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Make Your Project Management Tools Work for You

December 19, 2025  |  By Abbie Miller and Herlinda Ibarra

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Imagine gardening without any tools. You could still grow vegetables doing everything by hand, but the right tools — like shovels, spades, and watering cans — will give you better quality and more efficient results. The same goes for project management. Implementing the right project management tools can be your greatest asset, making it easier to achieve your goals.

According to a recent survey from PwC, among the highest performing projects, 87% use project management software. Investment in a strong project management infrastructure can build a bridge between strategic goals and day-to-day operations, moving your organization forward as a cohesive, well-oiled machine.

When considering new project management tools, follow these tips to effectively operationalize the software in your organization:

1. Choose the right project management tool for your team

The first step in setting up your project for success is researching and determining which tools match what you need to keep work organized and fit your budget. Review these additional considerations to help make the best choice for your needs:

Project management methodology: Some online project management platforms lend themselves better to certain types of project structures and project management methodologies. For example, Trello follows a Kanban board style, best for projects that are completed incrementally and collaboratively, while Jira can be better suited for waterfall or Agile project management, offering more detailed task management.

Trello is well suited for Kanban board style, such as tracking phases of development.
Jira allows for task organization that follows waterfall or Agile project management styles. List view is demonstrated here, which can show various task details, such as progress, start and due date, and more.

Project team structure and size: Some projects may require task management beyond your internal team. Platforms like Notion or ClickUp, among many others, have client portals that allow for seamless collaboration across internal and external teams. Consider your team size, as some platforms like Asana are a good fit for teams looking to centralize task management, compared to Monday, which offers more complex tracking and reporting features.

Notion has a client portal that allows for external collaboration.
Microsoft Excel has pre-made project management templates that are simple to implement and adaptable to your team's needs.

Ease of use: Keep in mind that some tools are more user friendly than others, so consider tech savviness and individual accountability when choosing and designing your tool infrastructure. If your team is already familiar with Microsoft 365, you could start with Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Planner.

Accessibility and Compliance: Look into each tool’s adherence to the Section 508 Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), standards that make digital experiences inclusive for users with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments. For example, Smartsheet has a page with updates and frequently asked questions on their accessibility features and 508 compliance. Also, look out for health information privacy (HIPAA) compliance if needed, as well as other privacy requirements.

Features: While most platforms manage task dependencies and track task progress, some offer advanced features, such as project visualizations or task automations. For example, Teamwork allows for a task list to be visualized as a Gantt chart, which could be useful for visualizing the entire project lifecycle and task dependencies. Platforms like Asana can build automations to streamline and efficiently manage workflows.

Teamwork allows project visualization in various ways, one being a Gantt chart.

Integrations: Look for tools that integrate with existing systems, like your customer relationship management (CRM) platform. If possible, take a step back before selecting a project management tool to evaluate your organization’s overall data strategy and existing data collection and reporting systems. This extra step can save you time and resources down the road, ensuring all of your platforms are working together efficiently.

Note: Transform Health does not endorse or have referral relationships with any of the software listed above.

2. Design and implement the project management tool over time

Team buy-in is crucial to successfully rolling out a project management tool. Follow these tips to cultivate support for the new tool and determine how to address any challenges that may arise:

  • Include your team in decisions along the way, from research to design to implementation to evaluation. Plan a long implementation runway to give your team a chance to get acclimated to the tool.
  • Take advantage of templates and automation to increase ease of use and standardize processes, reducing the administrative burden on individual team members.
  • Collect continuous feedback about your team’s initial experiences with the tool to quickly fix any glitches and handle challenges that arise.
  • Frame the change as a positive, calling attention to the benefits for staff and the project to drive the cultural shift across your team.
  • Build accountability and utilization into team operations once the tool is implemented. For example, incorporate the tool into project status meetings, keeping it at the forefront of the conversation to drive regular use.

Evaluate and iterate to keep the project management tool functional and effective

Evaluation of your project management tool — not just after initial implementation but continually — is crucial for effective and efficient project management long term. Continue to include your team in conversations; their feedback can help expose pain points to address, as well as elevate aspects that are working to replicate or adapt.

When evaluating the tool, consider the following factors:

  • Usage: Is your team regularly using the tool? How are they using the tool? Is it reducing bottlenecks and increasing task clarity to streamline work?
  • Upkeep: Is maintenance of the tool outweighing the benefits of implementation? How much time are individual team members spending on keeping the tool organized and up to date?
  • Functionality: Is the tool working as expected? What other features could you employ, such as template, to increase the tool’s efficiency? Can any processes be automated within the tool or through integration with external tools?
  • Reporting: Are you collecting the data you need from the tool? How are you using the tool’s reporting capabilities? Are they meeting your needs?

A dynamic project environment requires this consistent evaluation and maintenance to ensure tools remain functional and effective.

Are you ready to take the next stop with your project management infrastructure? Transform Health can help you every step of the way. With expertise across project management tool selection, implementation, and evaluation, we have supported organizations of all sizes in streamlining workflows and strengthening internal and external project management. Book a free discovery call today!

Transform Health is an Inc. 5000-ranked national private health care consulting firm with a mission to drive systems change to build healthy communities.