ASANA! The Good - A big win: We automated campaign approvals. Instead of tracking down stakeholders, Asana automatically moved tasks to the next step when certain conditions were met (e.g., "Final review pending - move to 'Approved' when design + copy are marked complete"). This shaved two days off our marketing production cycle. And thanks to Asana's custom fields, rules-based automation, and reporting dashboards, we didn't waste countless status meetings. The worst: Asana gives you a false sense of control-until you realize that, by default, it doesn't hold people accountable. If tasks don't have owners, due dates, and status updates, they just sit in the system. I've had teams create tasks that go unattended for months because Asana doesn't force action. We had to use a "task graveyard" workflow to catch and clean up dead tasks every other week, or we'd be overwhelmed by virtual clutter. Asana will not force discipline on your team if your team is undisciplined. The Ugly: Search and historical tracking are woefully inadequate for such a powerful tool. If you need to track down a specific past task, file, or conversation, buckle up for some painful digging. We ran into this problem when trying to audit an existing launch campaign-task names and search terms were not exactly synonymous, and combing through dozens of updates would take hours. The solution? Use naming conventions and tags for large initiatives (e.g., "[2024 Q1 Campaign]" prefix) so it's 10x faster to find. Otherwise, Asana is a black hole.
I use Asana, and one of my favorite features is how easy it is to set up rules for automated workflows. It's so intuitive that it actually made me want to learn how to code - if only coding was this simple! On the downside, I used to run into slow loading times when working with large dropdown lists, which could get frustrating. That said, I haven't noticed the issue lately, so I think they may have patched it up. Overall, Asana's automation tools have been a game-changer for streamlining tasks and keeping projects moving smoothly
Zoho Projects' intuitive task management system is one of the biggest pros we've seen on the platform, boasting significant improvements in our team's overall efficiency. We had used Zoho Projects on multiple occasions to seamlessly complete large-scale projects; for instance, we onboarded a large corporate client with multiple locations spread across Manhattan, where we identified the need to break down the project into smaller, manageable tasks, assign them to the necessary team members, and track progress in real-time. That level of organization allowed us to finish the project two days ahead of its schedule, which was rewarded by glowing feedback from the client. Setting dependencies and deadlines through the platform allowed us to avoid redundancy and ensured that deadlines weren't missed -- essential for the fast-paced world we work in. Still, one downside we've found is the steep learning curve that comes with some of the more advanced features. The basics are intuitive, but taking advantage of Gantt charts and custom workflows took extra training for the team to leverage the full capability of the tools. This delayed our adoption process at first however we overcame this challenge by investing in a few training sessions and creating internal documentation to guide our staff. And even with this stumbling block, the positives of Zoho Projects--like, a good collaboration portal, the ability to track time on the many different tasks native to the platform, and all of the integration between the rest of the suite of Zoho apps--have far surpassed the negatives in the beginning. For businesses eyeing this solution, my suggestion would be to start with essentials and then explore advanced functionalities to get the most out of it.
I've used Asana and Airtable extensively, so here's my take--both the good and the not-so-great. Asana is great for structured task management, especially for teams juggling multiple projects. One big pro is its workflow automation--we set up rules where tasks auto-assign based on status changes, cutting down manual follow-ups. This was a game-changer for our content pipeline, where moving a task to "Ready for Review" would automatically notify editors. Huge time saver. That said, a con is that it gets cluttered fast. Once we scaled past 20+ active projects, the interface became overwhelming, and keeping track of dependencies got messy. We had tasks buried in different views, and team members would miss updates unless they manually checked. If you're handling complex, interconnected projects, Asana's structure can feel limiting. Airtable is insanely flexible--more like a hybrid between a database and a spreadsheet. We used it for tracking influencer collaborations, where we needed custom fields for engagement metrics, outreach status, and contract details. The ability to filter and create different views (Kanban, Grid, Calendar) made it perfect for managing this kind of unstructured data. But the downside? Collaboration isn't as smooth as in Asana. If multiple people were editing a record, there was no clear version control, and sometimes, changes would get overwritten without warning. Also, while it's powerful, there's a learning curve--new team members often found it unintuitive compared to traditional project management tools. If you need a structured task manager, Asana is solid but can get overwhelming at scale. If you need custom workflows with a database-style setup, Airtable is powerful but requires some setup and training.
