Recently converted to Apple? Or looking to upgrade your current Mac task manager to something a little bit more… modern?
We feel you.
Using a Mac gives you access to some pretty advanced technology. So you want the software you use to be up to date with the latest trends, right?
And let’s be honest — you want it to look cool, too. Not like you’re still working in the 90’s.
Luckily for you, we’re going to take a look at some of the best task management software available for Mac. We’ll also give you an outline of what you should be looking for in your project management app (in addition to how cool it looks).
Let’s roll.
What is Mac project management software?
Task management software (whether a Mac app or on a PC) is a way to plan, organize, and manage your tasks.
Depending on the software you use, you’re able to see what resources you have available, how long each task will take, predict when the work will complete, and assign tasks to members of your team.
Some task manager tools only work on a Windows PC or solely offer a Mac app. As a Mac user, you’ll need a task manager that is either designed specifically for a Mac computer, or works on both systems.Fortunately, there’s a lot of applications out there for you to choose from when you’re using a Mac. So, how do you narrow down your search?
What should you be looking for?
When it comes to using a Mac task manager, there are some features and functionalities you’ll want to keep in mind:
#1: How does its user interface look?
The last thing you want is a Mac application that looks out of date. You probably want software that’s modern and visually appealing, right?
We’d recommend spending some time looking through task management software that’s available and find an app that’s keeping up with the times. You want it to be crisp, clear, and easy to follow on your screen.
#2: How user-friendly is it?
When you’ve found an application you like the look of, you also need to understand how it actually works. Unfortunately, the fact that it looks cool isn’t enough to warrant immediate purchase.
Can you easily navigate around the interface? Is it clear how to add tasks, create a project plan, and invite users to collaborate?
Does the platform offer tutorials, support, or has an online community to answer questions you might have? Just some food for thought.
#3: What functionality and features does it have?
36% of people chose functionality as the most important part of choosing a project management app, so it’s clearly worth thinking about.
The task manager application you use must have the features and functions to effectively plan and organize your tasks.
Whether that’s being able to view your plan as a Gantt chart, or making sure it’s easy for multiple users to collaborate while working on the same activities. Find out what features you need your Mac’s task manager software to have and choose a platform that offers these.
#4: Does it allow any integrations?
You might want to think about if there are any other platforms you want to integrate with your software.
Ask yourself how easy it is to integrate external platforms, and what other pieces of software you might need to integrate. Does the software you like allow you to integrate a third party platform? If not, it’s not the one for you.
#5: What’s the price you’re willing to spend?
Before you commit to using a new Mac task manager, how much are you willing to spend? Asking yourself this from the get-go will save you a lot of time. Trust us.
Price is also the second most important aspect of choosing task management software for organizations around the world, so keep it in mind while you’re reviewing your options.
#6: Is it customizable?
Being able to customize your tasks and workflows exactly how you want is a real advantage when it comes to planning.
Whether that’s adding new columns to your board or creating custom dashboards and reports — customizations will only make your planning and management smoother.
3 of the best task manager options for Macs
Now we’ve taken a look at what you should be thinking about when it comes to finding a task management app for your Mac, let’s take a look at some of the best contenders out there.
Starting with, yours truly.
#1: monday.com
We know – we’re kind of tooting our own horn listing our own software as number one. But we really do believe that monday.com is something to shout about – especially if you’re looking for a modern and collaborative project management platform for your Mac (that also looks cool).
Let’s look at the benefits in more detail:
It’s customizable: Looking for project management software that you can customize on your brand spanking new Mac?
We want you to make the most of our platform, so we encourage you to customize your boards, Gantt charts, columns and views to capture and visualize all the information you need.
“This is an excellent project management software. monday.com offers fast and very customizable management, especially when it comes to team tasks added to each project. With monday.com it is very easy to track work progress, and review the performance of each team member.” – Keila M. Reviewed on G2 Crowd
Useful for collaboration: Collaboration is vital to the success of any project, period. So any task management software should allow you to easily collaborate with your team.
