Think of the big projects you have at work. Sometimes they're simple: "make a new spreadsheet," or "write a report on trends in usage." Sometimes they are simple and serious: "build a new application," or "put together a strategic plan." More often, they're complex. They're hard to figure out, you have to know a lot of people, and there are so many moving parts that it's hard to tell when you've done something. Project tracking software is supposed to help. Often, it does. But sometimes it doesn't. Over the last few months, I've been testing different pieces of software. The software I use for my own business, Finclock, is based on a few simple ideas. First, software should let you keep track of what you did and when. Second, you should be able to assign tasks and track status. Third, you should be able to see exactly how things fit together, to see the big picture.

Read this conversation and make the right decision

Last week I got a phone call from a co-worker. She was having trouble getting her team to add more tasks to a project we were working on. "Why don't we use finclock?" she said. "It's online project management software." "We don't use online project management software," I said. "So what?" she said. "Why not?" I gave her what I thought was a reasonable explanation for our resistance to using software. "It's so impersonal. I hate the idea of entering my time on the computer." "But won't that save me time?" "Yeah, sure. But how much time?" "Well," I said, "I have to enter each task manually. If you put something on my calendar, I might forget about it. And when I come back, I'll forget why I put something on my calendar." "But finclock is online. It will remind me." "That might not happen," I said. "The email might go into spam. Or perhaps I won't check it. And when I don't check it, the next time I have a meeting, I'll forget why it came up." "So what?" she said. "Why not?" "I hate the idea of entering my time on the computer," I said. "I hate the idea of entering anything on the computer." "But finclock is online. That will remind me." "That might not happen," I said. "I might delete the message. Or perhaps I won't check it. And when I don't check it, the next time I have a meeting, I'll forget why it came up." "So what?" she said.