As an architect, you have a pretty varied day-to-day schedule. One moment you’re working through conceptual ideas and designs, the next, you’re collaborating with interior designers and contractors.
With various projects running at the same time and different people involved in each project, managing your workload is easier said than done. This is where project management software can help.
In this article, you’ll find out how project management software can help you manage your architectural projects and why it’s important to use it. We’ve also outlined the features you’ll need to look out for when deciding which platform to use — many of which are on monday.com .
What is project management software for architects?
Architecture project management software is either specifically designed or optimized for architects.
It’s a tool that helps architects track project-related tasks and information so that projects are completed successfully.
With architect project management software, you can automate and organize collaboration and communication to make tackling various projects an easier feat among different teams. This type of software enables architects to assign tasks to different teams or members, track a timeline, store and share important documents, plan projects, oversee budgets, generate reports, and much more.
Is architecture software different from typical project management software?
In a word, yes. Architectural project management software has certain features that cater to the needs of an architectural firm.
We’ll take a look at what these features are in more detail later. While project management solutions built for architects are suited for architectural projects, that doesn’t mean that general project management software can’t be. Any typical project management platform can apply to architectural projects as long as it has the right features (we’ll cover those soon).
What are the benefits of using project management software for architects?
Architects have a lot to juggle, especially when working on multiple projects at once. From working with different teams to balancing budgets and ensuring compliance on various projects, there’s a lot to handle. Architect project management software helps make sure that none of the small tasks related to each of your projects falls through the cracks, helping you deliver a winning final product to your clients. Let’s have a look at a few more benefits of using architecture project management software.
Helps streamline complex projects
With so many moving pieces, project management software helps architects keep projects on track. Deadlines are everything and have the potential to make or break a client relationship, so having a tool that helps you track tasks and ensure you meet your deadlines is essential. Not only that but by adding task or milestone deadlines to your project management tool, you can ensure projects are compliant by staying on top of tasks that need regulatory approval.
Budget management
Project management software enables architects to better manage a budget by tracking and managing costs related to each task. By having different team members update project spending and tracking the cost of labor, materials, and overhead all in one place, architects can create more accurate project bids, monitor costs through a project’s lifespan, and make more informed decisions based on the current state of a budget.
Works as a unified document repository
Architects rely on dozens of types of documents to get a project off the ground, such as renderings, site plans, construction drawings, master plans, and schedules, just to name a few. A good project management tool works as a document repository where team members can upload, access, and collaborate on documents all from one place, saving you time in searching for a specific document when you need it most.
Manage project expectations
Project expectations can have an impact on how successful the final product is. You want to ensure that all team members are on the same page when it comes to project scope and expectations so that you can also manage client expectations in terms of when a project and its milestones will be completed. With project management software, you can gain an overview of all different tasks in order to ensure your team is working on schedule and that you can update your clients according to real-time progress data.
Facilitates collaboration
Building a structure from the ground up takes a lot of collaboration with teams internally and externally. Whether you’re running an architecture firm or you’re a freelancer collaborating with other contractors, you want to make sure collaboration runs as smoothly as possible. A good project management tool, like monday.com, will allow you to onboard multiple members to a project board so that you can all work together towards common goals while still working individually on your own tasks.
What should you look for in project management software for architects?
Now that you know how project management software can benefit architects, you might be wondering how to go about finding the one that’s the best fit for you or your firm. Before we get into covering some of the top project management tools for architects, let’s look at some features you should look for. Of course, all these features might not be relevant to you, so when shopping around for the best software, make a list of the essential features you need and try to find a software that best matches that. Here are some good features to start with.
