Project Management Software

[paulsutton]

I work for a theatre company. We want a software package that enables us to manage our production process over distances/online: playwright in one place, director in another, designer somewhere else, etc. These are small project teams, so we don't need anything vast, but the package does need to be able to respond to different project structures and styles and feel intuitive.

I've looked at Things and Project X online, but can't seem to get a definitive view about about how easily (if at all) they enable people to collaborate online (that is not on a local network).

Any advice? Thanks!

 

[miles01110]

It'd help if you listed a few things you need the software to actually "do."

...the package does need to be able to respond to different project structures and styles and feel intuitive.

...is a pretty broad (and obvious?) requirement.

 

[codymac]

With a small team it sounds more like collaboration than project management. Have you looked at Basecamp?

http://basecamphq.com/

 

[paulsutton]

Well, ok...

As I say, this isn't rocket science. Its about setting milestones for elements of project tasks, perhaps in a Gantt like way, enabling members of teams to report pack on progress, discuss and collaborate, perhaps share images, text, etc (but maybe we could do this elsewhere online?)

Two things to say. Firstly, this normally happens with theatre staff in a theatre space. Its usually down to meetings. Very human. You can probably imagine the kind of things we do: set, costumes, writers, actors, directors, etc. Even if you don't know theatre, you've probably been in a school play - you can imagine what happens!

Secondly, I'm very much interested in software which might challenge these expectations. What would be a better way of doing things? Something I haven't thought of? I'm not trying to be elliptical: I just know that theatre's often organic, intuitive processes it perhaps counter to the process flows of software. Go on, challenge me!

Oh ... and users, whilst having access to being online, might not always be online when they need to work on things.

What packages get used in TV or film/media production? They might work well for us, for example...

 

[Ice Cream Man]

I don't know if you guys have an online domain. When i set up sites i use Google Apps for email, calendar, documents, and Google Talk, (chat) integration. THIS Google app can be added to the apps available to your group. You can use Google Apps free for up to 50 users. It has the Gantt chart and collaborative capacity you want.

What is really convenient is that it can totally integrate with your existing domain if you have one.