There is a staggering variety of technologies available to project management professionals today. So it’s surprising that for every $1 billion spent on projects in the US, $122 million will be wasted due to poor project performance and management.

However, where there are challenges there are opportunities. The best project managers know their industry is changing rapidly, and they are changing with it to gain a competitive advantage. And they don’t need to spend big to do so.

From sophisticated software to simple charts, we dive into 5 tools that will improve your project management.

1. Project Burndown Charts

Simply put, a burndown chart is a graph that shows the amount of work left to do and how much time you have to do it. It’s useful for predicting completion dates of particular projects, allowing you to plan when to hire labour and machinery, as well as providing accurate information to discuss with the client.

Burndown charts also include lines which show you the “ideal” work amount of work remaining at certain points, as well as the “actual” amount of work remaining. This helps teams work towards specific goals to get the entire job completed on time and on budget.

2. Inspection and Test Plans

Inspection and Test Plans (ITPs) are a set of scheduled inspections which have to be completed at critical points throughout a job. Using an ITP, work is constantly checked in accordance with key checklists and internationally recognised regulations, allowing for significantly improved quality control. Further, because ITPs give you a detailed record of all your work and inspections, it also offers you a legal safeguard in the case of potential claims against you. ITPs are commonly used to adhere to the ISO 9001 standard for quality management.

To grab your own Burndown and Inspection & Test Plan templates, download our free Construction Quality Templates Toolkit by clicking below:

3. Project Management Software

Project management software can be expensive, but programs like Trello, Producteev and Wrike are great free alternatives. They provide an online platform for project managers to view the stages of their projects, communicate with teams through instant messaging and receive notifications of status updates. Programs like these are good for all jobs, but particularly for projects where collaboration is important.

4. Sensory Technology

Sensory and wearable technology is a burgeoning field of innovation in the construction industry and has exciting applications for project managers. Sensors have rapidly decreased in size and increased in capabilities. Now-tiny sensors can instantly gather, monitor and transmit data in a multitude of areas.

Uses of sensory technologies in construction range from detecting the risk level of a labourer’s lifting posture to monitoring fatigue of construction workers and drivers. For project managers, sensory technology innovations promise to improve safety and productivity on site, without clunky and expensive technology.

5. Estimating Software

Estimating software is a vital tool for delivering projects on time and budget. It identifies how much a project will cost by determining the amount of materials and labour needed to complete the job, as well as when it will be finished. It also provides a platform for revisions and storing data, all in the one place. This is a huge advantage over traditional estimating and takeoff methods. Estimating software saves you having to rely on manual records, calculations and a pile of paperwork. This reduction in human error will save you a great deal of time and money and significantly improve your management processes.

Using the best project management tools available gives your business the edge over competitors, but as we’ve seen above, it doesn’t have to break the bank.

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