research project management tools

21 Best Project Management Tools For Research In 2022

This post may contain affiliate links that allow us to earn a commission at no expense to you. Learn more

• Organizing your research and keeping track of deadlines with the right project management tool helps you achieve more with less.
• We’ve listed 19 of the best tools for research, but it’s important to find one that works best for you. 
• Specify your needs and goals before testing the tools for managing a research project.
• Take advantage of trial periods and online reviews to find a program that meets your needs.

Table of Contents

Why use a project management tool for research at all?

The process of managing an academic research project is challenging, especially for those who are new to research. Some of the common issues include:

• Tracking multiple deadlines and tasks
• Communicating with team members
• Tracking the comments from professors, peer researchers, or vendors
• Managing complex paperwork and data
• Keeping on top of changes and revisions

Thankfully, there are a number of project management tools that can help. 

By using the below project management tools for research, you can create task lists, set deadlines, track progress, and collaborate with other team members. This can help reduce stress and make the research process more streamlined.

What Features Should You Look For In A Project Management Tool For Research?

When looking for the right project management software for research, it is crucial to consider the most important features. Some essential elements to look for include:

• Cost: The tool should be affordable enough for you.
• Ease of use: How intuitive is the tool? Can you easily create tasks, subtasks, and milestones?
• Features: The tool should have all the features you need to manage your research projects, such as task lists, deadlines, chat functions, and file sharing .
• Compatibility with your individual environment: Is the tool available on Mac, PC, or both? Will it work with your other software?
• Compatibility with your research environment: what tools does your institution or organization use? Will they work well together?
• Collaboration: Can you invite other people to collaborate on your project? What features does the tool offer for collaboration?
• Reports: Does the tool offer reporting, or is it more of a to-do list? Do you need this feature for reporting to others such as project sponsors?

Overviews Of The Best Project Management Software for Research

Asana – free project management software .

Asana is the best project management software for people who prefer to work with lists instead of boards.

 It can be tailored to meet the demands of a wide range of academic research projects. Asana was created so that any size team can track their progress and address their research related issues in one location, eliminating the need for endless meetings, email updates, and notes. 

Asana’s free version is excellent for keeping track of your assignments and responsibilities, as well as functioning as a central center for academic research and conferences. 

• Asana is very easy to use and can be learned quickly.
• It has a clean and modern user interface that makes it easy to navigate.
• It has a wide range of features, which makes it a versatile tool. 
• Asana can be challenging for teams with more complex workflows.
• It can be difficult to track tasks when there are a large number of collaborators.
• It is best suited for teams who will be working closely together.

Pricing/Free Version

• Free version available
• From $10.99/user/month

You might also like:

• 15 Best Task Management Tools For Academics
• 30+ Essential Software For Researchers
• Jasper AI Review (2023) – Does It Work For Academic Users?
• Best Online Learning Platforms
• Rytr Review: Is It Worth It?

Trello – free project management software

Trello is the best project management software for people who like to work with boards and images vs. lists. 

It is a great project management software that can be used for a variety of purposes, including research. It’s a very visual tool that allows you to create boards and cards to represent your tasks and projects. This can be helpful in organizing and keeping track of what you need to do. 

Unlike Asana which is designed for customers who want more control and flexibility in the way they view their tasks, Trello is a simple task management tool based on the Kanban system for organizations. 

• Trello works in real-time. Members are free to work on the projects without interfering with the updates.
• A user can add a new member by merely entering the new user’s email address and clicking “Add Member.”
• The system for receiving notifications is excellent. Because every action performed on the platform can be viewed, this is one of Trello’s strongest features.
• Trello’s commenting system should be better.
• It’s not always the best tool for complex projects.
• From $5/user/month
• 15 Best Knowledge Management Software for Academics
• 15 Best Task Management Tools for Academics 2024
• 30+ Essential Software for Researchers

Jira is a project management software that is used by teams of all sizes to manage their projects. It helps to track tasks, issues, and dependencies. Jira is popular because it is customizable and easy to use. 

Jira Software is part of a suite of tools for managing work in teams of various sizes. Jira was created with the intention of serving as a bug and issue tracker. Jira has since evolved into a robust task management platform for various applications, ranging from requirements and test case management to agile software development.

• Jira is a trendy project management software that many companies use.
• There is a lot of support and help available.
• Jira integrates with a variety of devices, including Mac, Windows, and Linux computers, as well as Android and iOS mobile devices.
• Jira can be pretty expensive, depending on the features you need.
• Jira can also be complicated to use and configure.

• Free version available for 10 users
• From $7.50/user/month
• Best Online Courses for Project Management 2023
• Jasper AI Review (2023) – Does it work for academic users?
• 16 Best Data Cleaning Tools for Academic Research 2024

Wunderlist is a cloud-based task management tool that helps you organize and manage your tasks. It offers a variety of features, such as the ability to create to-do lists, share lists with others, and set deadlines for tasks.

Wunderlist is a task manager and to-do list app that helps people get things done. Wunderlist makes it simple to capture, share, and finish your to-dos, whether you’re sharing a grocery list with a loved one, working on a project, or organizing a vacation. 

• Available on multiple platforms.
• Cross-platform synchronization.
• Integration with other apps and services.
• Limited functionality compared to other project management tools
• No invoicing or time tracking

Pricing/Free version

• Free version available. 
• From $4.99/user/month.
• 15 Best Task Management Tools for Academics
• Best Online Courses for Project Management 
• 16 Best Data Cleaning Tools for Academic Research 

ClickUp is one of the best project management software for research. It is a great choice for both individual researchers and research teams. It is cost-effective, cross-platform, and easy to use. 

ClickUp works to organize your research tasks into lists, and then drag and drop them to create a workflow that best suits your needs. It adds comments and attachments to your tasks to keep track of all the relevant information related to your project. 

ClickUp also assigns tasks to specific team members and then tracks their progress as the project progresses.

• It allows users to view their tasks in a list or board view.
• Users can also add comments to tasks and projects. 
• ClickUp allows users to create tasks, projects, and subtasks. It also allows users to set due dates and priorities for tasks.
• ClickUp does not allow users to create folders.
• Some users have complained that the user interface is not very user-friendly.
• Free version available.
• From $5/user/month.
• 15 Best Task Management Tools for Academics 
• 16 Best Note-Taking App For Academics 
• 10 Best Literature Review Tools for Researchers 
• 19 Best Mobile Applications For Academic Reminders And Notifications

Wrike is a cloud-based project management tool that helps teams manage projects from start to finish. It offers a variety of features, such as task management, file sharing, time tracking, and reporting. Plus, it’s easy to use and can be accessed from anywhere. This makes it a great choice for researchers who need a tool that’s both versatile and easy to use.

• Wrike is extremely versatile and can be customized to meet the specific needs of your project.
• It has a great user interface that is easy to learn and use.
• Wrike is also very reliable and has a good track record for uptime.
• The pricing can be a bit steep for some users.
• Wrike can be a bit overwhelming for beginners, and it may take some time to get used to all of its features.
• From $9.80/user/month.
• Best Online Courses for Research Project Design 
• Best Online Courses for Research Project Management 

With proofHub all your work will be managed with the click of a button. You can seamlessly collaborate, no matter where you are or who’s participating in what tasks! Proofhub offers an array of features from Gantt charts to time tracking which makes managing projects easy even if their size varies greatly. 

Whether you’re managing a team of 10, 50 or 500 members – ProofHub provides powerful tools to eliminate the need for dozens of other project management software. 

• ProofHub is a versatile project management software that can be used for various purposes, including research projects.
• It is easy to use and can be accessed from any device or computer.
• The pricing is very affordable.
• There is no customer support available on the weekends.
• The user interface could be improved upon.
• Free trial available.
• From $45/month.
• 15 Best Tools For Remote Access To University Resources
• 15 Best Knowledge Management Software For Academics

Zoho Projects

Zoho Projects is a web-based project management tool that helps you manage your projects efficiently and effectively. It offers a range of features such as task management, time tracking, document collaboration, bug tracking, and more. 

You can also create custom workflows to suit your project requirements. Additionally, Zoho Projects integrates with other Zoho applications such as CRM, Invoice, and Meeting Scheduler, so you can manage all your projects from a single platform.

• Zoho Projects is a very cost-effective tool. It is one of the cheapest project management software available on the market.
• Zoho Projects is also a cross-platform tool. 
• The user interface of Zoho Projects is straightforward to use.
• We have witnessed most complaints regarding the customer support which is not very efficient. 

GanttPRO is a powerful project management software that helps you organize all types of projects from different areas. It has an intuitive interface and offers many features, such as sibling tasks or subtasks with set dependencies on milestones for more visibility when managing your work at hand efficiently in one place!

GanttPRO offers features to break down projects efficiently into subtasks, sibling tasks and subprojects with set dependencies. Users can also choose between different types of boards views or task dashboards for more visibility on their workflows throughout the process!

• With a quick learning curve and an intuitive interface, you’ll be up and running in no time.
• Various and adaptable project views.
• Gantt chart templates for professionals.
• Integrations aren’t overly important.
• There aren’t many choices for creating repeating tasks.
• 14-day free trial
• From $8.90/user/month

ProWorkflow

ProWorkflow will help your team stay organized and on top of their game. It’s a complete online project management solution that allows you to track projects from conception until completion. 

It also aids you in reporting back as needed along with any activity with task detail such as start date/finish dates assigned hrs allocations rates for each employee. This is based on what tasks are currently active at a particular time and how much was allocated during the said period!

• For arranging project information, there is an intuitive structure and navigation.
• The system is very expandable thanks to custom fields and no user caps.
• Powerful reporting capabilities make it simple to look back on previous efforts.
• There are no asset/inventory management functions available.
• Budgeting and cost tracking are largely based on hours worked, making profitability difficult to track.
• 14-day free trial.
• From $20/user/month. 

Codebox is a cloud-based platform that provides secure data storage and collaboration for businesses. It allows users to store and share files, create and manage projects, and collaborate with others in real-time. 

Codebox is best for software engineering teams who want to centralize their code repositories and share them with others in real-time. It can also be used by development managers who need an easy way to track project tasks using a Kanban view or project managers who need tools to manage and track bugs and issues.

• It is a great online project management tool that can help with organizing and managing your research projects.
• It’s easy to use and can be accessed from any device.
• One downside of Codebox is that it can be a bit pricey for some users.
• Codebox can be expensive for larger teams.
• From $5/user/month. 

With Workzone, teams of 5+ members can keep their projects in sync and manage various tasks with ease. The software has been designed to answer real-world problems like marketing campaigns that need an operations plan or agencies with many clients at once–it’s powerful but still easy for anyone looking into adopting it!

The company has been developing its product for over 20 years, so it answers those real-world problems with features that make managing campaigns a breeze (even if you’re only working on one).

• Good for managing tasks and projects and collaborating with team members.
• Affordable pricing plans.
• Easy to use and navigate.
• Limited integrations with other software.
• No free version.
• From $24/user/month.

Paymo is a great project management software that can help you manage your research projects more effectively. It offers a variety of features such as task management, time tracking, and invoicing, which can help you stay organized and on track. 

Additionally, Paymo is cross-platform and easy to use, making it a great choice for researchers who need a reliable and efficient tool to help them manage their projects.

• It’s a great tool for managing projects, tasks, and team members.
• The interface is very user-friendly and easy to navigate.
• There are a lot of customization options available within the software.
• It’s affordable and has a free trial available.
• The reporting features could be improved upon.
• There are not a lot of integration options available as of yet.
• From $9.95/user/month.

Airtable is a project management tool that helps users manage their tasks and projects. It offers a variety of features, including the ability to create and share custom templates, collaborate with others, and track progress. It also integrates with other applications, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and Evernote.

At its foundation, Airtable enables you to quickly create a database containing the data that matters to you, then use it to fuel the visualizations, workflows, and integrations that make up a custom application that is really unique to you.

• Airtable is a great way to keep track of your research projects. 
• It’s easy to use, cross-platform, and best of all, it’s free! 
• It can be difficult to keep track of all the different cells in your table.
• It can be time-consuming to create and edit formulas. 
• From $10/seat/month.

The TeamGantt tool is an excellent option for small businesses who need to plan and track projects but don’t want the bells-and-whistles of more expensive platforms. It offers free plans tailored precisely how you Like them or pay extra if necessary!

With TeamGantt, project managers can view their team’s progress on a Gantt chart. The software also tracks workloads and availability of collaboration features like chat or tagging to help teams work more efficiently together while staying in touch with what they are working towards at all times – no matter how many tasks you have open!

• Projects can be set up and tracked in a variety of ways.
• Share charts without requiring the receiver to log in.
• Task duration can be easily dragged and dropped.
• The functionality of dependencies might become sophisticated.
• There are no in-app alerts.
• Freemium version available.
• From $24.95/month.

Kissflow Project

Kissflow’s project management system is designed to improve coordination, transparency, and productivity. The tracking features are streamlined to provide a clearer view of what matters most in your business or professional life!

With the customisable platform, you can easily manage your team’s projects. You’ll be able to create boards for different tasks with Kanban or List Views and swimlanes that divide up work amongst employees so they don’t get overwhelmed by all of their responsibilities at once! 

• Kanban, lists, and swimlanes are examples of many views.
• For tracking progress, there are three states available.
• Reporting features that are extremely powerful.
• There is no Gantt chart.
• There is no way to set up repeating tasks.
• Not suitable for large-scale projects.
• From $35/month.

MeisterTask

There’s no need to manage your projects manually anymore with MeisterTask. It’s a web-based task and project management software that can be used on simple, kanban style boards for agile software development teams looking for an easy way out of the laborious process! 

• Intuitive functioning and a user-friendly interface.
• It’s possible to automate repeated tasks.
• Timeline feature in the style of a Gantt chart.
• Recurring tasks are only available to paying users.
• There is no desktop application for Linux.
• There are no subtasks available.
• 30-day free version
• From $8.25/month

Workday is a cloud-based software company that provides financial management and human resources software to businesses. Workday offers a suite of applications, including payroll, time tracking, benefits administration, expense management, and performance management.

Workday offers analytics that are embedded, actionable, and available in real time and gives you a single, actionable view of your whole organization, from financials to employees. Workers can securely access insights as needed, collaborate, and take action without ever leaving Workday.

• Workday is a cloud-based platform that is quickly gaining traction among businesses of all sizes.
• It offers a comprehensive suite of tools for managing finances, HR, and other business operations.
• The software is easy to use and can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection.
• Workday can be expensive for smaller businesses.
• The software can be complex for users who are not familiar with accounting and HR best practices.
• From $99/user/month.

Evernote is a cross-platform note-taking application that helps you organize your life. With Evernote, you can take notes, capture ideas, and track tasks. The best part about Evernote is that it is available on various devices, including desktop and mobile devices.

Evernote groups your notes into Notebooks, which are similar to file folders. It’s meant to be used as a note-taking tool, so you can use it to jot down ideas or things you notice with a text, camera, or voice note.

