What Are the Different Types of Task Management Tools?

The different types of task management tools use different approaches for efficient and successful time and task management in industries like engineering, technology, accounting, and many others. The best tools use a few simple but essential functions: a real-time view of a project or task, easy collaboration between all relevant parties, easy updating, and tracking of both resources used and those available. Task management tools should also provide for ease of access, task streamlining, and multi-location project management. Different types of tools may be built around the different task and time management needs of a specific industry or around the task management methodology itself.

Corporations and small businesses must be able to manage teams that may be spread out around the world and work in different time zones. The ability of task management tools to provide a real-time, detailed view of all aspects of a particular project or set of tasks is critical to the success of the business. For example, a laser beam manufacturer may have a main office located in Texas, sales representatives located in many different countries, and a manufacturing facility in Taipei. If the president or even the most junior employee requires access to the details of a particular project, online task management tools can provide this in real-time.

Some types of task management tools are designed to focus on meeting the need for collaboration. These task management tools allow users to focus on and manage their own tasks and will save or securely store all related task-related documents, meeting notes, and group discussions. Bringing a number of tasks together into various groups along with the related information and documents allows for more effective team collaboration. In the context of the global business environment, real-time team collaboration between all involved parties, regardless of their physical location, is critical and allows a company or organization to complete various project tasks faster and to make more profit.

Task management tools may also be built around the importance of providing task status and project updates. These applications are designed to work around the progress of a particular project or set of tasks. Some members involved in a specific project may not be involved in all of the projects in which a company or organization is working. This type of task management tool separates, organizes, and informs the relevant parties involved. A project manager will need to be apprised of all the projects under his direct supervision, while a lower-level worker may only need status updates for the project with which he is involved. These types of task management tools can also automatically update relevant parties through e-mail, text, or other means of digital communication.