Hi there! I'm Vukasin Ilic, marketing entrepreneur with 14 years of experience scaling online businesses. After using Asana for three years, I found its greatest strength is the multi-view flexibility. When managing content across five websites simultaneously, this feature proved invaluable. Our content team operated in completely different modes - writers loved lists for tracking draft progress, designers needed kanban boards for visual workflows, and I relied on timeline views to identify production bottlenecks. The same data, viewed five different ways, kept everyone working in their comfort zone. The critical flaw was Asana's notification system that burned us badly. We missed a crucial product launch because a designer pushed back her deadline by three days without realizing she needed to manually @mention stakeholders. Everyone assumed changes automatically notified the team - they don't. That single communication gap cost us about 30% of our projected launch revenue. My advice from hard-earned experience: Don't just demo these tools - have each department actually work in them for a week before committing.
We used Zoho projects to manage software development, and when it came to strong features, it was not correct. One thing we liked was the underlying time tracking. Developers can log in directly within the tasks, which makes tracking the project cost and deadline much easier. The problem tracker was another plus - it helped us manage bugs without the need for separate equipment. But the interface was a conflict. It felt disorganized, and new members of the team often had trouble navigating or finding the right settings between projects. We only finished making internal guides to help with onboarding. Zoho projects are powerful, but if a team wants something more comfortable, there may be some extra efforts to use it.
Having spent over a decade in the revenue operations space, I've led large-scale SaaS integrations and scaled marketing operations for substantial ARR companies. When it comes to selecting software, I've used Asana extensively for streamlining cross-functional teams, particularly in complex integration projects. One significant advantage of Asana is its intuitive task management system, which allowed us to coordinate seamlessly with 4,500+ global B2B tech brands we've pattnered with, enhancing productivity by 40%. However, a challenge I faced with Asana was the initial time investment required to customize projects according to specific team workflows. During an enterprise-wide SaaS integration, setting up the workflows in Asana initially slowed our pace. To counteract this, we allocated dedicated setup time, which ultimately paid off in efficiency gains, but it's a critical point for stakeholders to consider while implementing Asana in intricate scenarios.
As the founder and CEO of NetSharx Technology Partners, I've had experience in helping organizations streamline their operations using various digital tools. One solution I've had the opportunity to explore is Zoho Projects, especially in facilitating digital change for mid-market enterprises. A significant pro of Zoho Projects is its integration capabilities, which allow seamless connection with other Zoho applications. For instance, we worked with a client to integrate Zoho Projects with Zoho CRM, aligning their project management with customer data, which improved project delivery times by 25%. On the con side, Zoho Projects can present a steep learning curve for teams not accustomed to its envitonment, particularly in mastering its automation features. In a particular rollout for a client's IT department, initial onboarding took longer than expected, which delayed project kickoffs by approximately two weeks. It highlighted the necessity of comprehensive training sessions to harness its full potential, so it's crucial for businesses to allocate time and resources for proper onboarding when adopting Zoho Projects.
We were using Asana for communication with our developers. It is easy-to-use and has a free version. However, Asana does not have security features. When we paused a contract with one of our developers, he deleted our entire project and all tasks. This caused major stress and pain for the team. I highly recommend using a task management system with security permissions.
In my extensive experience with digital change and ERP solutions, I've worked with integrating various project management tools like Teamwork into NetSuite systems for optimized functionality. A significant pro of Teamwork is its robust task management and user-friendly interface that teams across different locations find easy to adopt, enhancing collaboration. For instance, during a complex supply chain project, Teamwork helped our cross-functional teams reduce delivery lead time by 15% by providing clear task dependencies and timelines, improving overall efficiency. However, a con comes with Teamwork's integration limitations with third-party ERP systems. In one case, we faced difficulties in syncing Teamwork with our IFS Cloud system, leading to data silos and misalignment between departments. This experience highlighted the critical need for seamless integration capabilities when choosing project management tools, especially for businesses aiming to streamline operations across multiple platforms.
Using Zoho Projects has been a mixed experience for us. That said, it's a good solution, and the drawbacks are manageable. One of the biggest pros for us is its customizability. We've been able to tailor workflows to fit our 24/7 remote team, ensuring collaboration across different time zones goes without a hiccup. The task automation features are incredibly helpful, keeping our operational processes on track without constant manual follow-ups. For example, setting up automated task assignments for onboarding new readers has saved us tons of time and made the process run seamlessly. The user interface can feel clunky, especially when training new team members who aren't tech-savvy. We've had instances where psychics or support staff found navigation confusing, ultimately leading to delays in updating task statuses or logging issues. A more intuitive design and better mobile functionality would make it easier for our team to engage with the platform on the go. Overall, Zoho Projects has been a solid tool for organizing our workflows, but getting everyone fully comfortable with it takes time. We've leaned on Slack to help keep everything flowing smoothly.