Some people use it for project management, which is a wonderful concept because it keeps everything in one location. When you combine notes and tasks with others, though, it might get overwhelming.

• Available on all devices.
• Organizes notes in a variety of ways.
• Great for collaboration.
• Some features are not available on free accounts.
• It can be slow to load on older devices.
• It can set tasks and deadlines but no weekly report on who did what.
• It can be challenging to collaborate with others on a research project.
• From $7.99/month

Final Thoughts 

Project management tools are a necessity for any researcher looking to streamline their work. In this roundup, we’ve looked at 19 of the best project management software tools for research . Each tool has its own unique set of features, so it’s important to choose one that will fit your specific needs. 

We hope that this article has helped you find the right tool for managing your next academic research project.

There is more.

Check out our other articles on the Best Academic Tools Series for Research below.

• Learn how to get more done with these Academic Writing Tools  
• Learn how to proofread your work with these Proofreading Tools
• Learn how to broaden your research landscape with these Academic Search Engines
• Learn how to manage multiple research projects with these Project Management Tools
• Learn how to run effective survey research with these Survey Tools for Research
• Learn how get more insights from important conversations and interviews with Transcription Tools
• Learn how to manage the ever-growing list of references with these Reference Management Software
• Learn how to double your productivity with literature reviews with these AI-Based Summary Generators
• Learn how to build and develop your audience with these Academic Social Network Sites
• Learn how to make sure your content is original and trustworthy with these Plagiarism Checkers
• Learn how to talk about your work effectively with these Science Communication Tools

4 thoughts on “21 Best Project Management Tools For Research In 2022”

In my opinion, kanbantool.com is worth researching! I really like the tools. It’s easy to use and effective, and its price is quite good too.

If you want to use a good project management tool, I recommend kanbantool.com. I think research is a process like a lot of other tasks, so managing it with kanban can be helpful.

How come you missed some, like Smartsheet for example?

What makes it special?

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

We maintain and update science journals and scientific metrics. Scientific metrics data are aggregated from publicly available sources. Please note that we do NOT publish research papers on this platform. We do NOT accept any manuscript.

2012-2024 © scijournal.org

Project Management for Research

The tools you need to make your research project a success.

This toolkit includes a variety of tools for managing your research projects including recommendations for general project management software and tools to help you and your team manage activities from grant writing to implementation and project closeout.

Explore the toolkit below:

Grant Writing + Project Development

A Gantt Chart is a popular project management tool; it is a type of bar chart that illustrates a project’s schedule. The chart allows for organizing and viewing project activities and tasks against pre-established timeframes.

Gantt Chart Template Gantt Chart Instructions Gantt Chart Example

Graphic display of the flow or sequence of events that a product or service follows; it shows all activities, decision points, rework loops and handoffs.

Process maps allow the team to visualize the process and come to agreement on the steps of a process as well as examine which activities are duplicated. Process maps are used to:

• Capture current and new process information
• Identify the flow of a process
• Identify responsibility of different business functions
• Clearly show hand-off between functions
• Identify value added and non-value added activities
• Train team members in new process

Process Map Template Process Mapping Guide Process Map Example 1 Process Map Example 2

The Data Management Plan (DMP) defines the responsibilities related to the entry, ownership, sharing, validation, editing and storage of primary research data.

A data management plan must not only reflect the requirements of the protocol/project but also comply with applicable institutional, state and federal guidelines and regulations. The DMP Tool details your agencies expectations, has suggested language for REDCap and exports a properly formatted plan.

DMP Tool NIH Data Management & Sharing (DMS) Policy

The Project Charter's purpose is to define at a high level what the Project Team will deliver, what resources are needed and why it is justified.

The Project Charter also represents a commitment to dedicate the necessary time and resources to the project. It can be especially useful when organizing a multi-disciplinary, internally funded team. The document should be brief (up to three pages maximum).   

Project Charter Template Project Charter Instructions Project Charter Example

Milestones are an effective way to track major progress in your research project.

A Gantt Chart is an effective tool for setting and tracking milestones and deliverables. It is a type of bar chart that illustrates a project’s schedule.  

The proposal budget should be derived directly from the project description.

The proposal budget should follow the format specified by the sponsor. The Office of Sponsored Programs Budget Preparation webpages provide descriptions of the standard budget categories, lists of typical components of those categories, Ohio State rates where appropriate and other details to help ensure your budget is complete. Budget Preparation Resources from Office of Research The 398 grant form from the NIH is a template that includes standard categories required for an NIH grant (and many others) that you can use to develop a preliminary budget.

PHS 398 Forms PHS 398 Budget form for Initial Project Period Template PHS 398 Budget Form for Entire Proposal Project Template

The Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan first assists the research team in anticipating risk that may occur during the research project before it happens.

The plan then specifies when to act to mitigate risk by defining thresholds and establishing action plans to follow. As a fundamental ethical requirement research risks are to be minimized to the greatest extent possible for all research endeavors. This includes not only prompt identification measures but also response, reporting and resolution. Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan Template Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan Example

The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) organizes the research project work into manageable components.

It is represented in a hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the research project team. It visually defines the scope into manageable chunks that the team can understand.  WBS Instructions and Template WBS Structure Example

Implementation

A Gantt Chart is a popular project management tool; it is a type of bar chart that illustrates a project’s schedule.

The chart allows for organizing and viewing project activities and tasks against pre-established timeframes. A Gantt Chart can also be used for tracking milestones and major progresses within your research project.

The purpose is to define at a high level what the Project Team will deliver, what resources are needed and why it is justified.   

It is represented in a hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the research project team. It visually defines the scope into manageable chunks that the team can understand.  WBS Instructions + Template WBS Structure Example

A communications plan facilitates effective and efficient dissemination of information to the research team members and major stakeholders in the research project.

It describes how the communications will occur; the content, security, and privacy of those communications; along with the method of dissemination and frequency.

Communications Plan Template Communications Plan Example

The Data Management Plan (DMP) defines the responsibilities related to the entry, ownership, sharing, validation, editing, and storage of primary research data.

A data management plan must not only reflect the requirements of the protocol/project but also comply with applicable institutional, state, and federal guidelines and regulations. The DMP Tool details your agencies expectations, has suggested language for REDCap, and exports a properly formatted plan.

DMP Tool DMP Tool Instructions Ohio State Research Guide: Data

The chart allows for organizing and viewing project activities and tasks against pre-established timeframes. Gantt Chart Template Gantt Chart Instructions Gantt Chart Example

This tool helps you capture details of issues that arise so that the project team can quickly see the status and who is responsible for resolving it.

Further, the Issue Management Tool guides you through a management process that gives you a robust way to evaluate issues, assess their impact, and decide on a plan for resolution.

Issue Management Tool Template Issue Management Tool Instructions Issue Management Example

A Pareto Chart is a graphical tool that helps break down a problem into its parts so that managers can identify the most frequent, and thus most important, problems.

It depicts in descending order (from left to right) the frequency of events being studied. It is based on the Pareto Principle or “80/20 Rule”, which says that roughly 80% of problems are caused by 20% of contributors. With the Pareto Principle Project Managers solve problems by identifying and focusing on the “vital few” problems. Managers should avoid focusing on “people” problems. Problems are usually the result of processes, not people.

Pareto Chart Template Pareto Chart Instructions Pareto Chart Example

Closeout, Transfer + Application

Completing a project means more than finishing the research. 

There remain financial, personnel, reporting, and other responsibilities. These tasks typically need to be completed within a timeline that begins 60 to 90 days before the project end date and 90 days after. Specifics will vary depending on the project and the funding source. The Office of Sponsored Programs “Project Closeout” webpage provides a description closeout issues, a list of PI Responsibilities and other details to help ensure your project is in fact complete.  Project Closeout Checklist Project Closeout Resources from Office of Research

A communications plan facilitates effective and efficient dissemination of information to the research team members and major stakeholders in the research project. 

It describes how the communications will occur; the content, security and privacy of those communications; along with the method of dissemination and frequency.

Project Management Software

An open-source project management software similar to Microsoft Project.

OpenProject  has tools to create dashboards, Gantt Charts, budgets, and status reports. Activities can be assigned to team members and progress monitored. OpenProject also has a tool for Agile Project Management. While the software is free, OpenProject must be installed and maintained on a local server and there will probably be costs associated with this. Talk to your departmental or college IT staff.

A secure, web-based project management system.

Basecamp  offers an intuitive suite of tools at a minimal cost: ~$20/month or free for teachers. Basecamp facilitates collaboration between research team members with features such as to-do lists, messaging, file sharing, assignment of tasks, milestones, due dates and time tracking.  

A project management tool that organizes tasks, activities, responsibilities and people on projects.

Trello can help manage research projects by keeping everyone on time and on task. It uses a distinctive interface based on cards and lists and may be especially useful for smaller projects.

If you have a disability and experience difficulty accessing this content, please submit an email to [email protected] for assistance.

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals
• Explore content
• About the journal
• Publish with us
• Sign up for alerts
• TECHNOLOGY FEATURE
• 29 June 2020

Four tools that help researchers working in collaborations to see the big picture

• Julian Nowogrodzki 0

Julian Nowogrodzki is a journalist in Boston, Massachusetts.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Cartoon of a person balancing squares of different colours Illustration by The Project Twins

In January 2019, NASA announced that its Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite had discovered a planet about three times the diameter of Earth. The planet, orbiting a dwarf star 16 parsecs (53 light years) away, was found using sophisticated equipment including the satellite itself and the Magellan II telescope at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. But its discovery also relied on a more prosaic tool, says astronomer Johanna Teske: the project-management software Trello.

Access options

Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals

Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription

24,99 € / 30 days

cancel any time

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

185,98 € per year

only 3,65 € per issue

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Nature 583 , 157-158 (2020)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-01918-0

Related Articles

• Research management

US halts funding to controversial virus-hunting group: what researchers think

News 16 MAY 24

Japan can embrace open science — but flexible approaches are key

Correspondence 07 MAY 24

US funders to tighten oversight of controversial ‘gain of function’ research

News 07 MAY 24

I’m worried I’ve been contacted by a predatory publisher — how do I find out?

Career Feature 15 MAY 24

How I fled bombed Aleppo to continue my career in science

Career Feature 08 MAY 24

Hunger on campus: why US PhD students are fighting over food

Career Feature 03 MAY 24

AI’s keen diagnostic eye

Outlook 18 APR 24

So … you’ve been hacked

Technology Feature 19 MAR 24

No installation required: how WebAssembly is changing scientific computing

Technology Feature 11 MAR 24

Faculty Positions& Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Optical and Electronic Information, HUST

Job Opportunities: Leading talents, young talents, overseas outstanding young scholars, postdoctoral researchers.

Wuhan, Hubei, China

School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology

Postdoc in CRISPR Meta-Analytics and AI for Therapeutic Target Discovery and Priotisation (OT Grant)

APPLICATION CLOSING DATE: 14/06/2024 Human Technopole (HT) is a new interdisciplinary life science research institute created and supported by the...

Human Technopole

Research Associate - Metabolism

Houston, Texas (US)

Baylor College of Medicine (BCM)

Postdoc Fellowships

Train with world-renowned cancer researchers at NIH? Consider joining the Center for Cancer Research (CCR) at the National Cancer Institute

Bethesda, Maryland

NIH National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Faculty Recruitment, Westlake University School of Medicine

Faculty positions are open at four distinct ranks: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Full Professor, and Chair Professor.

Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

Westlake University

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

Top 21 must-have digital tools for researchers

Last updated

12 May 2023

Reviewed by

Jean Kaluza

Research drives many decisions across various industries, including:

Uncovering customer motivations and behaviors to design better products

Assessing whether a market exists for your product or service

Running clinical studies to develop a medical breakthrough

Conducting effective and shareable research can be a painstaking process. Manual processes are sluggish and archaic, and they can also be inaccurate. That’s where advanced online tools can help. 

The right tools can enable businesses to lean into research for better forecasting, planning, and more reliable decisions. 

• Why do researchers need research tools?

Research is challenging and time-consuming. Analyzing data , running focus groups , reading research papers , and looking for useful insights take plenty of heavy lifting. 

These days, researchers can’t just rely on manual processes. Instead, they’re using advanced tools that:

Speed up the research process

Enable new ways of reaching customers

Improve organization and accuracy

Allow better monitoring throughout the process

Enhance collaboration across key stakeholders

• The most important digital tools for researchers

Some tools can help at every stage, making researching simpler and faster.

They ensure accurate and efficient information collection, management, referencing, and analysis. 

Some of the most important digital tools for researchers include:

Research management tools

Research management can be a complex and challenging process. Some tools address the various challenges that arise when referencing and managing papers. 

.css-10ptwjf{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;background:transparent;border:0;color:inherit;cursor:pointer;-webkit-flex-shrink:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-10ptwjf:disabled{opacity:0.6;pointer-events:none;} Zotero

Coined as a personal research assistant, Zotero is a tool that brings efficiency to the research process. Zotero helps researchers collect, organize, annotate, and share research easily. 

Zotero integrates with internet browsers, so researchers can easily save an article, publication, or research study on the platform for later. 

The tool also has an advanced organizing system to allow users to label, tag, and categorize information for faster insights and a seamless analysis process. 

Messy paper stacks––digital or physical––are a thing of the past with Paperpile. This reference management tool integrates with Google Docs, saving users time with citations and paper management. 

Referencing, researching, and gaining insights is much cleaner and more productive, as all papers are in the same place. Plus, it’s easier to find a paper when you need it. 

Acting as a single source of truth (SSOT), Dovetail houses research from the entire organization in a simple-to-use place. Researchers can use the all-in-one platform to collate and store data from interviews , forms, surveys , focus groups, and more. 

Dovetail helps users quickly categorize and analyze data to uncover truly actionable insights . This helps organizations bring customer insights into every decision for better forecasting, planning, and decision-making. 

Dovetail integrates with other helpful tools like ​Slack, Atlassian, Notion, and Zapier for a truly efficient workflow.

Putting together papers and referencing sources can be a huge time consumer. EndNote claims that researchers waste 200,000 hours per year formatting citations. 

To address the issue, the tool formats citations automatically––simultaneously creating a bibliography while the user writes. 

EndNote is also a cloud-based system that allows remote working, multiple-user interaction and collaboration, and seamless working on different devices. 

Information survey tools

Surveys are a common way to gain data from customers. These tools can make the process simpler and more cost-effective. 

With ready-made survey templates––to collect NPS data, customer effort scores , five-star surveys, and more––getting going with Delighted is straightforward. 

Delighted helps teams collect and analyze survey feedback without needing any technical knowledge. The templates are customizable, so you can align the content with your brand. That way, the survey feels like it’s coming from your company, not a third party. 

SurveyMonkey

With millions of customers worldwide, SurveyMonkey is another leader in online surveys. SurveyMonkey offers hundreds of templates that researchers can use to set up and deploy surveys quickly. 

Whether your survey is about team performance, hotel feedback, post-event feedback, or an employee exit, SurveyMonkey has a ready-to-use template. 

