As project manager here at Liquis, I have quite a task of ensuring every detail is paid proper attention, tasks are completed on time and client communication is maintained throughout the entirety of their project. At first, I used my whiteboard as a temporary resting place for project details and eventually moved everything into a spreadsheet. A spreadsheet is fine and dandy for a little while, but soon became overwhelming as it was hard to visually see what was going on with my projects at a glance. Then, I found an amazing project management tool that not only did everything I needed it to, but it was also free.
This tool is Sosius, an online spot that you can access from anywhere to connect with coworkers on message boards, record billable hours or fees, have live chats and of course, get detailed information about active projects, among many other features. A feature I really loved was that it can automatically notify parties when they are assigned to a project… genius!
The only bone I have to pick with Sosius is that they only give you 20 MB of space and eventually you have to start deleting. Even still, 20 MB is a lot of space, generally speaking, for a small business that might benefit from this type of project management.
Another cool online tool that we love to use at Liquis is DimDim. It’s like a virtual meeting place when our clients and work scatter us across the Valley. With DimDim you can share your desktop or Web pages with others and even add the functionality of a Web cam, online chat or voice at no cost. However, as with Sosius, there are limits on how many people can join a meeting at once for the free version.
These are only a couple of the many many cool programs out there designed to help us small businesses manage our projects efficiently so that we can spend more time doing the “real” work. So tell us, what are your favorite online resources?
I’m a huge fan of Remember the Milk (www.rememberthemilk.com). It’s a super functional Web-based to-do list that keeps me organized and on top of my daily and, let’s face the truth, overdue tasks. The free version does everything I could ever want and then some but for a mere 25 buckaroos you can upgrade to pro and have it sync with your BlackBerry tasks, too. My favorite part is that there is also a gadget available for Windows Sidebar so my nifty little to-do list is staring me right in the face all the time and I can even add to it directly from my sidebar.
I’m going to have to check out Sosius and DimDim (I’ve used it before with you guys, I think). Thanks for the suggestions!