Why Familiarity and Simplicity Are Key to Effective Project Planning
Project management software has come a long way, with tools like Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, Monday.com, Basecamp, Trello, and many others offering a range of features designed to keep teams on track. However, while these platforms come with bells and whistles, the truth is that the most effective project management tool might already be sitting on your computer: Excel.
You may be surprised to hear this, but I advocate for Excel as a top choice for project management. Why? Because its a tool nearly everyone understands. Adding, amending, and deleting rows, columns, and cells is second nature for most people. This familiarity makes Excel a highly accessible tool, empowering team members to engage and contribute meaningfully to project planning.
For context, Smartsheet is essentially an online version of Excel, and if you have access to Smartsheet, it can be a fantastic tool for managing projects, particularly with its cloud-based collaboration features. But for most people, the reality is that theyre more likely to have access to Excel. Its one of the most ubiquitous software applications in the world, and its widespread availability makes it a strong contender for project management.
The key to any successful project is simplicity. If you want people to follow a plan, make it easy to follow. If you want people to use a tool, make it something theyre already familiar with. Excel ticks both of these boxes. With a few simple functions, you can list tasks, assign owners, set deadlines, and even generate Gantt charts with minimal effort. Excel allows you to color-code tasks, add milestones, and track progressall without overwhelming your team with unnecessary complexity.
Of course, there are those who swear by creating project plans in PowerPoint, and I get it. For high-level presentations, PowerPoint is invaluable. It allows you to showcase a projects key goals in a visually appealing, single-slide format. However, when it comes to the nitty-gritty detailstasks, stages, and responsibilitiesPowerPoint is not the right tool. Its a presentation tool, not a project management tool. Excel offers a far more dynamic environment for tracking and updating detailed project tasks.
That said, its not an either/or situation. PowerPoint and Excel work well together. If you love the visual summary PowerPoint offers, you can still use Excel to manage the detailed tasks and then export or screenshot the high-level data for your presentation. Excels filter and sort functions allow you to focus on the most important details, hiding the complexity and presenting only whats necessary for your audience.
I dont want to be overly dogmatic about this. I use a variety of tools depending on the needs of the organization. When I enter a new organization, the first question I ask is, “What tools are you currently using?” Its essential to work with the tools your team is already familiar with to foster collaboration and participation. For example, Think Cell, an add-on for PowerPoint, is fantastic for creating simple bar charts at the summary level. Ive also used Smartsheet with great success, particularly in organizations with a dispersed workforce. Smartsheet offers features like access control and multi-user functionality, which makes it an excellent choice for teams that need to collaborate across organizational boundaries.
While Ive seen and used many project management tools, I still believe that for most teams, the simplicity and accessibility of Excel offer significant advantages. For everyday project management taskstracking tasks, assigning roles, managing dates, and monitoring progressExcel provides everything you need, without the complexity of more advanced systems like Microsoft Project. Microsoft Project is a powerful tool, but its often over-engineered for most projects, making it harder to use effectively without specialized training.
In summary, Excel might be the most democratic project management tool out there. Its familiar, flexible, and widely accessible, making it an excellent choice for teams looking to get things done without unnecessary complexity. While theres certainly a place for more specialized tools, Excel remains a reliable and effective option for managing projects of all sizes.
Tim HJ Rogers, Coach, Consultant, Change-Manager
#timhjrogers #jersey #coach #consultant #changemanager #projectmanager
#ProjectManagement #Excel #TeamCollaboration #SimplicityOverComplexity #WorkSmarter #ProductivityTools #ProjectPlanning #Leadership #WorkplaceEfficiency #TechForTeams