Typeform offers free templates you can quickly embed, which comes with a point of difference: It designs forms and surveys with people in mind, focusing on customer enjoyment. 

Typeform employs the ‘one question at a time’ method to keep engagement rates and completions high. It focuses on surveys that feel more like conversations than a list of questions.

Web data analysis tools

Collecting data can take time––especially technical information. Some tools make that process simpler. 

For those conducting clinical research, data collection can be incredibly time-consuming. Teamscope provides an online platform to collect and manage data simply and easily. 

Researchers and medical professionals often collect clinical data through paper forms or digital means. Those are too easy to lose, tricky to manage, and challenging to collaborate on. 

With Teamscope, you can easily collect, store, and electronically analyze data like patient-reported outcomes and surveys. 

Heap is a digital insights platform providing context on the entire customer journey . This helps businesses improve customer feedback , conversion rates, and loyalty. 

Through Heap, you can seamlessly view and analyze the customer journey across all platforms and touchpoints, whether through the app or website. 

Another analytics tool, Smartlook, combines quantitative and qualitative analytics into one platform. This helps organizations understand user behavior and make crucial improvements. 

Smartlook is useful for analyzing web pages, purchasing flows, and optimizing conversion rates. 

Project management tools

Managing multiple research projects across many teams can be complex and challenging. Project management tools can ease the burden on researchers. 

Visual productivity tool Trello helps research teams manage their projects more efficiently. Trello makes product tracking easier with:

A range of workflow options

Unique project board layouts

Advanced descriptions

Integrations

Trello also works as an SSOT to stay on top of projects and collaborate effectively as a team. 

To connect research, workflows, and teams, Airtable provides a clean interactive interface. 

With Airtable, it’s simple to place research projects in a list view, workstream, or road map to synthesize information and quickly collaborate. The Sync feature makes it easy to link all your research data to one place for faster action. 

For product teams, Asana gathers development, copywriting, design, research teams, and product managers in one space. 

As a task management platform, Asana offers all the expected features and more, including time-tracking and Jira integration. The platform offers reporting alongside data collection methods , so it’s a favorite for product teams in the tech space.

Grammar checker tools

Grammar tools ensure your research projects are professional and proofed. 

No one’s perfect, especially when it comes to spelling, punctuation, and grammar. That’s where Grammarly can help. 

Grammarly’s AI-powered platform reviews your content and corrects any mistakes. Through helpful integrations with other platforms––such as Gmail, Google Docs, Twitter, and LinkedIn––it’s simple to spellcheck as you go. 

Another helpful grammar tool is Trinka AI. Trinka is specifically for technical and academic styles of writing. It doesn’t just correct mistakes in spelling, punctuation, and grammar; it also offers explanations and additional information when errors show. 

Researchers can also use Trinka to enhance their writing and:

Align it with technical and academic styles

Improve areas like syntax and word choice

Discover relevant suggestions based on the content topic

Plagiarism checker tools

Avoiding plagiarism is crucial for the integrity of research. Using checker tools can ensure your work is original. 

Plagiarism checker Quetext uses DeepSearch™ technology to quickly sort through online content to search for signs of plagiarism. 

With color coding, annotations, and an overall score, it’s easy to identify conflict areas and fix them accordingly. 

Duplichecker

Another helpful plagiarism tool is Duplichecker, which scans pieces of content for issues. The service is free for content up to 1000 words, with paid options available after that. 

If plagiarism occurs, a percentage identifies how much is duplicate content. However, the interface is relatively basic, offering little additional information.  

Journal finder tools

Finding the right journals for your project can be challenging––especially with the plethora of inaccurate or predatory content online. Journal finder tools can solve this issue. 

Enago Journal Finder

The Enago Open Access Journal Finder sorts through online journals to verify their legitimacy. Through Engao, you can discover pre-vetted, high-quality journals through a validated journal index. 

Enago’s search tool also helps users find relevant journals for their subject matter, speeding up the research process. 

JournalFinder

JournalFinder is another journal tool that’s popular with academics and researchers. It makes the process of discovering relevant journals fast by leaning into a machine-learning algorithm.

This is useful for discovering key information and finding the right journals to publish and share your work in. 

Social networking for researchers

Collaboration between researchers can improve the accuracy and sharing of information. Promoting research findings can also be essential for public health, safety, and more. 

While typical social networks exist, some are specifically designed for academics.

ResearchGate

Networking platform ResearchGate encourages researchers to connect, collaborate, and share within the scientific community. With 20 million researchers on the platform, it's a popular choice. 

ResearchGate is founded on an intention to advance research. The platform provides topic pages for easy connection within a field of expertise and access to millions of publications to help users stay up to date. 

Academia is another commonly used platform that connects 220 million academics and researchers within their specialties. 

The platform aims to accelerate research with discovery tools and grow a researcher’s audience to promote their ideas. 

On Academia, users can access 47 million PDFs for free. They cover topics from mechanical engineering to applied economics and child psychology. 

• Expedited research with the power of tools

For researchers, finding data and information can be time-consuming and complex to manage. That’s where the power of tools comes in. 

Manual processes are slow, outdated, and have a larger potential for inaccuracies. 

Leaning into tools can help researchers speed up their processes, conduct efficient research, boost their accuracy, and share their work effectively. 

With tools available for project and data management, web data collection, and journal finding, researchers have plenty of assistance at their disposal.

When it comes to connecting with customers, advanced tools boost customer connection while continually bringing their needs and wants into products and services.

What are primary research tools?

Primary research is data and information that you collect firsthand through surveys, customer interviews, or focus groups. 

Secondary research is data and information from other sources, such as journals, research bodies, or online content. 

Primary researcher tools use methods like surveys and customer interviews. You can use these tools to collect, store, or manage information effectively and uncover more accurate insights. 

What is the difference between tools and methods in research?

Research methods relate to how researchers gather information and data. 

For example, surveys, focus groups, customer interviews, and A/B testing are research methods that gather information. 

On the other hand, tools assist areas of research. Researchers may use tools to more efficiently gather data, store data securely, or uncover insights. 

Tools can improve research methods, ensuring efficiency and accuracy while reducing complexity.

Should you be using a customer insights hub?

Do you want to discover previous research faster?

Do you share your research findings with others?

Do you analyze research data?

Start for free today, add your research, and get to key insights faster

Editor’s picks

Last updated: 11 January 2024

Last updated: 15 January 2024

Last updated: 17 January 2024

Last updated: 12 May 2023

Last updated: 30 April 2024

Last updated: 18 May 2023

Last updated: 25 November 2023

Last updated: 13 May 2024

Latest articles

Related topics, .css-je19u9{-webkit-align-items:flex-end;-webkit-box-align:flex-end;-ms-flex-align:flex-end;align-items:flex-end;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:wrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;row-gap:0;text-align:center;max-width:671px;}@media (max-width: 1079px){.css-je19u9{max-width:400px;}.css-je19u9>span{white-space:pre;}}@media (max-width: 799px){.css-je19u9{max-width:400px;}.css-je19u9>span{white-space:pre;}} decide what to .css-1kiodld{max-height:56px;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;}@media (max-width: 1079px){.css-1kiodld{display:none;}} build next, decide what to build next.

Users report unexpectedly high data usage, especially during streaming sessions.

Users find it hard to navigate from the home page to relevant playlists in the app.

It would be great to have a sleep timer feature, especially for bedtime listening.

I need better filters to find the songs or artists I’m looking for.

Log in or sign up

Get started for free

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• v.20; 2019 Oct 25

Managing Ideas, People, and Projects: Organizational Tools and Strategies for Researchers

Samuel pascal levin.

1 Beverly, MA 01915, USA

Michael Levin

2 Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, Suite 4600, 200 Boston Avenue, Medford, MA 02155-4243, USA

Primary Investigators at all levels of their career face a range of challenges related to optimizing their activity within the constraints of deadlines and productive research. These range from enhancing creative thought and keeping track of ideas to organizing and prioritizing the activity of the members of the group. Numerous tools now exist that facilitate the storage and retrieval of information necessary for running a laboratory to advance specific project goals within associated timelines. Here we discuss strategies and tools/software that, together or individually, can be used as is or adapted to any size scientific laboratory. Specific software products, suggested use cases, and examples are shown across the life cycle from idea to publication. Strategies for managing the organization of, and access to, digital information and planning structures can greatly facilitate the efficiency and impact of an active scientific enterprise. The principles and workflow described here are applicable to many different fields.

Graphical Abstract

Information Systems; Knowledge Management

Introduction

Researchers, at all stages of their careers, are facing an ever-increasing deluge of information and deadlines. Additional difficulties arise when one is the Principal Investigator (PI) of those researchers: as group size and scope of inquiry increases, the challenges of managing people and projects and the interlocking timelines, finances, and information pertaining to those projects present a continuous challenge. In the immediate term, there are experiments to do, papers and grants to write, and presentations to construct, in addition to teaching and departmental duties. At the same time, however, the PI must make strategic decisions that will impact the future direction(s) of the laboratory and its personnel. The integration of deep creative thought together with the practical steps of implementing a research plan and running a laboratory on a day-to-day basis is one of the great challenges of the modern scientific enterprise. Especially difficult is the fact that attention needs to span many orders of scale, from decisions about which problems should be pursued by the group in the coming years and how to tackle those problems to putting out regular “fires” associated with the minutiae of managing people and limited resources toward the committed goals.

The planning of changes in research emphasis, hiring, grant-writing, etc. likewise occur over several different timescales. The optimization of resources and talent toward impactful goals requires the ability to organize, store, and rapidly access information that is integrated with project planning structures. Interestingly, unlike other fields such as business, there are few well-known, generally accepted guidelines for best practices available to researchers. Here we lay out a conceptual taxonomy of the life cycle of a project, from brainstorming ideas through to a final deliverable product. We recommend methods and software/tools to facilitate management of concurrent research activities across the timeline. The goal is to optimize the organization, storage, and access to the necessary information in each phase, and, crucially, to facilitate the interconnections between static information, action plans, and work product across all phases. We believe that the earlier in the career of a researcher such tools are implemented and customized, the more positive impact they will exert on the productivity of their enterprise.

This overview is intended for anyone who is conducting research or academic scholarship. It consists of a number of strategies and software recommendations that can be used together or independently (adapted to suit a given individual's or group's needs). Some of the specific software packages mentioned are only usable on Apple devices, but similar counterparts exist in the Windows and Linux ecosystems; these are indicated in Table 1 (definitions of special terms are given in Table 2 ). These strategies were developed (and have been continuously updated) over the last 20 years based on the experiences of the Levin group and those of various collaborators and other productive researchers. Although very specific software and platforms are indicated, to facilitate the immediate and practical adoption by researchers at all levels, the important thing is the strategies illustrated by the examples. As software and hardware inevitably change over the next few years, the fundamental principles can be readily adapted to newer products.

Software Packages and Alternatives

A Glossary of Special Terms

Basic Principles

Although there is a huge variety of different types of scientific enterprises, most of them contain one or more activities that can be roughly subsumed by the conceptual progression shown in Figure 1 . This life cycle progresses from brainstorming and ideation through planning, execution of research, and then creation of work products. Each stage requires unique activities and tools, and it is crucial to establish a pipeline and best practices that enable the results of each phase to effectively facilitate the next phase. All of the recommendations given below are designed to support the following basic principles:

• • Information should be easy to find and access, so as to enable the user to have to remember as little as possible—this keeps the mind free to generate new, creative ideas. We believe that when people get comfortable with not having to remember any details and are completely secure in the knowledge that the information has been offloaded to a dependable system and will be there when they need it, a deeper, improved level of thinking can be achieved.
• • Information should be both organized hierarchically (accessible by drill-down search through a rational structure) and searchable by keywords.
• • Information should be reachable from anywhere in the world (but secure and access restricted). Choose software that includes a cell phone/tablet platform client.
• • No information should ever be lost—the systems are such that additional information does not clog up or reduce efficiency of use and backup strategies ensure disaster robustness; therefore, it is possible to save everything.
• • Software tools optimized for specific management tasks should be used; select those tools based on interoperability, features, and the ability to export into common formats (such as XML) in case it becomes expedient someday to switch to a newer product.
• • One's digital world should be organized into several interlocking categories, which utilize different tools: activity (to-dos, projects, research goals) and knowledge (static information).
• • One's activity should be hierarchically organized according to a temporal scale, ranging from immediate goals all the way to career achievement objectives and core mission.
• • Storage of planning data should allow integration of plans with the information needed to implement them (using links to files and data in the various tools).
• • There should be no stored paper—everything should be obtained and stored in a digital form (or immediately digitized, using one of the tools described later in this document).
• • The information management tasks described herein should not occupy so much time as to take away from actual research. When implemented correctly, they result in a net increase in productivity.

The Life Cycle of Research Activity

Various projects occupy different places along a typical timeline. The life cycle extends from creative ideation to gathering information, to formulating a plan, to the execution for the plan, and then to producing a work product such as a grant or paper based on the results. Many of these phases necessitate feedback to a prior phase, shown in thinner arrows (for example, information discovered during a literature search or attempts to formalize the work plan may require novel brainstorming). This diagram shows the product (end result) of each phase and typical tools used to accomplish them.

These basic principles can be used as the skeleton around which specific strategies and new software products can be deployed. Whenever possible, these can be implemented via external administration services (i.e., by a dedicated project manager or administrator inside the group), but this is not always compatible with budgetary constraints, in which case they can readily be deployed by each principal investigator. The PIs also have to decide whether they plan to suggest (or insist) that other people in the group also use these strategies, and perhaps monitor their execution. In our experience, it is most essential for anyone leading a complex project or several to adopt these methods (typically, a faculty member or senior staff scientist), whereas people tightly focused on one project and with limited concurrent tasks involving others (e.g., Ph.D. students) are not essential to move toward the entire system (although, for example, the backup systems should absolutely be ensured to be implemented among all knowledge workers in the group). The following are some of the methods that have proven most effective in our own experience.

Information Technology Infrastructure

Several key elements should be pillars of your Information Technology (IT) infrastructure ( Figure 2 ). You should be familiar enough with computer technology that you can implement these yourself, as it is rare for an institutional IT department to be able to offer this level of assistance. Your primary disk should be a large (currently, ∼2TB) SSD drive or, better, a disk card (such as the 2TB SSD NVMe PCIe) for fast access and minimal waiting time. Your computer should be so fast that you spend no time (except in the case of calculations or data processing) waiting for anything—your typing and mouse movement should be the rate-limiting step. If you find yourself waiting for windows or files to open, obtain a better machine.

Schematic of Data Flow and Storage

Three types of information: data (facts and datasets), action plans (schedules and to-do lists), and work product (documents) all interact with each other in defining a region of work space for a given research project. All of this should be hosted on a single PC (personal computer). It is accessed by a set of regular backups of several types, as well as by the user who can interact with raw files through the file system or with organized data through a variety of client applications that organize information, schedules, and email. See Table 2 for definitions of special terms.