With monday.com, you can do exactly that. Easily contact team members, assign tasks, share files, create team discussions, and more — all in a single location. Pretty handy when there’s a lot going on in a project.
Easy integrations: We know how important it is for external software to integrate with your project management platform.
Without integration, workflows might not be as efficient as they could be. And let’s face it, no one wants to manually update software or flick back and forth between different platforms.
But with monday.com, you can easily integrate your apps into our software. We have plenty of integrations to choose from, too.
Plenty of features and functionalities: Much like Apple, we’re always striving to be ahead of the curve when it comes to new technology.
The team at monday.com are always learning from our customers to figure out what features and functionalities they need to improve their project planning experience. So if you want a task management platform to keep up with your Mac, monday.com is just the ticket.
Visually appealing: Arguably the most important thing, right?! But in all seriousness, monday.com is colorful, modern and looks pretty sharp on a Macbook, iPad, iPhone, Windows PC, or android device.
This also means our software is pretty good at taking the big, scary projects and presenting them in a way that’s, well… not so scary.
Download the monday.com desktop app
#2: Wrike
Wrike is a project management tool suitable for teams of 5 members and up. It’s well known for simplifying project planning and improving communication with internal teams.
Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why Wrike is second on our list:
- iOS and desktop apps: Wrike offers dedicated iOS apps as well as desktop apps — perfect for the Apple enthusiast who wants to use task management on Mac or iPhone.
- Easy to use: The platform has an intuitive interface and is easy to use for simple project plans. If your project is complex, the software gets a little trickier to keep up with, but basic plans and workflows are easy to roll out.
- Multiple views: When using Wrike’s software, users can choose to view their project in a format that they want. You can hop between a Kanban board and a Gantt chart in the click of a button, and it’s also easy to toggle between dashboards, reports, calendars, and the home screen.
On the whole, Wrike’s software is pretty robust. It has a lot of useful features and integrations available on a Mac — but because of this, it can also be pretty overwhelming for new users.
To use Wrike to its full capacity, you really need to have a system champion in place to lead the way and be the point of contact for team members struggling to find their way.
Someone who knows how to create workflows, define folder structures, and understand the ins and outs of all its features.
#3: Jira
Jira was developed for all the software enthusiasts out there.
The platform was designed specifically for software teams to organize their projects and manage bugs and defects.
Now let’s look at some of the benefits:
- Designed by software developers, for software developers: As we’ve already mentioned, Jira is largely targeted at software developers, teams, and any project managers working on software-related projects. So if that’s what you’re up to on your Mac, Jira could be a good fit. But if you’re not, Jira might not be right for you.
- Agile project planning: Agile methodology is at the core of Jira. If you’re not familiar with Agile project planning, it’s basically a way to plan and manage work using iterations or sprints. So if you’re looking for flexibility and quick turnarounds, Agile is a great way to do that — and Jira is geared up for this style of project management.
One other thing to be aware of about Jira is that their support hours are only available from 9-5 (unless you’re on their most expensive price plan). So hopefully you won’t need advice or guidance outside of these hours… Fingers crossed.
You can also submit a ticket online, but there’s no guarantee of how long it’ll take for them to get back to you. So if you’re on a budget, and you need help outside of these hours, you might be waiting a while.
For more information on Wrike and Jira, take a look at our blog: Wrike vs. Jira: which (if any) is the right tool for you in 2020?
So what’s the verdict? Which platform should you use?
At the end of the day, it’s down to you to decide which task management platform is right for you and your Mac.
We’ve put our two cents in and given you an overview of what you should look for. But realistically, you’re the one who needs to decide what features are most important to you.
If you do still need a little help deciding, why not give our high level project plan template a go as part of our free trial and see how you find it?
It’ll look pretty sharp on your Mac, and we’re confident that once you see the level of customizations and flexibility available, you’ll fall in love.
Happy planning!
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