- Look for software that offers cost tracking so that you can keep track of the budget and resources spent on each task
- File sharing is an important feature to have as you’ll want to upload a lot of documents, so make sure the software has both this feature and enough storage space for all the files you’ll need to work with
- Software that enables cloud collaboration will allow you to update tasks on the go, whether you’re on-site or at the office
- You probably already have a lot of work tools, so the software you use should allow for seamless integrations with your existing workflow, such as email clients, communication apps, time trackers, and more
- Make sure the software you choose has the project view type that fits best for you, whether that’s in Gantt form, a timeline view, Kanban, or something else
- The software should also have good reporting and analytics features to help you finetune your projects as you go so that you can constantly get feedback on task progress which can help you implement more efficient processes and improve your business
- Time tracking tools allow you to see how much time you’ve spent on each task, which is helpful both for managing expectations and delivery times as well as for billing purposes
Top 7 project management software for architects
There are a lot of project management tools on the market. Some of them are built specifically for architects or contractors, while others are more general project management tools that can be customized to your needs.
When selecting the best project management software for your needs, it’s important to consider the pros and cons of both options. An architecture-specific project management tool might have more features you find helpful built-in from the get-go, but might be less flexible and customizable than non-industry-specific options.
We’ve gathered some of the most popular project management software for architects and broken down the benefits of each to help you make the best decision. Let’s take a look.
1. monday.com
Thanks to templates and an easy-to-use interface, monday Work Management is a great option for architects searching for a robust project management solution. monday.com gives you tons of customization options that allow you to organize your boards, and choose how you view your timeline (such as in a Gantt or Kanban chart), built-in reporting features, document storage capabilities, and automations to make collaboration seamless.
Standout features
- Integrates with 70+ apps such as Mailchimp, Asana, Dropbox, Google Drive, and more
- Create custom automated flows to keep team members informed when there’s an update on a task
- Communicate with team members in real time on all ongoing projects
2. Monograph
Monograph is a project management tool built specifically for architects. It allows architects to tackle all elements of a project in one place, such as budgeting, time management, client tracking, and more. The platform is user-friendly and straightforward to use and encourages architects to get projects done quickly by helping them divide work into phases or smaller tasks.
Standout features
- Monograph’s MoneyGantt feature allows you to see how much time and money you’ve spent on a project in real-time
- Time-tracking feature is ideal for architects who need to track billable hours across projects
- Send invoices online directly through the platform
3. Newforma
This software is made for architects and engineering firms, making it a good choice for a project management solution. Newforma appeals to architects of all levels, whether you work in a firm or independently, as it offers helpful features such as document storage, budget tracking, timeline management, collaboration tools, and more. The platform is both simple and intuitive while also providing architects with enough flexibility to control and organize their projects.
Standout features
- Easily manage submittals/RFIs to keep track of overdue items and stay on budget
- Connect with other work apps such as Outlook, Autodesk BIM 360, ProjectWise, Autodesk Construction Cloud, and more
- Newforma’s Project Center gives you a single view of each project’s data
4. Contractor Foreman
As a cloud-based project management software made for construction management, Contractor Foreman helps with a variety of tasks including budgeting, scheduling, invoicing, and more. This specific software is geared more toward construction companies, however, architects who work closely with other contractors might find these features helpful. For example, Contractor Foreman allows users to create an estimate from the software, which architects can customize and use to track potential costs, materials, labor, time spent on-site, and more.
Standout features
- Contractor Foreman’s invoicing tool enables architects to automate reminders to clients when a payment is overdue
- Manage your people with detailed crew timecards, incident reporting, crew scheduling, a safety meeting toolbox, and more
- Integrate with tools like QuickBooks, WePay, Outlook, Zapier, Gusto, and more
5. Basecamp
As a tool for project management for any industry, Basecamp still has some features that make it a good tool for architects. Some architects might like how Basecamp presents the progress of a project in a hill chart. In this chart, Basecamp tracks the project on a visual “hill,” noting risks or obstacles along the way so that users can visualize a project’s journey. In addition, architects will also find a range of collaboration tools, to-do lists, file-sharing tools, and in-app communication features, among others.