One key element is backups—redundant copies of your data. Disks fail—it is not a question of whether your laptop or hard drive will die, but when. Storage space is inexpensive and researchers' time is precious: team members should not tolerate time lost due to computer snafus. The backup and accessibility system should be such that data are immediately recoverable following any sort of disaster; it only has to be set up once, and it only takes one disaster to realize the value of paranoia about data. This extends also to laboratory inventory systems—it is useful to keep (and back up) lists of significant equipment and reagents in the laboratory, in case they are needed for the insurance process in case of loss or damage.

The main drive should be big enough to keep all key information (not primary laboratory data, such as images or video) in one volume—this is to facilitate cloning. You should have an extra internal drive (which can be a regular disk) of the same size or bigger. Use something like Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper to set up a nightly clone operation. When the main disk fails (e.g., the night before a big grant is due), boot from the clone and your exact, functioning system is ready to go. For Macs, another internal drive set up as a Time Machine enables keeping versions of files as they change. You should also have an external drive, which is likewise a Time Machine or a clone: you can quickly unplug it and take it with you, if the laboratory has to be evacuated (fire alarm or chemical emergency) or if something happens to your computer and you need to use one elsewhere. Set a calendar reminder once a month to check that the Time Machine is accessible and can be searched and that your clone is actually updated and bootable. A Passport-type portable drive is ideal when traveling to conferences: if something happens to the laptop, you can boot a fresh (or borrowed) machine from the portable drive and continue working. For people who routinely install software or operating system updates, I also recommend getting one disk that is a clone of the entire system and applications and then set it to nightly clone the data only , leaving the operating system files unchanged. This guarantees that you have a usable system with the latest data files (useful in case an update or a new piece of software renders the system unstable or unbootable and it overwrites the regular clone before you notice the problem). Consider off-site storage. CrashPlan Pro is a reasonable choice for backing up laboratory data to the cloud. One solution for a single person's digital content is to have two extra external hard drives. One gets a clone of your office computer, and one is a clone of your home computer, and then you swap—bring the office one home and the home one to your office. Update them regularly, and keep them swapped, so that should a disaster strike one location, all of the data are available. Finally, pay careful attention (via timed reminders) to how your laboratory machines and your people's machines are being backed up; a lot of young researchers, especially those who have not been through a disaster yet, do not make backups. One solution is to have a system like CrashPlan Pro installed on everyone's machines to do automatic backup.

Another key element is accessibility of information. Everyone should be working on files (i.e., Microsoft Word documents) that are inside a Dropbox or Box folder; whatever you are working on this month, the files should be inside a folder synchronized by one of these services. That way, if anything happens to your machine, you can access your files from anywhere in the world. It is critical that whatever service is chosen, it is one that s ynchronizes a local copy of the data that live on your local machine (not simply keeps files in the cloud) —that way, you have what you need even if the internet is down or connectivity is poor. Tools that help connect to your resources while on the road include a VPN (especially useful for secure connections while traveling), SFTP (to transfer files; turn on the SFTP, not FTP, service on your office machine), and Remote Desktop (or VNC). All of these exist for cell phone or tablet devices, as well as for laptops, enabling access to anything from anywhere. All files (including scans of paper documents) should be processed by OCR (optical character recognition) software to render their contents searchable. This can be done in batch (on a schedule), by Adobe Acrobat's OCR function, which can be pointed to an entire folder of PDFs, for example, and left to run overnight. The result, especially with Apple's Spotlight feature, is that one can easily retrieve information that might be written inside a scanned document.

Here, we focus on work product and the thought process, not management of the raw data as it emerges from equipment and experimental apparatus. However, mention should be made of electronic laboratory notebooks (ELNs), which are becoming an important aspect of research. ELNs are a rapidly developing field, because they face a number of challenges. A laboratory that abandons paper notebooks entirely has to provide computer interfaces anywhere in the facility where data might be generated; having screens, keyboards, and mice at every microscope or other apparatus station, for example, can be expensive, and it is not trivial to find an ergonomically equivalent digital substitute for writing things down in a notebook as ideas or data appear. On the other hand, keeping both paper notebooks for immediate recording, and ELNs for organized official storage, raises problems of wasted effort during the (perhaps incomplete) transfer of information from paper to the digital version. ELNs are also an essential tool to prevent loss of institutional knowledge as team members move up to independent positions. ELN usage will evolve over time as input devices improve and best practices are developed to minimize the overhead of entering meta-data. However, regardless of how primary data are acquired, the researcher will need specific strategies for transitioning experimental findings into research product in the context of a complex set of personal, institutional, and scientific goals and constraints.

Facilitating Creativity

The pipeline begins with ideas, which must be cultivated and then harnessed for subsequent implementation ( Altshuller, 1984 ). This step consists of two components: identifying salient new information and arranging it in a way that facilitates novel ideas, associations, hypotheses, and strategic plans for making impact.

For the first step, we suggest an automated weekly PubCrawler search, which allows Boolean searches of the literature. Good searches to save include ones focusing on specific keywords of interest, as well as names of specific people whose work one wants to follow. The resulting weekly email of new papers matching specific criteria complements manual searches done via ISI's Web of Science, Google Scholar, and PubMed. The papers of interest should be immediately imported into a reference manager, such as Endnote, along with useful Keywords and text in the Notes field of each one that will facilitate locating them later. Additional tools include DevonAgent and DevonSphere, which enable smart searches of web and local resources, respectively.

Brainstorming can take place on paper or digitally (see later discussion). We have noticed that the rate of influx of new ideas is increased by habituating to never losing a new idea. This can be accomplished by establishing a voicemail contact in your cell phone leading to your own office voicemail (which allows voice recordings of idea fragments while driving or on the road, hands-free) and/or setting up Endnote or a similar server-synchronized application to record (and ideally transcribe) notes. It has been our experience that the more one records ideas arising in a non-work setting, the more often they will pop up automatically. For notes or schematics written on paper during dedicated brainstorming, one tool that ensures that nothing is lost is an electronic pen. For example, the Livescribe products are well integrated with Evernote and ensure that no matter where you are, anything you write down becomes captured in a form accessible from anywhere and are safe no matter what happens to the original notebook in which they were written.

Enhancing scientific thought, creative brainstorming, and strategic planning is facilitated by the creation of mind maps: visual representations of spatial structure of links between concepts, or the mapping of planned activity onto goals of different timescales. There are many available mind map software packages, including MindNode; their goal is to enable one to quickly set down relationships between concepts with a minimum of time spent on formatting. Examples are shown in Figures 3 A and 3B. The process of creating these mind maps (which can then be put on one's website or discussed with the laboratory members) helps refine fuzzy thinking and clarifies the relationships between concepts or activities. Mind mappers are an excellent tool because their light, freeform nature allows unimpeded brainstorming and fluid changes of idea structure but at the same time forces one to explicitly test out specific arrangements of plans or ideas.

Mind Mapping

(A and B) The task of schematizing concepts and ideas spatially based on their hierarchical relationships with each other is a powerful technique for organizing the creative thought process. Examples include (A), which shows how the different projects in our laboratory relate to each other. Importantly, it can also reveal disbalances or gaps in coverage of specific topics, as well as help identify novel relationships between sub-projects by placing them on axes (B) or even identify novel hypotheses suggested by symmetry.

(C) Relationships between the central nervous system (CNS) and regeneration, cancer, and embryogenesis. The connecting lines in black show typical projects (relationships) already being pursued by our laboratory, and the lack of a project in the space between CNS and embryogenesis suggests a straightforward hypothesis and project to examine the role of the brain in embryonic patterning.

It is important to note that mind maps can serve a function beyond explicit organization. In a good mapped structure, one can look for symmetries (revealing relationships that are otherwise not obvious) between the concepts involved. An obvious geometric pattern with a missing link or node can help one think about what could possibly go there, and often identifies new relationships or items that had not been considered ( Figure 3 C), in much the same way that gaps in the periodic table of the elements helped identify novel elements.

Organizing Information and Knowledge

The input and output of the feedback process between brainstorming and literature mining is information. Static information not only consists of the facts, images, documents, and other material needed to support a train of thought but also includes anything needed to support the various projects and activities. It should be accessible in three ways, as it will be active during all phases of the work cycle. Files should be arranged on your disk in a logical hierarchical structure appropriate to the work. Everything should also be searchable and indexed by Spotlight. Finally, some information should be stored as entries in a data management system, like Evernote or DevonThink, which have convenient client applications that make the data accessible from any device.

Notes in these systems should include useful lists and how-to's, including, for example:

• • Names and addresses of experts for specific topics
• • Emergency protocols for laboratory or animal habitats
• • Common recipes/methods
• • Lists and outlines of papers/grants on the docket
• • Information on students, computers, courses, etc.
• • Laboratory policies
• • Materials and advice for students, new group members, etc.
• • Lists of editors, and preferred media contacts
• • Lists of Materials Transfer Agreements (MTAs), contract texts, info on IP
• • Favorite questions for prospective laboratory members

Each note can have attachments, which include manuals, materials safety sheets, etc. DevonThink needs a little more setup but is more robust and also allows keeping the server on one's own machine (nothing gets uploaded to company servers, unlike with Evernote, which might be a factor for sensitive data). Scientific papers should be kept in a reference manager, whereas books (such as epub files and PDFs of books and manuscripts) can be stored in a Calibre library.

Email: A Distinct Kind of Information

A special case of static information is email, including especially informative and/or actionable emails from team members, external collaborators, reviewers, and funders. Because the influx of email is ever-increasing, it is important to (1) establish a good infrastructure for its management and (2) establish policies for responding to emails and using them to facilitate research. The first step is to ensure that one only sees useful emails, by training a good Bayesian spam filter such as SpamSieve. We suggest a triage system in which, at specific times of day (so that it does not interfere with other work), the Inbox is checked and each email is (1) forwarded to someone better suited to handling it, (2) responded quickly for urgent things that need a simple answer, or (3) started as a Draft email for those that require a thoughtful reply. Once a day or a couple of times per week, when circumstances permit focused thought, the Draft folder should be revisited and those emails answered. We suggest a “0 Inbox” policy whereby at the end of a day, the Inbox is basically empty, with everything either delegated, answered, or set to answer later.

We also suggest creating subfolders in the main account (keeping them on the mail server, not local to a computer, so that they can be searched and accessed from anywhere) as follows:

• • Collaborators (emails stating what they are going to do or updating on recent status)
• • Grants in play (emails from funding agencies confirming receipt)
• • Papers in play (emails from journals confirming receipt)
• • Waiting for information (emails from people for whom you are waiting for information)
• • Waiting for miscellaneous (emails from people who you expect to do something)
• • Waiting for reagents (emails from people confirming that they will be sending you a physical object)

Incoming emails belonging to those categories (for example, an email from an NIH program officer acknowledging a grant submission, a collaborator who emailed a plan of what they will do next, or someone who promised to answer a specific question) should be sorted from the Inbox to the relevant folder. Every couple of weeks (according to a calendar reminder), those folders should be checked, and those items that have since been dealt with can be saved to a Saved Messages folder archive, whereas those that remain can be Replied to as a reminder to prod the relevant person.

In addition, as most researchers now exchange a lot of information via email, the email trail preserves a record of relationships among colleagues and collaborators. It can be extremely useful, even years later, to be able to go back and see who said what to whom, what was the last conversation in a collaboration that stalled, who sent that special protocol or reagent and needs to be acknowledged, etc. It is imperative that you know where your email is being stored, by whom, and their policy on retention, storage space limits, search, backup, etc. Most university IT departments keep a mail server with limited storage space and will delete your old emails (even more so if you move institutions). One way to keep a permanent record with complete control is with an application called MailSteward Pro. This is a front-end client for a freely available MySQL server, which can run on any machine in your laboratory. It will import your mail and store unlimited quantities indefinitely. Unlike a mail server, this is a real database system and is not as susceptible to data corruption or loss as many other methods.

A suggested strategy is as follows. Keep every single email, sent and received. Every month (set a timed reminder), have MailSteward Pro import them into the MySQL database. Once a year, prune them from the mail server (or let IT do it on their own schedule). This allows rapid search (and then reply) from inside a mail client for anything that is less than one year old (most searches), but anything older can be found in the very versatile MailStewardPro Boolean search function. Over time, in addition to finding specific emails, this allows some informative data mining. Results of searches via MailStewardPro can be imported into Excel to, for example, identify the people with whom you most frequently communicate or make histograms of the frequency of specific keywords as a function of time throughout your career.

With ideas, mind maps, and the necessary information in hand, one can consider what aspects of the current operations plan can be changed to incorporate plans for new, impactful activity.

Organizing Tasks and Planning

A very useful strategy involves breaking down everything according to the timescales of decision-making, such as in the Getting Things Done (GTD) philosophy ( Figure 4 ) ( Allen, 2015 ). Activities range from immediate (daily) tasks to intermediate goals all the way to career-scale (or life-long) mission statements. As with mind maps, being explicit about these categories not only force one to think hard about important aspects of their work, but also facilitate the transmission of this information to others on the team. The different categories are to be revisited and revised at different rates, according to their position on the hierarchy. This enables you to make sure that effort and resources are being spent according to priorities.

Scales of Activity Planning

Activities should be assigned to a level of planning with a temporal scale, based on how often the goals of that level get re-evaluated. This ranges from core values, which can span an entire career or lifetime, all the way to tactics that guide day-to-day activities. Each level should be re-evaluated at a reasonable time frame to ensure that its goals are still consistent with the bigger picture of the level(s) above it and to help re-define the plans for the levels below it.

We also strongly recommend a yearly personal scientific retreat. This is not meant to be a vacation to “forget about work” but rather an opportunity for freedom from everyday minutiae to revisit, evaluate, and potentially revise future activity (priorities, action items) for the next few years. Every few years, take more time to re-map even higher levels on the pyramid hierarchy; consider what the group has been doing—do you like the intellectual space your group now occupies? Are your efforts having the kind of impact you realistically want to make? A formal diagram helps clarify the conceptual vision and identify gaps and opportunities. Once a correct level of activity has been identified, it is time to plan specific activities.

A very good tool for this purpose, which enables hierarchical storage of tasks and subtasks and their scheduling, is OmniFocus ( Figure 5 ). OmniFocus also enables inclusion of files (or links to files or links to Evernote notes of information) together with each Action. It additionally allows each action to be marked as “Done” once it is complete, providing not only a current action plan but a history of every past activity. Another interesting aspect is the fact that one can link individual actions with specific contexts: visualizing the database from the perspective of contexts enables efficient focus of attention on those tasks that are relevant in a specific scenario. OmniFocus allows setting reminders for specific actions and can be used for adding a time component to the activity.

Project Planning

This figure shows a screenshot of the OmniFocus application, illustrating the nested hierarchy of projects and sub-projects, arranged into larger groups.

