho Projects is what you get when you combine project management with automation. The money-making feature of this tool is the issue tracking module. That alone has attracted many software development teams to Zoho Projects.

It also allows for complete customization which adds value. Other great components of Zoho Projects include time tracking, task management, chat functionality, reporting tools, kanban boards, Gantt charts, issue tracking, and others that make this a good tool to consider.

5 - JIRA

Last on our list is JIRA. This particular project management tool was designed specifically to give development teams an edge. Jira is a bug tracker. It integrates with a long list of other apps including BitBucket and Confluence. Other features of note to come from JIRA include agile reporting, automation tools, custom workflows that make it easier to assign tasks and monitor progress, scrum boards for communication, project road maps for tracking purposes, and the ability to be used in various integration opportunities which enhance the effectiveness of JIRA and compliment the apps that have been integrated with it.

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Final Thoughts 

Thanks to the continued evolution of technology, online and management tools keep becoming reality. The purpose of these tools is to make development teams function smoother and faster but ultimately create an environment where these groups end up working more efficiently. We all know that efficiency leads to success.

With project management tools that track, monitor, assign, and collaborate, software development teams have no choice but to become successful. That doesn’t mean success was never attainable, but now with technology assisting the process, success is less costly and labor-intensive with project management tools available. Besides, technology is supposed to make ordinary tasks easier and better to work on and project management tools are an example of how that has become true.

This is a guest post submitted by Pranjal Bora.