Comparing SaaS Project Management Tools: Jira, Asana, Wrike

Introduction

Project management is complex work, and usually the domain of specialists as a result. Modern project management relies on sets of tools that can help project managers scope out a project, outline the critical pathways, and then manage workflows within the project. The different elements of project management demand different sets of tools — for conceptualizing the project, for task management, and for evaluating results. The tools that project managers use will often cover the basic functions of project management, such as project charters, work breakdowns, scheduling, risk management, and cost management (Desmond, 2014).

Tool Options: Jira, Asana, and Wrike

Jira (often paired with Aha!) is one tool that can be used for project management. It is typically used for software development. This SaaS tool has several critical benefits. Use cases for a project are outlined within the platform, providing needed context for developers to understand not just what they are building, but how it will be used. There can also be input from a variety of teams across the organization, because Jira is built on a model of high collaboration. Management can monitor the progress of each project, and the tool can be used to manage multiple software projects simultaneously. Jira is also relatively easy to use. One of the key differences versus a more traditional project management tool like MS Project is that its ease of use allows people who are not certified PMPs to contribute to the active management of a project — updates can be provided by everyone due to the platform's relative simplicity (Bradley, 2013).

There are, however, a couple of downsides to Jira. While it is well suited for the people who are building the project, it lacks certain functionality — such as risk management and financial management — that more complex tools provide. It is a strong tool for managing work, but it is not a complete project management solution. It is favored mainly in software environments and would not be powerful enough to manage large, complex projects such as those found in construction.

Another software tool that can be used for project management is Asana, which has become quite popular. Asana's strength lies in task management. When broken down into team tasks, elements such as financial and risk analysis can be incorporated into the project. Aspects of the project can also be managed on a need-to-know basis. Asana's main benefit lies with its visibility features and with its ability to incorporate different parts of the organization. It has integrations with tools such as Instagantt, which helps apply more traditional project management techniques to task workflows, making it a powerful tool for managing day-to-day work (Marvin, 2016). The collaborative nature of Asana, enabled by its SaaS architecture, is another major strength.

There are downsides as well. One downside it shares with Jira is that Asana struggles to manage more complex projects — with increased project complexity, Asana becomes less capable, as it is better suited as a task management system. Furthermore, the software is unable to create effective links between areas such as risk management and budgeting. Even with Instagantt to create workflows and critical paths, Asana cannot handle complex risk analysis; that work must be done in a separate tool. Additionally, costs are not built into the individual tasks, so the entire financial aspect of project management must be handled elsewhere. If there is no native integration with an accounting system, significant disconnects can emerge between Finance and other departments, as shifts in project execution are not reflected in financial controls until much later. Creating those links would substantially improve Asana's value by allowing more fluid financial controls, such as the ability to increase or decrease budgets for specific project components.

A third project management tool, and one that is highly rated, is Wrike. Wrike contains a number of features that address some of the weaknesses found in other tools. Like other SaaS products, it performs well on collaboration, task prioritization, and task management, and it allows for the development of critical pathway analysis (Financesonline, 2018). Workload management and easy-to-generate Gantt charts are also features of Wrike that make it a solid choice. It likely offers stronger security than some competing platforms, as well as a strong mobile app and a real-time newsfeed — functionality that users of other tools often rely on Slack or Microsoft Teams to provide. In that sense, Wrike is a more complete tool and may be better suited for distributed teams.

There are fewer overt drawbacks to Wrike. It is designed more with the certified PMP in mind than some other tools, which are accessible to non-project-managers. One issue is that Wrike is not among the largest companies in the space, meaning the product may lag in development, integrations, and support compared with some of the more dominant tools currently in use.

Decision-Making Criteria

Choosing from among a range of project management tools requires understanding the context. Some of the key contextual factors to consider are the cost of the product, the intended use case, the size of the project, and the experience level of the people managing it. A certified PMP is likely to have very different specifications in mind than a team that needs a project management tool for smaller projects run by front-line managers and small teams. Whether the team is distributed or co-located may also matter, though most SaaS applications allow for real-time collaboration and communication regardless of location. If the team is not distributed, that may allow for a more traditional project management tool to be considered.

The team's comfort level with multiple tools may also be a factor. In some industries, it is better to use one comprehensive tool that covers all critical project management functions. In other industries or organizations, it may be practical to assemble a project management workflow across a set of complementary tools. While there is a risk of tool-stack sprawl, in many younger organizations this is unlikely to be a major concern for workers.

Conclusion

Project management tools have undergone considerable evolution in recent years (Svejvig & Andersen, 2015). SaaS tools that emphasize collaboration and communication have become exceptionally popular, and are used across many industries to carry out project management tasks. In a sense, they have demystified project management and allowed project management techniques to be applied in many organizations that might otherwise lack that capability. A tool like Jira, which incorporates principles such as Scrum and Kanban, is particularly well suited because it is developed for specific types of projects. For broader application of project management principles, something like Asana works well because many different types of teams can use it, and because it still incorporates just enough project management functionality to be effective.

Not considered in this analysis were more traditional, enterprise-level project management tools, because they do not represent the cutting edge of where project management is heading. Those tools can still be incredibly powerful for project management specialists, but for most companies a more accessible approach — one that gets everyone thinking at least a little in terms of project management principles — is preferable. There is still a role for the more complex, cumbersome project management tools, as modern SaaS applications are highly unlikely to support the management of large, complex projects with multiple deliverables and shifting deadlines; they are simply not built for that. Ultimately, however, for most organizations, an analysis of today's top SaaS project management tools offers greater practical value, helping companies choose a solution that will work for smaller, leaner, more agile teams.

References

Bradley, T. (2013). Aha! Streamlines development with cloud-based project management platform. PC World. Retrieved May 12, 2018, from https://www.pcworld.com/article/2046545/aha-streamlines-development-with-cloud-based-project-management-platform.html

Desmond, C. (2014). Project management tools. IEEE Engineering Management Review, 42(4), 11–12.

Financesonline. (2018). 10 best project management tools. Financesonline.com. Retrieved May 12, 2018, from https://financesonline.com/list-10-best-project-management-software-tools/

Marvin, R. (2016). 7 Asana Jedi tricks to become one with business workflows. PC Magazine. Retrieved May 12, 2018, from https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2499129,00.asp

Svejvig, P., & Andersen, P. (2015). Rethinking project management: A structured literature review with a critical look at the brave new world. International Journal of Project Management, 33(2015), 278–290.