The best way to manage time relative to activity (and to manage the people responsible for each activity) is to construct Gantt charts ( Figure 6 ), which can be used to plan out project timelines and help keep grant and contract deliverables on time. A critical feature is that it makes dependencies explicit, so that it is clear which items have to be solved/done before something else can be accomplished. Gantt charts are essential for complex, multi-person, and/or multi-step projects with strict deadlines (such as grant deliverables and progress reports). Software such as OmniPlanner can also be used to link resources (equipment, consumables, living material, etc.) with specific actions and timelines. Updating and evaluation of a Gantt chart for a specific project should take place on a time frame appropriate to the length of the next immediate phase; weekly or biweekly is typical.

Timeline Planning

This figure shows a screenshot of a typical Gantt chart, in OmniPlan software, illustrating the timelines of different project steps, their dependencies, and specific milestones (such as a due date for a site visit or grant submission). Note that Gantt software automatically moves the end date for each item if its subtasks' timing changes, enabling one to see a dynamically correct up-to-date temporal map of the project that adjusts for the real-world contingencies of research.

In addition to the comprehensive work plan in OmniFocus or similar, it is helpful to use a Calendar (which synchronizes to a server, such as Microsoft Office calendar with Exchange server). For yourself, make a task every day called “Monday tasks,” etc., which contains all the individual things to be accomplished (which do not warrant their own calendar reminder). First thing in the morning, one can take a look at the day's tasks to see what needs to be done. Whatever does not get done that day is to be copied onto another day's tasks. For each of the people on your team, make a timed reminder (weekly, for example, for those with whom you meet once a week) containing the immediate next steps for them to do and the next thing they are supposed to produce for your meeting. Have it with you when you meet, and give them a copy, updating the next occurrence as needed based on what was decided at the meeting to do next. This scheme makes it easy for you to remember precisely what needs to be covered in the discussion, serves as a record of the project and what you walked about with whom at any given day (which can be consulted years later, to reconstruct events if needed), and is useful to synchronize everyone on the same page (if the team member gets a copy of it after the meeting).

Writing: The Work Products

Writing, to disseminate results and analysis, is a central activity for scientists. One of the OmniFocus library's sections should contain lists of upcoming grants to write, primary papers that are being worked on, and reviews/hypothesis papers planned. Microsoft Word is the most popular tool for writing papers—its major advantage is compatibility with others, for collaborative manuscripts (its Track Changes feature is also very well implemented, enabling collaboration as a master document is passed from one co-author to another). But Scrivener should be seriously considered—it is an excellent tool that facilitates complex projects and documents because it enables WYSIWYG text editing in the context of a hierarchical structure, which allows you to simultaneously work on a detailed piece of text while seeing the whole outline of the project ( Figure 7 ).

Writing Complex Materials

This figure shows a screenshot from the Scrivener software. The panel on the left facilitates logical and hierarchical organization of a complex writing project (by showing where in the overall structure any given text would fit), while the editing pane on the right allows the user to focus on writing a specific subsection without having to scroll through (but still being able to see) the major categories within which it must fit.

It is critical to learn to use a reference manager—there are numerous ones, including, for example, Endnote, which will make it much easier to collaborate with others on papers with many citations. One specific tip to make collaboration easier is to ask all of the co-authors to set the reference manager to use PMID Accession Number in the temporary citations in the text instead of the arbitrary record number it uses by default. That way, a document can have its bibliography formatted by any of the co-authors even if they have completely different libraries. Although some prefer collaborative editing of a Google Doc file, we have found a “master document” system useful, in which a file is passed around among collaborators by email but only one can make (Tracked) edits at a time (i.e., one person has the master doc and everyone makes edits on top of that).

One task most scientists regularly undertake is writing reviews of a specific subfield (or Whitepapers). It is often difficult, when one has an assignment to write, to remember all of the important papers that were seen in the last few years that bear on the topic. One method to remedy this is to keep standing document files, one for each topic that one might plausibly want to cover and update them regularly. Whenever a good paper is found, immediately enter it into the reference manager (with good keywords) and put a sentence or two about its main point (with the citation) into the relevant document. Whenever you decide to write the review, you will already have a file with the necessary material that only remains to be organized, allowing you to focus on conceptual integration and not combing through literature.

The life cycle of research can be viewed through the lens of the tools used at different stages. First there are the conceptual ideas; many are interconnected, and a mind mapper is used to flesh out the structure of ideas, topics, and concepts; make it explicit; and share it within the team and with external collaborators. Then there is the knowledge—facts, data, documents, protocols, pieces of information that relate to the various concepts. Kept in a combination of Endnote (for papers), Evernote (for information fragments and lists), and file system files (for documents), everything is linked and cross-referenced to facilitate the projects. Activities are action items, based on the mind map, of what to do, who is doing what, and for which purpose/grant. OmniFocus stores the subtasks within tasks within goals for the PI and everyone in the laboratory. During meetings with team members, these lists and calendar entries are used to synchronize objectives with everyone and keep the activity optimized toward the next step goals. The product—discovery and synthesis—is embodied in publications via a word processor and reference manager. A calendar structure is used to manage the trajectory from idea to publication or grant.

The tools are currently good enough to enable individual components in this pipeline. Because new tools are continuously developed and improved, we recommend a yearly overview and analysis of how well the tools are working (e.g., which component of the management plan takes the most time or is the most difficult to make invisible relative to the actual thinking and writing), coupled to a web search for new software and updated versions of existing programs within each of the categories discussed earlier.

A major opportunity exists for software companies in the creation of integrated new tools that provide all the tools in a single integrated system. In future years, a single platform will surely appear that will enable the user to visualize the same research structure from the perspective of an idea mind map, a schedule, a list of action items, or a knowledge system to be queried. Subsequent development may even include Artificial Intelligence tools for knowledge mining, to help the researcher extract novel relationships among the content. These will also need to dovetail with ELN platforms, to enable a more seamless integration of project management with primary data. These may eventually become part of the suite of tools being developed for improving larger group dynamics (e.g., Microsoft Teams). One challenge in such endeavors is ensuring the compatibility of formats and management procedures across groups and collaborators, which can be mitigated by explicitly discussing choice of software and process, at the beginning of any serious collaboration.

Regardless of the specific software products used, a researcher needs to put systems in place for managing information, plans, schedules, and work products. These digital objects need to be maximally accessible and backed up, to optimize productivity. A core principle is to have these systems be so robust and lightweight as to serve as an “external brain” ( Menary, 2010 )—to maximize creativity and deep thought by making sure all the details are recorded and available when needed. Although the above discussion focused on the needs of a single researcher (perhaps running a team), future work will address the unique needs of collaborative projects with more lateral interactions by significant numbers of participants.

Acknowledgments

We thank Joshua Finkelstein for helpful comments on a draft of the manuscript. M.L. gratefully acknowledges support by an Allen Discovery Center award from the Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group (12171) and the Barton Family Foundation.

• Allen D. Revised edition. Penguin Books; 2015. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-free Productivity. [ Google Scholar ]
• Altshuller G.S. Gordon and Breach Science Publishers; 1984. Creativity as an Exact Science: The Theory of the Solution of Inventive Problems. [ Google Scholar ]
• Menary R. MIT Press; 2010. The Extended Mind. [ Google Scholar ]

Filter by Keywords

10 of the Best Research Management Software in 2024

Engineering Team

May 12, 2024

Juggling research projects and struggling to keep track of things? Don’t worry. With a spiffy new research management tool at the ready, you could be much more productive.

But what if you don’t have time to sift through dozens of tools and apps for research management to find the perfect fit? That’s where we come in!

We’ve narrowed it down to the top 10 research management software tools to use in 2024, so you can pick from the best of the best. 

It’s time to level up! 🙌 

What Should You Look for in Research Management Software?

3. ganttpro, 4. klipfolio, 5. whatagraph, 8. scispace (formerly typeset.io), 10. databox.

Whether you’re an individual researcher or leading a research team, research management software tools make everything better. Here are some of the features we prioritized when picking the 10 tools on our list:

• Intuitive UI: Most tools will have a learning curve, but a configurable user interface makes it easier to get comfortable
• Compatibility: The best tools offer downloadable software, mobile apps, and web-based apps so your team members can work in Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, Linux, and their favorite web browsers
• Integrations: If you and your team use things like project management software, look for research management tools that’ll integrate with all of them
• Automations: Business process automation takes care of everyday tasks and lets you focus on the good stuff
• Templates: Look for something that’ll streamline your workflow with pre-made templates for things like resource management , project management, process mapping , and research planning

The 10 Best Research Management Software to Use in 2024

OK, let’s stop wasting time and get to the good stuff. Here are our picks for the 10 best research management software tools in 2024.

ClickUp is a cloud-based powerhouse with tons of research and project management software features for your research projects. It’s our top pick for a few reasons.

For one, we’ve spent countless hours refining it to be one of the most helpful tools around. It’s highly rated and at the top of several other lists, including G2’s Best Project Management Software Products & Tools in 2024 .

ClickUp has real-time collaboration features, free Gantt charts , AI writing tools, project documentation tools , and so much more. It does almost anything you ask with customizable ClickUp Dashboards and dozens of handy templates, too.

For example, the ClickUp Research Project Plan Template breaks down complex tasks, organizes your resources, and communicates your progress using data visualization tools . And ClickUp Docs serve as a simple wiki software that lets you create beautiful Docs and wikis that are easy to connect to your workflows.

Did we mention that a lot of this stuff is available on the Free Forever plan? 🤩

ClickUp best features:

• Integration with 1,000+ other tools, including Google Docs, Google Scholar, Google Drive, Google Workspace, Microsoft Excel, Trello, Slack, Evernote, Dropbox, Chrome, GitHub, and Asana
• Customizable dashboards, notifications, spreadsheets, templates, time tracking, automations, and more
• ClickUp AI writing assistant summarizes metrics, compose emails, generate action items, draft metadata, and create social media posts in seconds
• Mobile app, web-based app, and desktop software works on all operating systems
• Task management features organize and automate your research process, whether you’re doing academic research for your thesis or managing your company’s research data
• Multiple views and tools allow you to organize large datasets with complex visualizations to manage references, research, and more

ClickUp limitations:

• Some new users report a learning curve (solved with simple, free tutorials)
• ClickUp AI isn’t available on the Free Forever plan (give it a spin with a free trial first)

ClickUp pricing:

• Free Forever
• Unlimited: $7/month per user paid annually
• Business: $12/month per user paid annually
• Enterprise: Contact for pricing

ClickUp ratings and reviews:

• G2: 4.7/5 (8,000+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.7/5 (3,000+ reviews)

Tableau is a data visualization tool powered by Salesforce. It’s designed to connect data from different sources on a single analytics platform. The reference management software makes it easier to organize complex research data using a drag-and-drop interface and interactive dashboards.

Tableau makes your life easier with access to a range of data analysis and sharing options. And it’s designed for everyone from students and teachers to data scientists and business owners. 

Tableau best features:

• Tableau Cloud provides a cloud-based analytics platform that drives better business outcomes and provides integrated data management
• Tableau Prep is a modern tool that makes it faster and easier to merge, edit, and organize your research data for efficient analysis
• Integration with a wide variety of products to make collaboration, data storytelling, and decision-making easier
• Training modules for onboarding your team minimize the learning curve with Tableau’s many research management tools

Tableau limitations:

• Users report that large files sometimes require long loading times and may result in crashing
• Some reviews mention bugs in new versions of Tableau software

Tableau pricing:

• Tableau Viewer: $15/month per user paid annually
• Tableau Explorer: $42/month per user paid annually
• Tableau Creator: $70/month per user paid annually

Tableau ratings and reviews:

• G2: 4.3/5 (1,000+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.5/5 (2,000+ reviews)

GanttPRO is a resource management system that uses Gantt charts for efficient project management. It’s also a research and reference management software that’s perfect for managing teams and organizing your workflow.

Import Excel spreadsheets and graphs or use pre-made templates to get your projects going pronto. Of all the research management tools in this list, GanttPRO helps you organize everything you need for thesis research, business data analysis, wiki pages, bibliographies, and more. 🛠️ 

GanttPRO best features:

• Multiple views allow you to create Kanban and scrum boards in addition to Gantt charts for better research and workspace visualization
• Integrations with Slack, OneDrive, Google Drive, and MS Teams collect all your work in one place
• Time logs let you track how much time you spend on each research task
• Collaboration tools make it easy for research teams to work together and communicate in real-time

GanttPRO limitations:

• Some views have limited customization options
• Reviews mention difficulty moving and converting tasks

GanttPRO pricing:

• Basic: $9.99/month per user
• Pro: $15.99/month per user
• Business: $24.99/month per user

GanttPRO ratings and reviews:

• G2: 4.8/5 (400+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.8/5 (400+ reviews)

Klipfolio is a business dashboard tool that monitors your research data in real-time. It’s a metrics-focused platform that helps everyone make better decisions with access to the data they need when they need it. ✨

Individual users and data teams can use this powerful analytics tool to catalog data in a user-friendly platform that provides self-serve access to research information. Draft effective reports for team projects, organize citations for research papers and create useful dashboards for end-users. 

Klipfolio best features:

• Integrations with 100+ other tools and apps, from Ahrefs to Zapier, with dozens of options in between
• Compatibility with Android and iOS mobile devices and most popular web browsers
• Klip Annotations allows you to create, update, and delete annotations quickly and easily
• User-friendly interface helps reduce the learning curve for new users

Klipfolio limitations:

• Some reviews mention a lack of alerts and notifications
• Some users report issues with needing to restart the application after adding elements to their dashboard

Klipfolio pricing:

• Go: $125/month
• Pro: $300/month
• Business: $800/month

Klipfolio ratings and reviews:

• G2: 4.5/5 (200+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.7/5 (100+ reviews)

Whatagraph is a reporting tool that helps manage and visualize research data with customizable templates for efficient marketing projects. Move data, share reports with stakeholders, and build stunning reports. 🦋

Whatagraph replaces multiple tools and collects your team’s work in an easy-to-use data platform with a user-friendly dashboard. This tool is designed with in-house data research and marketing teams in mind. 

Whatagraph best features:

• Integrations with 40+ tools and apps, including YouTube, Google BigQuery, LinkedIn, and BigCommerce
• Automates research data transfer to save your team members hours of work and streamline your workflow
• Generates quality reports in less time using data analytics software
• Analyze and manage web page performance data to give your marketing team the information they need to get results

Whatagraph limitations:

• Some reviews mention slow responses from customer service
• Some users report bugs that slow down their research process
• No real project management software features

Whatagraph pricing:

• Professional: $223/month paid annually
• Premium: $335/month paid annually
• Custom: Contact for pricing

Whatagraph ratings and reviews:

• Capterra: 4.4/5 (80+ reviews)

Looker (aka Google Looker Studio) is a browser-based data analytics platform that uses a unique modeling language to leverage, analyze, and visualize research data. Use it for governed and self-service business intelligence (BI), and to build the best apps for your organization’s metrics. 

