Task Management vs Project Management Software

Any business owner or project manager will have to perform many activities to meet business goals, such as resource management, team collaboration, task allocation, documentation, budgeting, etc. If you are in this profession, then you will surely agree that the position demands your attention to see that all activities related to your business are executed properly. You have to make sure that each activity is coordinated well and the company does not bear excess costs due to the mismanagement of these activities.

A good management process can help you to carry out all projects and tasks of your business in an organized way and minimize operational costs. Efficient management stands as a key factor for running the business successfully. It reduces the risk factors and completes tasks in a given timeline.  

What is task management and how is it different from project management?

Businesses use different techniques in different ways based on their business size and requirements. Project management and task management are often confused. The following sections will help you understand how they are different from each other.

→ Creating one question is a task; creating a questionnaire is a project.

→ Generating a few emails is a task; Generating a series of emails for multiple users and running this for multiple days is a project.

→ In short, a task is a single job that one can do in a single session. But, a project is a series of jobs that takes days, as it includes multiple tasks involving multiple people.

• Example of Project Management:  Siemens is a world-famous company that offers its services in intelligent infrastructure and distributed energy systems. The company operates many small projects around the globe, and their main challenge is the diversity and maintaining the quality of the projects, but besides that, they also want to reduce the labor time. To mitigate this challenge, Siemens used project management software.  The software helped Siemens to manage the project from end to finish, and view the real-time status of the work through the software dashboard.  They used a flexible project template that gives clear visibility on the size and complexity of the projects.  Project management tools helped to increase collaboration between team members and reduce the overall labor time.
• Example of Task Management: ACE is the largest distributor of apparel, gifts, and souvenirs designed by Alaskan artists. Producing and delivering large numbers of products to customers was a bit challenging for ACE. It became difficult for managers to take the orders manually and track the status of each job under process. The entire process was fragmented and lacked transparency. To overcome this challenge, artists, directors, designers, and managers started using customized task management software. The software has streamlined the entire process- the sales rep emails the requirements, the work is assigned to the responsible person, that person works on the assigned job, the manager checks the status of each job, and so on. With different jobs at different stages, the task management software gives more visibility over the job. It helped project managers to focus on more critical tasks and manage workflow efficiently.

Difference between Task Management vs Project Management Software

Task Management Software

A task management tool is designed to handle independent tasks and has fewer interdependencies. Businesses that handle projects on a smaller scale and have a handful of team members prefer using a task management tool. Task management software offers a focus on prioritizing the tasks, setting deadlines, and managing task lists all from one place. Unlike project management software, task management deals with loosely coupled activities and does not require continuous follow-up with team members.  Task management apps handle tasks that are usually recurring and independent in nature and are used by team leads, colleagues, or individuals to manage tasks.

Project Management Software

Any project has a finite life with starting and end dates. While planning a project, project managers need to consider many factors, such as budget, resources, project scope, breaking down deliverables, project dependencies, meeting stakeholders’ expectations, etc. Project management tools are one of the best solutions that allow managers to efficiently handle all elements of a project. Project management software is used on a higher level to plan the project from end to finish. It can automate various project management activities and is used for coordinating various projects. Project management software covers all the features of task management, but task management does not cover all the features of project management.

Task Management Software Vs. Project Management Software (Features Comparison)

[Note: A few next-generation task management apps offer features often found in project management software.]

So, Which Management Software Should I Use?

Task management software is the best fit for teams that want to get work done quickly and clearly. DoneDone is a simple, lightweight task management tool where you can assign tasks to team members, track task progress, and mark them as complete when they are finished. DoneDone's focused feature set makes managing tasks easy.

Project management software offers more features than task management tools because a project manager may need these additional capabilities in order to manage complex projects with many steps or large teams of people working on multiple parts of the project simultaneously. For example, project managements tools like Monday offer: shared calendars; gantt charts; resource scheduling; feedback platforms; and other tools designed specifically for managing larger projects with diverse groups of people involved in different phases.

Use task management tools when the work has already been outlined and it's time to get down to business and get work done. All the extra features of project management solutions may feel like a distraction to the team doing the actual work.

Only when the complexity of work necessitates it, should a more complicated project management tool be used. Remember, if it's a learning curve for you as an experienced project manager, imagine the impact to the rest of your team.

Key takeaways

• Choose the best option for the crew that is performing the job. A tool that a project manager enjoys but perplexes the rest of the team, adds more work for everyone.
• Task management software is ideal for teams that are ready to focus on the work at hand without all the other stuff and fluff.
• Project management software is only necessary when you're juggling multiple projects with competing resources and complex milestones requiring complicated project management features.