Effective collaboration is crucial for successful project management. Projects often involve numerous files, updates, and team members, sometimes spread across remote locations.

With the right project management software, this complexity becomes manageable. Project managers can effortlessly assign tasks, track team activities, share files in one central location, and provide updates that ensure nothing is overlooked.

Project management software offers a range of functions, including time and resource management, generating reports and analyses on project efficiency, and providing a comprehensive overview of how individual or multiple projects align. However, the most crucial functions are those that enhance team communication, transparency, and collaboration—areas in which some tools outperform others.

Key Factors of Effective Team Collaboration

Every team has unique needs, and one of the biggest factors in choosing the right project management software is how comfortable you are with the interface. That’s why it’s highly recommended to sign up for a free trial before committing to a specific tool—perhaps even trying out multiple options. To make the decision easier, it helps to know what features to look for when evaluating which software offers the best team collaboration tools. Here’s a quick guide to some key features to consider.

Simplifying Collaboration for Better Results

An intuitive, easy-to-use tool is crucial for encouraging employees to adopt new workflows. It’s unrealistic to expect them to abandon email and switch to a project management tool instantly. The simpler the tool, the faster the transition, and soon they’ll appreciate how much more efficient collaboration can be. One helpful feature for easing the transition is email notifications. By simply mentioning a colleague with the @ symbol followed by their name, they’ll receive an email notifying them of a new task assignment or an important update they need to be aware of.

Enhancing Searchability

When a new task arises and you’re certain you’ve dealt with something similar before, it’s important to be able to easily find that information. However, email clients often have limited search functionality, making it hard to locate what you need. This is why the search capabilities in your project management system should be far more robust.

You should be able to search through past correspondence and shared files, as well as access what others in your company have contributed to the topic. This way, you can tap into your company’s collective knowledge. Additionally, it’s beneficial to have a tool that allows you to search by employee, due date, department, and other relevant parameters, making it easier to find exactly what you need.

Seamless Integrations with Collaboration Tools

Implementing project management software doesn’t mean you have to stop using other team collaboration tools like Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Excel, Slack, Dropbox, Trello, or Jira. Various teams within an organization frequently require different tools.

For example, if a department communicates with you via Slack, you’ll want to seamlessly translate those Slack messages into actionable tasks within your project management platform. Similarly, if you use Jira to report bugs, it’s essential to connect that information to your project management tool, ensuring that updates made in one platform are automatically reflected in the other.

While not all integrations are relevant for every company, one key integration that can benefit any business is with Google Calendar or another calendar tool. Being able to view due dates from your project management platform directly on your calendar helps keep you organized and ensures you stay on top of deadlines and upcoming tasks.

Benefits of Live Chat

If your operation relies on instant feedback and quick solutions through seamless conversations, then a project management tool with a chat function should be a priority. These chats can be one-on-one or group-based, making them especially valuable for teams in different locations that need to collaborate—though even teams in the same room often use chat tools.

While you can use a separate chat client like Google Hangouts, having your conversations archived and easily searchable within your project management platform offers a significant advantage, keeping all your communication in one place for easy reference.

Mobile Apps for Collaborative Work

Most top project management software offer apps for both iPhone and Android, which is essential for today’s work culture that extends beyond the office. While the expansive boards that look great on your desktop might not display exactly the same on your smaller phone screen, it’s important that you can still communicate effectively with your team while on the go.

If you frequently work on your phone, whether abroad or in transit, you’ll want to ensure the app is user-friendly and supports seamless communication. It’s highly recommended to explore both the mobile app and desktop version during your free trial to ensure they meet your needs.

Simplified File Sharing

Effective team collaboration involves more than just communication—being able to share text, photo, and video files is equally crucial in project management. When selecting project management software, the amount of storage space it offers should be a key consideration.

Most top-tier project management tools provide more storage as you move up in pricing tiers. If your team works with a lot of video files, it’s important to factor in your storage needs to ensure the tool can accommodate the volume of media you plan to share.

Boost Your Team’s Collaboration Efficiency

All of the project management tools listed above can significantly enhance team collaboration and help drive progress toward shared goals. The right choice for your team will depend on your budget, familiarity with the interface, and essential features.

For instance, while Monday.com is our top pick overall if having a built-in live chat function is crucial for your team, Zoho Projects may be a better fit. Whatever your preference, we recommend taking advantage of any free trial offers to test which software best suits your company’s specific needs. There’s no risk, only the potential for increased efficiency.