Collaborate in real time and capitalize on the fastest analytic databases available. Looker’s lightweight architecture allows developers to create flexible data and researcher apps quickly. 👀

Looker best features:

• Intuitive user interface minimizes the learning curve for new users
• Integrations with multiple tools, including BigQuery Standard SQL and BigQuery Legacy SQL databases
• Customizable charts, tables, and reports allow you to share data insights with your team, classroom, or the world
• Report settings give database users and viewers the option to bookmark existing settings for future use

Looker limitations:

• Users report issues with the varied Google Cloud Pricing structure and the lack of a set monthly fee
• Some reviews report problems with the dynamic tables not displaying full text for headers
• Data focus means few project management software capabilities

Looker pricing:

• Google Cloud Pricing : Contact to request a quote

Looker ratings and reviews:

• G2: 4.4/5 (1,000+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.5/5 (200+ reviews)

Bit.ai is a document collaboration platform designed for quick and easy note-taking, document creation, and research management. It builds dynamic knowledge bases, projects, and technical docs with various sharing and formatting options too. 

Users have access to advanced design options, robust search features, powerful document tracking, and real-time collaboration tools. And teams can work together using this tool from around the globe across multiple platforms and devices. 

Bit.ai best features:

• Collaboration tools allow you and your team to work together to create documents, wikis, notes, and web pages
• Integrations with dozens of other tools and platforms, including YouTube, Google Sheets, GitHub, Loom, and Typeform
• Intuitive collaboration and workflow design makes document creation simple for new users
• Automations allow you to complete research projects faster by taking care of small tasks

Bit.ai limitations:

• Some users mention issues with document creation
• Some reviews report trouble with the user interface and a need for a more user-friendly experience

Bit.ai pricing: 

• Pro: $12/month per user
• Business: $20/month per user

Bit.ai ratings and reviews: 

• G2: 4/5 (10+ reviews)
• Capterra: 5/5 (5+ reviews)

SciSpace, also known as Typeset.io, is a powerful researcher app designed to save you time using the power of AI. Discover and review a network of relevant papers and get simple answers from each one without spending hours deep-diving the content. 

Minimize time spent on menial tasks and let SciSpace do the research for you while you find your answers. And you’ll have access to millions of papers and PDFs to get the info you need. It’s also easy to use in tandem with applications like Zotero and Mendeley. 

SciSpace best features:

• Access to metadata of 200 million+ papers and 50 million+ Open Access full-text PDFs
• Workspace enables publishers, institutions, and researchers to collaborate and work efficiently on research projects
• Automations minimize time wasted with repetitive tasks so you discover information quickly
• Built-in plagiarism checker allows you to check your documents and identify issues that may be preventing you from getting published

SciSpace limitations:

• Some reviews mention issues with LaTeX templates
• Free plan does not include any major features
• Lack of reviews on major platforms

SciSpace pricing:

• Basic: Free
• Premium: $9.99/month
• Teams and Labs: $5.49/month per user

SciSpace ratings and reviews:

• Capterra: N/A

Businesses use EndNote to build bibliographies and access research articles. This specialized reference and research management software lets you manage and format citations. It also protects your workflow with efficient data restoration functions. 📁

Find, share, and use research within your EndNote libraries and work on your research from anywhere, on any device. The integrated document creation tools will make your writing more efficient. 

Endnote best features:

• License requires a one-time fee instead of monthly payments
• Integrations with popular tools like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Open Office Writer
• Compatibility with desktop, iPad, and most popular web browsers
• Useful organization and research management tools let researchers drafting and citing their theses or writing in-depth research papers get their work done faster

Endnote limitations:

• Some reviews mention limited integration with word processing software outside of Microsoft and Google products
• You may need to correct occasional citation formatting errors manually
• Document system lacks task and project management software capabilities

Endnote pricing:

• Full License: $274.95 one-time fee
• Student License: $149.95 one-time fee

Endnote ratings and reviews:

• G2: 4.1/5 (100+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.3/5 (30+ reviews)

Databox is a business analytics tool that connects your data and tracks it from any device. Monitor your research data in real-time using a single dashboard to build and share reports, discover insights, and monitor trends. 📈

Get daily, weekly, and monthly performance updates viewable through email and Slack and automated alerts for changes in important metrics. Everything is done without the need for coding or spreadsheets.

Databox best features:

• Integrations with 100+ popular tools, including HubSpot Marketing, Google Analytics, Facebook Ads, and Google Ads
• Setup is easy to manage for non-technical users and data research teams
• Data reporting makes it easy to progress toward your goals and share research data with clients
• Custom metrics and conversion rates are calculated quickly and easily

Databox limitations:

• Reviews indicate that individual users may find the business-oriented prices too high
• Users mention a lack of customization and visual tools
• Free version does not include access to most features and metrics

Databox pricing:

• Starter: $59/month
• Professional: $169/month
• Growth: $399/month
• Premium: $999/month

Databox ratings and reviews:

Unleash the power of your research.

With such a wide variety of research management software options listed above, you’re sure to find an option that does what you need at a price that fits your budget. So get ready to streamline your workflow, collaborate more effectively, and fall back in love with research. 😍

If you want a tool that does it all at a price everyone can afford, try ClickUp . It’s free! You’ll have access to everything you need for research management, plus many other project management tools that’ll make your work and life more efficient.

Questions? Comments? Visit our Help Center for support.

Receive the latest WriteClick Newsletter updates.

Thanks for subscribing to our blog!

Please enter a valid email

• Free training & 24-hour support
• Serious about security & privacy
• 99.99% uptime the last 12 months

Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

Personal tools

• Log in/Register Register

https://www.vitae.ac.uk/doing-research/leadership-development-for-principal-investigators-pis/leading-a-research-project/managing-a-research-project/project-management-tools-for-researchers

This page has been reproduced from the Vitae website (www.vitae.ac.uk). Vitae is dedicated to realising the potential of researchers through transforming their professional and career development.

• Vitae members' area

Project management tools for researchers

The project management tools you use need to be fit for the job - you don't want to spend more time managing the project than you spend actually working on it. In all probability simple IT tools will be all you need to:

• persuade potential funders that you will be able to manage the project
•  keep on top of everything once you are actually managing the project.

The step-by-step instructions in this section should  start you on your way to a successful project.

Simple diagrams

Generally, simplicity is best. So a straightforward table that lays out what is to be done, by whom and by when, is enormously valuable - if it is shared across the members of the team. Important milestones should be highlighted. The addition of a column that indicates the status of the task adds more power to this simple tool. Some teams like to use a traffic lights approach. Green for on schedule, amber for concerns and red for behind schedule. This allows you (or anybody else) to tell at a glance how things are going.

Don't ever underestimate the power of visual information in  explaining to people your project plan and project management structure.

Microsoft OneNote

When running multiple projects, listing tasks against time can help you to identify peak load problems. If your ‘to-do' list of tasks becomes too long you may find it more efficient to use a specific organisational tool such as Microsoft OneNote. This is an extremely useful tool that integrates well with the rest of the Microsoft Office suite. There are of course other products available but if you have Microsoft Office then you probably already have OneNote on your computer.

Risk analysis

Something that all project managers should do is a risk analysis. It is helpful to split risk into two aspects: probability and consequence. Probability is the likelihood of something happening, consequence is how serious things are if it does happen. An important reason for separating them is that you manage them in different ways. If the risk is the loss of a key member of staff then you manage the probability by trying to make their job secure and make them feel valued. You manage the consequence by ensuring that their work is properly documented and that other people are trained up in the key areas of their work. There is a good introduction to risk analysis in the JISK infokit .

Gantt charts

A common and useful project management tool is the Gantt chart (named after Henry L Gantt who introduced the technique in 1903). This has 'tasks' down the vertical axis and 'time' across the horizontal. The duration of a task is shown by the length of a horizontal bar, and the timing of the task by its position on the chart.

Gantt charts can be easily produced in a Word table or an Excel spreadsheet but they are more powerful if they are generated with tailored software such as Microsoft Project. Many higher education institutions have a licence for Project or other similar software. The advantage of something like Microsoft Project is that is enables you to link tasks, for example task ‘y' cannot start until task ‘x' is complete. This process of listing all the tasks and defining the links between them is a really useful discipline. Chaining your tasks together like this usually tells you, on your first attempt, by how much your project will overrun but Project also allows you to play with different possibilities and, during the planning stage in particular, this can be very useful. It also generates a visual presentation of the project that helps at the bidding stage.

Another thing that a software-generated Gantt chart can identify for you is your time-critical tasks. These are the tasks on the ‘critical path' whose late completion will mean that the whole project will finish late. It is helpful to identify these at the outset because these are the tasks that you will need to manage especially carefully.

In general people view this tool as most useful at the planning and bidding stages, and for periodic major updates. It can take a lot of effort to update Project on a day-to-day basis and most people don't find this worthwhile.

There are other techniques such as PERT (Programme Evaluation and Review Technique), which is also available within Microsoft Project, but these are  more laborious and so are not recommended for small projects.

For large complex projects the use of a formal project management methodology such as   PRINCE2 may be appropriate. You may require initial training and support to become familiar and confident with this methodology and it is a good idea to ensure at least one other person in your team is also able to  use it. There are, though, more and more PRINCE2-qualified people around and it can be useful to get one of them to look over your project plan to identify any major concerns.

For a more detailed introduction to these and other project management tools and techniques see the links in the right-hand column.

Bookmark & Share

• Product overview
• All features
• App integrations

CAPABILITIES

• project icon Project management
• Project views
• Custom fields
• Status updates
• goal icon Goals and reporting
• Reporting dashboards
• workflow icon Workflows and automation
• portfolio icon Resource management
• Time tracking
• my-task icon Admin and security
• Admin console
• asana-intelligence icon Asana Intelligence
• list icon Personal
• premium icon Starter
• briefcase icon Advanced
• Goal management
• Organizational planning
• Campaign management
• Creative production
• Marketing strategic planning
• Request tracking
• Resource planning
• Project intake
• View all uses arrow-right icon
• Project plans
• Team goals & objectives
• Team continuity
• Meeting agenda
• View all templates arrow-right icon
• Work management resources Discover best practices, watch webinars, get insights
• What's new Learn about the latest and greatest from Asana
• Customer stories See how the world's best organizations drive work innovation with Asana
• Help Center Get lots of tips, tricks, and advice to get the most from Asana
• Asana Academy Sign up for interactive courses and webinars to learn Asana
• Developers Learn more about building apps on the Asana platform
• Community programs Connect with and learn from Asana customers around the world
• Events Find out about upcoming events near you
• Partners Learn more about our partner programs
• Support Need help? Contact the Asana support team
• Asana for nonprofits Get more information on our nonprofit discount program, and apply.

Featured Reads

• Project management |
• Project management software and tools: ...

Project management software and tools: Your best picks for 2024

Project management software connects teams, enabling everyone in the organization to prioritize the work that matters most. Software that fosters this type of high-level collaboration is essential for most companies. But at a glance, many of the tools organizations use have seemingly similar features. Use our guide to narrow down your choices and understand which tools are best for different types of companies.

If you manage work, you’re a project manager. But that wasn’t always the case. For many years, the only people responsible for managing projects were (unsurprisingly) project managers. These highly specialized roles used legacy tools that required extensive training and knowledge to use. 

Now, almost everyone is expected to manage their own projects, and these outdated tools are no longer practical. And while project manager roles and legacy softwares still exist, modern project management software has adapted to fill the needs of a more dynamic, collaborative workforce.

Whether you’re a brand new business owner who just needs help with invoicing or you're operating a multi-national company, there’s a project management software that’s right for you. Read on to see which project management software fits your company's needs.

What is project management software?

Project management software is a tool that helps teams to organize, track, and execute work. In its simplest form, you can think of project management software as an interactive workspace, where you coordinate the way you work, collaborate, and communicate with others. But the best project management software goes far beyond that—connecting your most advanced workflows across the company and helping you achieve your biggest, boldest goals. 

It’s a broad category, and can be as simple as digital checklists or as advanced as a full work management platform. The type of project management software you choose—and the way you use it—will depend on the size, needs, and overarching goals of your organization.

Why use project management software?

These days, everyone manages projects, but they don’t always have the tools they need to manage projects effectively. This often leads to teams using a spreadsheet, which is great for organizing work but doesn't show real-time updates. Spreadsheets are extremely manual, and can actually impede cross-functional collaboration. In short, they lack the capabilities of project management software. 

That’s why project management software is so crucial to today’s working environment. Among its many benefits, project management software serves as the connector for work, teams, stakeholders, goals, and everything in between.

The benefits of project management software

Focus your work. You’ll get more done—but more importantly, you’ll get the right work done. With project management software, you’re less likely to duplicate work or waste time searching for materials.

Reduce busywork. With project management software, you can connect every single task to goals that support the company’s biggest, broadest vision—so everyone knows how they’re driving the success of the company with every project. When employees understand how their day-to-day tasks impact the company, they’re even more motivated to produce their best possible work.

Create a system of record. Project management software serves as a system of record for all your projects and their related tasks. As a result, you can simultaneously store information while also making it easier for stakeholders and teams to access and use that information.

Increase cross-functional collaboration . Project management software is, at its core, a team collaboration tool. By bringing together work, goals, and people across projects, teams, and departments, project management software helps you build an interconnected, thriving cross-functional organization.

Store work safely. Ever delete a cell by accident in your spreadsheet? Or forget where you saved your latest to-do list ? Keeping everything cloud-based both helps you stay organized and reduces the chance of you losing work—all while maintaining your privacy. 

The 11 best project management software & tools in 2024 

There’s a wide range of project management software available in today’s market—choosing just one can feel overwhelming. That’s why we compiled this list of the best products in the industry today, and the types of businesses they’re most likely to help. See how each one compares, and the different ways project management software can streamline and enhance your work.

1. Asana: Best for enterprise companies

Asana goes beyond traditional project management software to provide a full work management solution that supports the dynamic, changing needs of enterprise companies. Asana doesn't just help you manage your tasks (although you can do that too)—it connects all the work your company is doing to your highest-level goals and business strategy. With Asana, you get so much more than project management software, including:

Integrations to all your favorite tools and systems, so you can keep your work organized in one platform.

Goals that connect to everyone and every task across your company, so you can ensure the work that gets done is always the most important.

Automations for tasks, scheduling, assigning work, and much more—all designed to reduce the amount of time you spend on low-priority busywork.

Ready-made project templates so you can get to work on your most important tasks right away.

Reporting dashboards that automatically update stakeholders and eliminate status update meetings.

Security, privacy, and compliance features that keep your data safe.

Discover even more of what Asana can do.

2. Trello: Best for simple project management

Trello is a Kanban-board style project management software , owned by Atlassian. In Trello, you nest project tasks under boards labeled with an overarching theme. For example, you might have a board for “Not started,” “In Progress,” and “Complete.” The setup makes it easy to track project progress from board to board, which is helpful when you need a simple tool for small projects.

3. Smartsheet: Best for spreadsheet lovers

Think of Smartsheet as an advanced version of a spreadsheet, with more capabilities. This system can be intuitive for companies who traditionally used spreadsheets for project management, such as time tracking with timesheets. 

