Every organization has faced the frustrating challenge of deciding how to improve its project management process. There are two main decisions: which software to choose and how to seamlessly incorporate the new software into the team’s daily routine. The goal is to be more efficient, productive, and organized with projects and tasks.

1. Choosing a new project management software

Even with all the software options on the market, like Monday.com, Teamwork, ClickUp, and Asana, to name a few, choosing one product is your easiest decision—you can dwindle your choices quickly if you have a list of specific needs and a budget in place. It’s like buying a car, there are many makes and models out there, but after doing your research, and knowing what you need, it usually comes down to just two vehicles to choose from, and test driving helps you decide on which to go with.

Project management software is merely a vessel to help you get to where you want to go. 

The key is to be curious and flexible, choosing software that will meet your particular requirements. 

Pay attention to notifications in your new project management software

Notifications are a huge component of software choice and working them into your daily routine is the number one complaint of users. For many, that unread notification number often increases to an unmanageable number, and with frustrations, it is usually just ignored, but incorporating those notifications into your process is very important. 

All programs are designed to notify you of an update in multiple ways, so choose your way, your route of efficiency, and be sure to eliminate the others. Find a notification process within the software that works for you and incorporate the management of it into your daily habit. The key is not to let those notifications creep up to an unmanageable amount. 

2. Incorporating new project management software into a daily routine

Incorporating new software into the team’s daily habits is the biggest hurdle because, for the most part, we are all creatures of habit. 

Take our daily life habits, for example. There are many ways we can choose to get to the grocery store: walk, bike, car, public transportation, and within each of these methods, there are a variety of routes. Everyone has their most desired and efficient way and usually will not stray or change that pattern.

We are always learning, and the best mindset for growth is an openness to try something different—you never know what that change can gift you. You might even realize that this new and different way to the grocery store serves you better! 

The same outlook can be applied to project management at work. Everyone has their way of effectively getting through their day with tasks delegated to them. 

Various applications can help you get through those tasks, just like various modes of transportation get you to the grocery store. And there are many different paths to get you to your goal, just like the grocery store. Just remember, you are capable of change. Science has proven that neurological pathways can be changed, so the common trope of “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” no longer applies. No matter the habitual change, choosing that different path will become automatic for your brain over time. 

Establish a common goal for the team

But to achieve efficiency in productivity, everyone needs to have the same end goal in mind, and implementing a new application or software is no different. The goal needs to be established, but to achieve that goal, even with the understanding that there will be various paths to get there, we still need to overcome the hurdle of changing daily habits. 

People are resistant to change. Just like forcing someone to take a new route to the grocery store, change evokes fear, and unconsciously we are wired to resist it. It’s linked to our primal instinct to avoid danger—our lower brain (the most primitive part) continuously scans for danger in any situation, an unconscious bias left over from our ancient ancestors whose survival depended on being always alert to physical dangers. A flight, fight, or freeze response takes over as our brain responds to the danger–whether the danger is objectively real or merely imagined. 

People will start thinking, “Will this new process replace my position? Will this expose my weaknesses? Can I adapt? How will it affect my routine and performance?”

The only way to defuse that primal brain is to establish safety, letting that unconscious response know that everything will be okay, thereby being open to change.

Integrate safety into your company’s culture 

When any change is implemented in the workplace, whether a new application or a new process, safety is set up with transparency in communication, consistency, and predictability, which creates trust—all attributes that promote a safe working environment for growth and change. 

Don’t force someone to conduct their day in a completely different way from their normality. Meet them halfway, and incorporate their way into the new system. Implementing gradual rather than abrupt change will have your team feeling like they are part of the change rather than forced into it. 

Be mindful that everyone has their own way, and a slow transition is key, along with consistency and support. Setting boundaries and incorporating a timeline can help the transition from old habits to new ones and is a structural foundation for a safe work environment.  

The result: 

By choosing the correct project management software aligned with your needs and implementing it step-by-step so your team feels safe and confident, you are on your way to a better project management process! What’s your favourite project management software out there?