Standout features
- Integrated internal chat tool to send instant messages to your whole team
- Display to-dos, deadlines, milestones, and events on a dedicated schedule
- A one-page dashboard to give you a singular view of all your ongoing projects, tasks, and schedule
6. Asana
Asana is a good project management tool to keep projects streamlined in a visual way. Asana allows teams to communicate, plan, and structure a project efficiently through boards for a transparent view of tasks. Timelines and to-do lists help users manage each stage of a project, and Asana’s Kanban view allows users to organize projects into tasks and sub-tasks. It is, however, important to note that some users consider it more of a task management tool than project management, but this might be ideal for certain architectural projects.
Standout features
- Built-in calendars to keep track of each deadline, milestone, and help with scheduling
- Workload reporting allows you to maintain control of what teams are working on
- Connect with external apps for greater functionality, like Microsoft Teams, Dropbox, Adobe Creative Cloud, and more
7. Wrike
Wrike comes with many customization options that allow architects to personalize their project management tool. For example, projects can be viewed in Gantt charts or Kanban boards and users can create custom dashboards and workflows. Collaboration is also front-and-center in this tool, with discussion boards, document-sharing tools, and a version control feature that allows users to view changes in a document.
Standout features
- Wrike is equipped with a Work Intelligence® feature that uses AI to act as a virtual assistant and allows you to optimize workflows
- Wrike’s proofing platform allows teams to collaborate on files in real time, making it simple to get client approval on projects
- Create custom automations to trigger workflows and save time
Manage your architectural projects with monday.com
To save you the hassle of trawling through the internet, we’ve outlined some of the main reasons monday.com is the perfect platform for managing architectural projects. Let’s take a look at our features in more detail.
1. Streamline your communication
Communication is an important skill to have as an architect, but it’s not always an easy skill to master. On a day-to-day basis, you’re liaising with different people across a variety of departments. And without a clear and efficient method of communication, you might struggle to pull your team together.
With monday Work Management, you can streamline communication across all your projects. You can add comments to tasks, share updates with your team, and even integrate communication channels such as Slack.
3. Customize your projects
Every architectural project is different, which is why you need a platform that can be customized. Fortunately, customization is what we do best at monday.com. Whether you want to add new columns to your boards or create custom automations, our platform allows teams to create their perfect workflow.
4. Manage your resources
We know that tracking resources can be overwhelming. Especially when it comes to architectural projects. But with monday Work Management, resource management doesn’t have to be a burden. Whether you need to monitor employee workload, manage your project budget, or track your materials, our software allows you to efficiently manage your resources. With the workload view, you can see exactly what each member of your team is working on in order to get a sense of when tasks will be completed and what’s coming up in the pipeline for everyone. You can even use our customizable resource management template to start tracking your resources straight away.
5. Share files and images
With monday.com, our users can share architectural images and design files easily. Whether you need to share a 3D model of a fresh design or a blueprint of a new building, simply upload your file to the project and everyone on the team can access it. You can even add files to specific tasks, too.
FAQs
What features do architects need to manage projects?
The features you need depend on your firm, but in general, architects should look for features that help track budgeting and spending, scheduling, and task management, as well as software with tools for collaboration, communication, and document sharing.
What project management software is best for architects to use?
Depending on your needs, Monograph is ideal for architecture firms who need more advanced time-tracking and invoicing features, but monday Work Management offers more personalization and flexibility to create a workflow that’s entirely custom to your firm’s needs.
What is PMP (project management professionals) in architecture?
PMPs in architecture are professionals who have attained certification from the Project Management Institute as being qualified in the field of project management.
Build better architecture workflows with monday Work Management
Project management software for architects enables firms to work more efficiently on multiple projects. With so many moving pieces, it’s essential to a project’s success to use a work tool that allows you to be collaborative while also providing you the flexibility to create a custom project tracking environment.
monday Work Management has a flexible basis and intuitive tools to help architectural teams manage their entire workflow, better. Our software allows teams to customize their processes and plan their projects down to the last detail.
We’d recommend using our Design Weekly Tasks Template to get things started.
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