In most companies, managers wear a number of different hats. With each of those hats comes a different set of responsibilities. Keeping on top of all of these different tasks is easier when you have really good project management software. For me, that's been Asana, and we've had a great experience with it. It is easy to navigate and helps to create continuity across departments. The biggest pro with Asana is that it allows our team members and our stakeholders to see progress in real-time. When you are working towards a goal, being able to see how you are progressing can be super motivating. Asana has a wide variety of features that you can tailor to your business. They can help streamline workflows and automation. And they do a good job at security and administration, too. I can't come up with one con related to the platform.
Choosing the right project management software can drastically improve the efficiency and outcome of your team's efforts. I've had the experience of using Asana in a medium-sized tech company, and one of the standout benefits was its user-friendly interface. It made onboarding new team members a breeze because they could easily understand the layout and start managing their tasks without much hand-holding. However, a downside was that for more complex projects, Asana sometimes fell short in terms of depth in features, particularly around dependency tracking, which made it challenging to see the direct impacts of delays or adjustments in project timelines. Another tool I have experience with is Airtable, which works like a supercharged spreadsheet. It's particularly beneficial for projects that require handling and analyzing large amounts of data. One project involved tracking and assigning numerous tasks across different departments, and Airtable's ability to link records and tables was incredibly useful. The flip side, though, was its pricing model, which can get quite expensive as you scale up. Small businesses, in particular, might find it less cost-effective, especially when they need to enable access to a larger number of users or require more complex functionalities. The bottom line is that each project management tool has its strengths and limiatitons, and the right choice often comes down to the specific needs and budget of your team. Understanding both the good and the bad through firsthand experience, or detailed reviews such as these, can greatly assist in making a sound decision that can ultimately boost your team's productivity and cohesiveness.
In my experience as a strategic digital marketer, I’ve worked extensively with Airtable for managing complex marketing campaigns, especially in e-commerce and healthcare sectors. A notable pro with Airtable is its customizability, allowing us to consolidate campaign metrics across PPC, paid social, and display advertosing all in one interface. For example, during a healthcare campaign with a $2 million budget, we tracked KPIs like CPL (cost-per-lead) and conversion rates on Airtable, which improved team visibility and decision-making by 30% in real-time. On the downside, Airtable can sometimes become overwhelming when managing data due to its freemium model limitations. In a project with a non-profit client, the capped rows on the free version forced us to upgrade unexpectedly, which broke our workflow temporarily and added unforeseen costs. This taught us the importance of planning for potential scale and understanding cost implications beforehand when selecting project management software.
I have personally used Asana extensively in various projects and teams. Asana's user-friendly interface, robust task management features, and seamless collaboration tools have greatly enhanced our team's productivity and project management efficiency. The ability to create tasks, set deadlines, assign responsibilities, and track progress in real time makes Asana an invaluable tool for organizing and executing complex projects. I have also dabbled in Airtable for more specialized data management tasks. Airtable's flexibility in structuring data and creating custom views has been beneficial for organizing and analyzing information in a more visual and interactive way.
Here's what we have observed so far while working with Wrike, Zoho, Airtable, and Asana. Asana Pro: Users appreciate Asana's intuitive interface and robust task management features. One user noted that Asana's design makes it easy to track project progress and collaborate with team members. Con: Some users find Asana's notification system overwhelming, leading to potential information overload. Airtable Pro: Airtable's flexibility stands out, allowing users to customize databases to fit various project needs. A user mentioned that Airtable's adaptability made it suitable for both simple task lists and complex project tracking. Con: The learning curve can be steep for new users unfamiliar with database concepts, making initial setup challenging. Wrike Pro: Wrike offers advanced project tracking capabilities, which some users find beneficial for managing detailed workflows. Con: The platform's complexity can be a drawback, with users mentioning that it may require a significant time investment to master. Zoho Projects Pro: Users commend Zoho Projects for its affordability and integration with other Zoho applications, providing a cost-effective solution for small businesses. Con: Some users report that the user interface feels outdated, which can hinder user experience and adoption.
As Lawrence Guyot from ETTE, I've had the chance to work with various project management tools through our IT consulting services, primarily helping small businesses and non-profits in Washington, DC. In particular, I've had a notable experience with Asana. One significant pro of using Asana is its user-friendly interface that facilitates task assignment and tracking. For one of our non-profit clients, the ability to quickly visualize task progress and reassign resources was pivotal in improving project delivery timelines by 20%. However, a con I encountered with Asana is its limited offline functionality. For another client with unreliable internet access, this limitation made it difficult to stay updated on task status during outages, causing a lag in communication and project updates. This experience underscored the importance of assessing the specific needs and internet reliability before selecting a project management tool.