4. Jira: Best for Agile-specific project management

Designed specifically for software development, Jira comes ready to launch for teams that use the Agile methodology to do their work. Owned by parent company Atlassian, Jira is often used for common development projects like bug tracking, as well as projects that use the Scrum process .

5. Monday: Best for small businesses

Monday offers a broad spectrum of apps that make it easy to implement and get started right away. This works for small businesses who are new to project management software, though once you rev up your work, company size, or collaboration across teams, you might hit a threshold for what’s possible.

6. Clickup: Best for small teams or startups

Clickup’s intuitive and colorful interface makes it easy to understand and adopt. Clickup is a popular choice for startups with limited resources and smaller teams that may not need as many capabilities. 

7. Notion: Best for notetakers

Notion is an elevated system to create and store dynamic documents, sheets, and note taking. This works best for companies or individuals who just need a more organized space for thoughts and ideas, though Notion can feel limited in how you can work with others in the tool itself.

8. Airtable: Best for those who want to build it themselves

Airtable provides a flexible no- and low-code database you can use to build your own bespoke project management system (or other custom application). For those who prefer to oversee the backend development of their project management software, Airtable offers that option.

9. Wrike: Best for client management

Wrike offers stackable storage and security in an easy-to-use format, so both clients and internal teams can safely access information. This can be helpful when you’re working with external partners, such as clients, in addition to managing work as a company.

10. Workfront: Best for marketing-only teams

Workfront (owned by Adobe) is a project management software that was initially developed for marketers. They’ve built out their platform to be a tool for all teams, but because it’s so targeted, users may struggle to coordinate with other teams outside of the marketing department. 

11. Microsoft: Best for personal tools

Microsoft Office is often labeled as a project management tool, but that’s mostly because their products are a staple at any company. Because we already know and understand how to use them, Microsoft Office products are often the first tool managers turn to when they start experimenting with project management. But the reality is, Excel spreadsheets and docs weren’t built for collaboration, so you’re better off using them in conjunction with full-fledged project management software. 

Features to look for in your project management tool

Ready to buy? Each project management system will have different features and functionality, but we recommend you prioritize a platform with these features at a minimum:

Collaboration features that enable work between team members, departments, and across the company—including file sharing, project tracking, and resource management.

A platform that provides portfolio management capabilities and the ability to connect goals to actionable tasks, so the entire company can see how all work is connected.

A mobile app so you can send off approvals, receive timely notifications, and manage projects on the go.

Project and reporting dashboards that are easy to access and view.

Varying project view styles that support all your project types and operations, including Gantt charts , Kanban boards, Lists, and Calendars (so as your company grows, you know your software has the capability to grow with it).

Enhanced project scheduling to set due dates, create important milestones, and easily track time so everything stays on schedule.

Project management app integrations that fit your custom business needs.

Automations and dependencies that update you and stakeholders in real-time.

The best project management software is the one that grows with you

A lot of project management software claims similar features, and at a basic level, many of them are the same. But when you choose a project management solution, it shouldn’t just be another tool. It should be a full-fledged project management platform that enables you and your team to get their best work done, with less effort. 

This means you need a platform that continues to grow, expand, and adapt as your company does. The last thing you need is to hit a ceiling just when you’re getting into your ideal workflow. Asana is built for enterprise teams, which means it can support your project management work from the beginning—when you’re a one-person team with an idea—all the way through your Fortune 100 growth. In fact, more than 80% of Fortune 100 companies use Asana*.

With Asana, it’s not just about putting out more deliverables. Instead, Asana focuses on how you can connect and leverage every aspect of your company’s work, goals, and resources to produce the right work. 

Project management software FAQ 

Which software is best for project management.

The best project management software is the one with the features you need. Look for a tool like Asana , a full work management platform where you can integrate the apps you already use, connect goals to work tasks, break down silos between teams, and automate time-consuming busywork.

What type of software is project management software?

Project management software is a type of software used for every aspect of project management. Often, this includes everything from the project planning stages (resource allocation, setting due dates, and building and assigning work task lists) to project scheduling, tracking, and reporting. The best project management software will help you coordinate and automate work not just across projects, but also across portfolios, teams, and departments.

What’s the difference between project management software and task management software?

Task management software is used strictly to manage tasks and is focused on production. Often, this looks like a digital to-do list with more capabilities. Project management software goes beyond task management to the actual planning, coordination, and goals of a project. This incorporates the bigger-picture, high-impact work and the actionable tasks you need to get there. Good project management software will also have task management capabilities, but the reverse isn’t always true.

How does project management software work?

Project management software is a tool to help you coordinate everything you need for project management. Often, this includes capabilities to create and assign tasks, scheduling all aspects of a project, and coordinating with others in your project team. The best project management software will also enable you to work cross-functionally across all teams, departments, and projects within your organization.

Is project management software worth it?

The short answer: yes! Project management software has an almost endless list of benefits. Most people immediately think of productivity as the reason to purchase project management software, but the right project management software can do more than increase your output. If you invest in the best project management software, you can break down silos and connect your entire company to your largest visions and goals. This enables everyone to work better on the projects that matter most.

*Accurate as of September 7, 2022 . Asana makes no representations about updating this number.

Related resources

What are story points? Six easy steps to estimate work in Agile

What is a flowchart? Symbols and types explained

How to choose project management software for your team

7 steps to complete a social media audit (with template)

Application of project management tools and techniques to support nursing intervention research

Affiliations.

• 1 Austin School of Nursing, The University of Texas, Austin, TX. Electronic address: [email protected].
• 2 Austin School of Nursing, The University of Texas, Austin, TX.
• PMID: 32138975
• DOI: 10.1016/j.outlook.2020.01.007

Nursing research involves much planning and attention to details, yet novice and seasoned nurse researchers often overlook the day-to-day operations required to conduct research studies. Project management is a set of iterative steps that can facilitate the process of conducting nursing research. In this paper we aim to provide an overview of project management and identify ways in which its specific principles and strategies may be applied to facilitate nursing research. Here we give an overview of our current longitudinal study using a Solomon four-group design and illustrate how we applied strategies and tools from the project management literature. In addition, we offer descriptions and illustrations of several other project management tools that could have been used in specific phases of this research project. We encourage nurse educators and researchers to familiarize themselves with the principles of project management and consider using them in future studies.

Keywords: Intervention study; Project management; Research process; Solomon four-group design.

Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc.

• Longitudinal Studies
• Middle Aged
• Models, Nursing
• Nurse's Role / psychology*
• Nurse-Patient Relations*
• Nursing Care / organization & administration*
• Nursing Care / psychology*
• Nursing Research / organization & administration*
• Nursing Staff / psychology*
• Research Design*

Project Management: Introduction to Tools and Templates

By: melissa harris, mpa, ccrp director of interventional resources & clinical trials unit pennington biomedical research center at lsu.

Abstract: Project management involves many complex components and moving parts. Prior to initiating a clinical trial, various types of project tools and templates can be used to successfully plan and execute a clinical trial. This article highlights tools that are readily available for project management, including Microsoft Excel, Access, Visio, Outlook, and SharePoint, as well as Web-based applications. Monitoring progress through various tracking mechanisms ensures successful clinical trial execution from recruitment through retention and follow-up.

Project Management

The project management life cycle for clinical trials is comprised of:

• Study start-up
• Team management
• Clinical assessment
• Intervention.

The project management tools covered in this article are described in relation to the project management life cycle. Examples are from clinical trials in academia; however, the tools can be used in any research setting.

At any given time, the project manager is shuffling plates and trying not to drop one. Project management can be considered similar to riding a bike. The project manager should be able to get on the bike or project and do the same thing on each ride, or in this case, from research project to research project. Unfortunately, in clinical research, the bike is “on fire,” the project manager is “on fire,” and everybody working on the clinical trial is “on fire.” This article provides tools to help douse the fire and continue to move forward on the research project. 

There are many components of a study, from the research idea through analyzing the data and publishing results (Table 1). The most difficult parts of a project are study start-up and keeping the study going when recruitment is not going well. The project manager and study team try to complete the first four components of a study (research idea, protocol, grant, and institutional review board review) in as compacted an amount of time as possible. Sometimes this requires having a very strong foundation. Tools and processes can be rotated from study to study, enabling the project team to move through the cycle fairly quickly.

The clinical trial lifespan includes:  

• Trial initiation and timeline management
• Creating and managing the budget
• Protocol/consent preparations, institutional review board (IRB) submissions, and revisions
• Development of processes and the manual of procedures (MOP)
• Liaison for contracts, subawards, and community partnerships
• Identifying and managing resources (staffing)
• Training/certification plans and tracking
• Ongoing communication and clinical trial oversight.

Tools help project managers calm the chaos of clinical trials. There are many project management tools, including:

• Microsoft Office Excel, Word, Access, Outlook, and SharePoint

Office 365 is not covered in this article, outside of Outlook, however, Office 365 offers a multitude of online apps.

Tools for Study Start-up

Tools for study start-up include organizational charts, timelines, and process flows (Table 2). A research program organizational chart documents a clear chain of command. It can create camaraderie and outlines responsibilities so that staff know to whom to report. The organizational chart also identifies people who have specialized positions, such as blinded staff. Visio is an easy tool to use in developing organizational charts.

Timelines provide milestone time points for various stages of start-up to be completed. They are crucial and should be revised constantly to align with the pace of the study. When developing a timeline, the author starts with the expected date of the first randomization or site activation and works backwards. The timeline maps the amount of time necessary for each step involved in study start-up. The timeline establishes clear goals for study staff so that each staff member knows the due date for assigned tasks.

Process flows, also known as flowcharts, allow a process and the steps in the process to be viewed at a glance. The author uses flowcharts for all extensive processes within a protocol, investigator brochure, or manual of procedures. It is much more efficient to refer to a flowchart when working with a study participant or working on other study tasks than to have to pull out a large document and search for the necessary information. 

Cross-functional flowcharts, also known as swim lanes, demonstrate the process steps in sequential order and show who does each task. Decision channels (yes/no) can also be included in a cross-functional flowchart.

The cycle of implementing the project and maintaining it is extremely important. Implementation must constantly be re-evaluated to determine whether it is working. A project may be working; however, it could be more efficient. Without monitoring, the project manager will never know if project efficiency could be improved. Monitoring includes identifying inefficiencies, assessing the cost-benefit ratios, and monitoring expenses against the budget.

Tools for Team Management

Team management is a major component of running a clinical trial. The author spends much of her day reading emails from people who are updating her on the work that they are doing on a study. This makes it difficult for her to accomplish her tasks for that day. Regular team meetings are an important form of communication. Team meetings can minimize the need for many emails. They can be done electronically, through teleconferences, Web conferences, online reporting systems, etc.

Effective team management also requires ongoing communication with internal affiliates (other departments) and external affiliates (community partners). A 10-minute telephone call twice a month may be sufficient to communicate with internal and external affiliates. Ongoing communication on the study’s outcomes/progress is also necessary with regulators, funders, and other external affiliates.

Document libraries, calendars, and action items are good tools for team management (Table 3). Document libraries provide a central location for all departmental or project-specific files. They may be housed on shared drives such as Google drives or Dropbox. Since these shared drives do not comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, some universities do not allow their use. Universities often use tools such as SharePoint, OneDrive, and Basecamp, which staff can access from anywhere. A document library automatically backs up the documents every night. 

Basecamp allows the project manager to set up study teams and provide different levels of access to documents for different team members. Assignments, schedules, and bookmarking of certain materials can also be done using Basecamp. In SharePoint, the project manager can create folders and list documents. SharePoint and Basecamp both track edits to documents.

Project managers and study staff use calendars, such as Outlook, extensively for scheduling appointments or responsibilities, participant scheduling, and study-specific calendars. Appointment reminder alerts are a key benefit of calendars. The author maintains a personal calendar and a department calendar to oversee staff activities via a central destination to book participant visits and other study related meetings. 

The department calendar is color-coded so that people can easily see the type of visit: green for assessment visits, purple for remote data monitoring, and yellow for phone call visits to name a few examples. Red indicates something important, such as not scheduling participants for visits requiring online RedCap surveys on a day that Internet access will be shut off or when the center will be closed. Calendars also show when staff will be out of the office. Patient identifiers and notes can also be put into calendars so that staff can reference the invite for patient information.

Action items are a key component of team management. Pennington Biomedical Research Center does action items with the Interventional Resources Unit for administrative activities and study specific tasks for every study. Action items clarify tasks to be completed by members of the study team. Each action item is associated with a responsible person and the deadline. If study team members cannot meet their deadlines, they need to notify the author because her deadlines are contingent on team members meeting their deadlines. Action items also increase accountability by providing clear expectations. 

Using SharePoint, the responsible staff member can update action items as she/he completes them so that the author does not to have to receive emails documenting this. SharePoint can also send notifications, emailing a staff member when she/he is assigned to a task. SharePoint can be used to prioritize tasks. This author has experienced a major challenge with Generation X and Z team members is who may have difficulty prioritizing. In the author’s experience, these generations may more often work on the last task assigned to them instead of the most important task.

Tools for Recruiting

Recruitment is the costliest part of clinical trials. Table 4 highlights tools for recruitment:

• Advertising timeline
• Recruitment goal tracking
• Recruitment budget tracking
• Participant flow diagram 
• Enrollment predictions.

The author develops an advertising timeline that is separate from the overall study timeline. The advertising timeline has recruiting and advertising tasks, with color coding for tasks that have been completed, and yield rates of completed events. Pennington Biomedical Research Center does a great deal of community-based recruitment. The yield rates (number of participants randomized) of completed events show the most effective recruitment methods for each quarter or year. This enables staff to repeat the most effective recruitment methods. 

Tracking recruitment goals is very helpful. Many of the clinical trials conducted at Pennington Biomedical Research Center are funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or another government agency or department. These trials have quarterly recruitment goals. The author usually uses more aggressive goals than the NIH’s goals, since it is easier to recruit participants earlier in the grant when the project is novel and exciting to potential study participants that may be reached during the recruitment process.

Achieving recruitment goals requires providing the study team with clear expectations. Tracking enables project managers to assess monthly/quarterly randomization goals to see when the clinical research site was most successful and to identify effective recruitment methods that can be used again.

Tracking spending on recruitment is also helpful. The most expensive recruitment methods, such as television and radio advertising, may not be providing the most participants. Tracking spending and sources of participants enables the project manager to assess the cost effectiveness of advertising campaigns and adjust them as needed. Pennington Biomedical Research Center has different departments for recruitment and advertising. The departments have designated budgets over the study year yet coordinate marketing and outreach activities to maximize recruitment reach. 

The participant flow diagram is one of the author’s most important tools. A participant flow diagram tracks what is happening in real time, allowing project managers to see where participants are in any part of the study flow. It also lets study team members see when potential research participants and enrolled participants are lost due to exclusionary criteria or dropouts. A participant flow diagram documents the ratio of phone screens to randomization and the number of participants in the pipeline.

