Do project management apps help productivity?

Quote from: davidm at Sep 22, 2008, 03:31 PM

We’re all wired differently.

I’m not.

That would put us closer to heaven... having an app that lets you create a mindmap (I use freemind), let you enter all task info and
then convert that into a project plan (phases, tasks, subtasks,...). The only problem would be how to indicate predecessors.

Quote from: charliez at Sep 22, 2008, 03:46 PM

That would put us closer to heaven... having an app that lets you create a mindmap (I use freemind), let you enter all task info and
then convert that into a project plan (phases, tasks, subtasks,...). The only problem would be how to indicate predecessors.

Take a look at mindmanager http://www.mindjet.com/products/mindmanager_pro/default.aspx

It can export task information to MS Project, don’t know how it works because I don’t use MS Project. I just use mindmanager to put my tasks in and to make a roadmap for my personal development

I use MindManager actually - mainly as a brainstorming tool, I remember trying out the MS Project export a long time ago (MM was still in version 4) but I confess I don’t remember how it went and probably the latest version of MM has better support of it.

I found that (at least in my experience) mindmaps were great tool to clear my thinking and make my writing and planning more efficient but not always a good tool to communicate directly to most people. At first I was so enthusiastic to have a tool which actually worked like my brain does that I naively thought people would just love it as well. Your mileage may differ but it was not as effective as I had hoped it would be

I’ve learned and now it’s first and foremost a tool to map out my ideas, especially the way I naturally link them and turn this into words which analytical minds (which is most of the population’s, IMHO) can understand and adhere to.

Do project management apps help productivity? In terms of collaboration with others, I’ve found that Basecamp, Wrike and TeamWork Live are all very nice, but their value really does rely on participation. Get into the right kind of groove with them, and it’s a great benefit to the project.

Just for fun, in terms of keeping myself productive in a non-collaborative context:
* FreeMind (0.9 beta) for mind-mapping
* PersonalBrain for knowledge management and GTD (this is the one constant I’ve used for at least 8 years)
* Toggle.com for time-tracking

For me, it’s a real mash-up, and it’s a different mash-up every 6 months. Depends on my clients and the ongoing evolution of my own workflow.

I find MindMaps very useful for the "let’s take a step back and look at the big picture" conversation when working out the minutia of a particular sub-project and reinforcing, in the mind(s) of the production team context, particularly when juggling a number of tasks/projects.

Making a solid commodity/procedures framework for common development tasks also greatly helps, and we label tasks as such and outline what is customized rather than commodity.

A very nice scope creep/scope document feature would be nice as well. We generally inform a client that when they’ve made a change request that is out of scope, that it is 90% likely to change the delivery date (so we always schedule a completion date well before a published date if possible). Of course, changing the word Expert to Professional is another matter (unless there are tons of these types of requests) as compared to, you’ve done my logo, you’ve done the web site, we want a DVD and/or lots of video now for the site on the original due date and eCommerce. Well, you see...

A system where the client could make a request, and be reminded of the possible ramifications (in a nice way) on the project would be ultra cool.