Screening yields can also be reviewed through the participant flow diagram. Pennington Biomedical Research Center always assesses why the clinical research site is losing potential subjects. This sometimes enables the project manager to make changes. For example, by tracking screening yields, Pennington Biomedical Research Center has found that people were being excluded from a study in the phone screen because they did not understand a question. In response to this problem, the question was clarified. Enrollment predictions can also be done with a participant flow diagram, and the pending pipeline can be assessed. Finally, retention rates can be assessed with the same diagram by looking at the number of completed, anticipated, and pending visits at each follow-up time point. This could allow for the project manager to identify whether a particular follow-up visit is problematic in return rates for study participants. This could lead to more intensive staff contact for said visits to work to improve these rates for future visit windows.

Tools for Clinical Assessment

Electronic case report forms (CRFs), visit scheduling, and visit windows are tools for clinical assessment (Table 5). The world is moving toward electronic CRFs. Some sites and PIs may be reluctant to eliminate paper especially with specific clinical trial populations such as the elderly. However, technology is moving clinical and research practices towards paperless data entry. In this author’s experience, many industry and pharmaceutical clinical trials are paperless or at least using electronic data capture options in many of their trials.

RedCap, built at Vanderbilt University, is a secure Web application for electronic data capture. Various levels of access can be set up for different staff members. Participant self-reported forms captured via surveys are part of RedCap. These surveys can be sent by email. Rather than call participants to collect information such as adverse events and weight, RedCap can send out automated emails on a timer to collect this information. Pennington Biomedical Research Center sets these up in advance and only has to contact participants when they do not complete the surveys.

Visit scheduling windows can be set in various electronic platforms. Pennington Biomedical Research Center uses Outlook or Sharepoint for visit schedules for some trials. The visit schedules show the start and stop time, preventing double booking of staff. If the visit includes laboratory testing, the system can send an alert to the laboratory with an appointment reminder. RedCap also does visit scheduling. The visit schedule can be printed for study participants or for the study folder.

Tools for Intervention 

Real-time data capture, adherence and compliance reporting, and retention tracking are tools for intervention (Table 6). Pennington Biomedical Research Center does many large multi-site exercise clinical trials or trials with many participants. In one study, 300 participants came to the center three times a week. Instead of writing all of the exercise prescriptions and data capture on paper, staff created the Exercise Database for Intervention (EDIN) to capture the exercise data in real-time using laptops on rolling carts. iPads can also be used to collect data in real time.

With real-time data capture, the data are automatically entered into a website or clinical trial management system. Real-time data capture also allows compliance reports to be generated instantly.

Other data capture tools include Fitabase, heart rate monitors, and body trace scales. When Fitbits are used in a study, its Fitabase can be used to look at data for all participants together. Fitabase provides more data than the data that are available on the app. Participants do need to sync their Fitbits in order for researchers to use Fitabase. 

PolarÔ Heart Rates Monitor and Zephyr can be used to monitor heart rates, including monitoring the heart rates of a group of people at once. Body trace scales are sent home with the participants, where they transmit weight wirelessly to Pennington Biomedical Research Center. Study staff can review trends and share individual data with each participant.

Adherence and compliance reporting is necessary because it is important for participants to stay in the study and to comply with the intervention. Project managers and study teams need to monitor compliance. Pennington Biomedical Research Center extracts adherence and compliance information and puts it in a format that will resonate with investigators. Staff create monthly or weekly participant compliance reports depending on the speed of the study. These reports can show what is happening between groups or within a group. 

Since all of the information is in the system, staff can generate reports for participants such as score cards or report cards. Participants often enjoy receiving these reports. If a participant is not doing something well, this is an opportunity for study staff to discuss any challenges and ways to overcome those challenges.

In order to facilitate intervention retention, Pennington Biomedical Research Center does case assessment to identify thresholds for adherence or compliance. Any participant who reaches the threshold for poor compliance is assigned to a study staff member who acts as a case manager and troubleshoots problems.

Staff also assess reasons for poor compliance to identify trends. They adjust screening and/or retention methods based on assessment results. 

The author is often asked how Pennington Biomedical Research Center tracks contacts with research participants. It is important to know why participants miss visits and the number of times that study staff call them. Clinical research sites must have a retention/participant contact system in place such as a SharePoint list. Pennington Biomedical Research Center’s retention/participant contact system lets the author see the visit window and when to call. She assigns a study staff member to call participants on the specified dates.

Take-Home Messages

Clinical research sites should not rely solely on the successes or failures of past programs or models. It is often necessary to tailor tools to a specific study. In order to be successful over time, clinical research sites must establish:

• A strong infrastructure
• Clear operational procedures
• A variety of tools to monitor research programs, study teams, and research participants. 

Continual evaluation and revision of the research program is necessary. If something works very well, keep doing it. If something does not work, reevaluate it and shift to a more effective strategy. Project managers and study staff must be willing to adapt and change. Some study staff members may require more micro-management than others. The author uses electronic platforms to manage study staff, which is less confronting than managing them face to face. 

Project managers should create a versatile study team that matches the needs of the research program and has a great deal of information. Team members will be different. Some may be very technologically savvy while others may not be technologically savvy.

Increasing efficiencies by saving minutes a day does matter. This can reduce staff burden, burnout, and turnover. Project managers and study staff should work smarter, not harder.

Study Components 

• Choose a topic
• Create a hypothesis
• Develop a plan
• Submit a grant for funding
• Submit the protocol for approval
• Market the study to the target population
• Screen potential participants by telephone
• Orient participants
• Obtain informed consent
• Inclusion/exclusion criteria
• Compliance assessment
• Perform initial assessments 
• Conduct study group
• Monitor progress 
• Test outcomes for changes 
• Prove/disprove hypothesis
• Assess outcomes
• Publish findings 
• Outlines chain of command
• Outlines responsibilities
• Helpful for all study staff to appreciate where they fall and where other’s fall
• Provides pre-identified time points for completion of various stages of start-up 
• Establishes clear goals for study staff
• Ever-changing with the pace of the study
• Also known as flowcharts
• Allows process and steps to be viewed at a glance
• Identifies actions within a process in a sequential order
• Provides specifics of process steps with relevant “if, then” scenarios
• Central location for all departmental or project-specific files
• Increases accessibility 
• Increases dissemination of information
• Archived history of all documents, processes, data, etc.
• Document security with automatic nightly backups
• Staff scheduling for designated appointments or responsibilities
• Participant scheduling for appointments or procedures
• Study-specific calendar for meetings, visits, etc.
• Clear assignment of staff to participant visits
• Appointment reminder alerts
• Ease of identifying other staff members’ availability
• Reduces double booking staff and appointments
• Color coding to easily identify appointments
• Clarify tasks to be completed by the study team
• Provide study team pending action items with associated deadlines
• Assign actions items to designated staff
• Increase accountability through clear expectations

Tools for Recruitment

• Timeline of recruitment and advertisement events
• Yield rates of completed events
• Identify and track study recruitment requirements
• Assess monthly/quarterly randomization goals
• Monitor progress
• Adjust advertising campaigns as needed
• Identify and track study recruitment budget
• Assess cost effectiveness of advertising campaigns
• Determines screening yields
• Assess where participants are lost due to dropouts or exclusionary criteria
• Determine ratio of phone screens to randomization
• Stage of the process for pending participants
• Management of N in each arm of the trial
• Follow-up visit completion rates
• Assess pending pipeline
• Use throughput rates to predict enrollment
• Predict quantity needed to reach goals
• Paperless electronic data capture systems
• Participant self-reported forms captured via surveys
• Auto-generated timed survey requests for completion
• Calculated visit windows for follow-up testing
• Tracking scheduled and actual visit dates
• Pending visit reports

Tools for Intervention

• Real-time data
• Easily accessible compliance reports
• Assess participant compliance monthly
• Identify discrepancies and any areas of concern
• Generating reports for participants
• Tracking participants’ attendance and reasons by the individual, group, cohort, month, etc.
• Tracking retention procedures
• Tracking contact attempts during dropout recovery

2 thoughts on “Project Management: Introduction to Tools and Templates”

where is the tools template？

Hey, fellow readers! I just finished reading the article on project management tools and templates, and I couldn’t resist leaving a comment here. First off, I want to thank the author for putting together such a comprehensive and informative piece. As someone who’s relatively new to the project management world, this article was like a goldmine of practical tips and resources.

The way the author explained various project management tools, from Gantt charts to PERT diagrams, was incredibly helpful. I always found these concepts a bit overwhelming, but the article managed to break them down into digestible chunks, making it easier for me to understand their applications. The best part is that they provided links to free templates and software, which is a lifesaver for anyone on a budget.

Moreover, the insights on how to choose the right tools for different types of projects were enlightening. Understanding that not all projects are the same and tailoring our approach accordingly is crucial for success. I’ve already bookmarked this article for future reference and plan to explore the recommended tools further.

Lastly, I want to express my gratitude for the tips on how to collaborate effectively with teams using these tools. As a project manager, fostering good communication and collaboration is essential, and the author’s suggestions will undoubtedly prove invaluable in my journey.

Great job on this article! I can’t wait to dive deeper into project management armed with these newfound knowledge and resources. Keep up the fantastic work, and I’ll be eagerly awaiting more insightful pieces from this blog. Cheers!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

How to Manage Your Research Project

You hear it everywhere: the project was delayed and over-budget. Whether it be bridges, space shuttle launches, or federally funded science projects, poor research project management can lead to abysmal consequences. Consider the example of the BepiColombo mission, a project to send an orbiter and lander to Mercury. While originally budgeted at 450 million euro for a 2008 mission, only the orbiter was developed in 2013 and at a cost of over 1 billion euro!

In academic sciences, project management for scientists is important. While a contract might be extended for a federal grant, the funders will remember who could not manage a project correctly. Meanwhile, if working on a degree, such as a PhD,  managing a large research project is critical for sticking to a timeline. Given that the typical constraints of a project include the science goals, time, risks, and costs, research project management becomes critical to the success.

Why Project Management Matters in Science

Successfully obtaining and completing a research grant requires intellectual and scientific self-awareness. In this honesty, a scientist can better predict the true costs and requisite time to complete his or her projects. Furthermore, having a detailed and well-designed project plan is foundational to convince a funder that you can do a project efficiently.

Managing a scientific research project often requires a variety of organizational and leadership skills. Scientists naturally acquire these skills over time due to experiences with failed experiments, planning a research question, and writing manuscripts. Yet, a principal investigator also needs to be aware of the more abstract caveats of a research laboratory and its personnel. Research teams are affected by internal politics, including the resources of their institution and the skills and motivation of the team members, The practical demands of any project can be easily over-looked; therefore, management techniques are needed to overcome the constraining factors.

So, what can a scientist do? Being a skilled and creative scientist isn’t enough – they must also manage projects carefully.

Key Areas to Manage

When managing a research project, there are several concerns that an investigator might have. There are various important considerations for conducting science team meetings, which include preparation, participation, conduct, and follow-up. Furthermore, information flow should be carefully maintained to provide sufficient information so that all team members understand the process and the project. Finally, a researcher must be ever vigilant of the boundaries of the project (i.e., the scope of the research). Without careful monitoring, the scope of the research may creep into a new field.  A project might thus lose its focus and the planned goals may never be achieved. It is important to remember the desired outcome and plan tasks, while regularly reviewing the progress and modifying the next steps accordingly.

Management Tools

Several tools exist to help manage a research project, including Evernote for science , citation management software programs (e.g., Endnote or Mendeley) , calendars that can be synced across devices or shared with collaborators (e.g., Google Calendar) , and drives that can help researchers share or backup data for collaborations or protection from cyber attacks that can result in data loss.

In addition to these ubiquitous tools, there are additional management tools that can help a researcher be both a scientist and a project manager. One such tool is LabGuru , which offers a collaborative project planning platform and allows for document storage. Meanwhile, a schedule developer that allows for timelines, flow charts and activities/responsibilities to be communicated, such as Microsoft Project and GANTT charts provide more centralized tools.

  As scientists prepare to manage large research projects, one should make several considerations within the project constraints. Furthermore, many research project management tools are available to facilitate the requisite tasks. As academic sciences become more competitive due to limitations in funding and resources, a well-managed and realistic project plan can be one way to guarantee research success.

Rate this article Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Enago Academy's Most Popular Articles

Ensuring Academic Integrity and Transparency in Academic Research: A comprehensive checklist for researchers

Academic integrity is the foundation upon which the credibility and value of scientific findings are…

• AI in Academia

AI vs. AI: How to detect image manipulation and avoid academic misconduct

The scientific community is facing a new frontier of controversy as artificial intelligence (AI) is…

• Diversity and Inclusion

Need for Diversifying Academic Curricula: Embracing missing voices and marginalized perspectives

In classrooms worldwide, a single narrative often dominates, leaving many students feeling lost. These stories,…

• Career Corner
• Trending Now

Recognizing the signs: A guide to overcoming academic burnout

As the sun set over the campus, casting long shadows through the library windows, Alex…

Reassessing the Lab Environment to Create an Equitable and Inclusive Space

The pursuit of scientific discovery has long been fueled by diverse minds and perspectives. Yet…

7 Steps of Writing an Excellent Academic Book Chapter

When Your Thesis Advisor Asks You to Quit

Virtual Defense: Top 5 Online Thesis Defense Tips

Sign-up to read more

Subscribe for free to get unrestricted access to all our resources on research writing and academic publishing including:

• 2000+ blog articles
• 50+ Webinars
• 10+ Expert podcasts
• 50+ Infographics
• 10+ Checklists
• Research Guides

We hate spam too. We promise to protect your privacy and never spam you.

I am looking for Editing/ Proofreading services for my manuscript Tentative date of next journal submission:

As a researcher, what do you consider most when choosing an image manipulation detector?

• Top Courses
• Online Degrees
• Find your New Career
• Join for Free

Project Management Tools: Choosing the Best Fit for Your Team

What are project management tools, and how do you select one that best meets your team’s needs? Learn more about tools and project management programs to help you and your team get organized. 

Many teams use project management software to organize their workflow. Platforms like Airtable, Trello, Asana, and Smartsheet could be a good fit for your team as a way to efficiently track, assign, and schedule various aspects of a project. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most popular options.

What is project management?

Project management is the organization and planning of a project from start to finish. People involved use particular skills, techniques, and tools to deliver a finished project with value to others. For example, developing software to streamline business processes or coordinating relief efforts after natural disasters both require project management [ 1 ].

During this process, teams engage in numerous activities, including identifying the project lifecycle. Additionally, teams might establish a project's objectives, set goals, identify resources, assign tasks, explore risks, and set milestones to ensure the project meets its intended deadline.

Read more: 11 Key Project Management Skills

What does a project manager do?

A project manager plans out each aspect of the project to ensure it is complete and delivered within a particular timeframe and budget. Usually, a project manager focuses on tasks that are time-constrained and temporary.

For example, let's say a project manager for a marketing company plans to manage a brand's blog for the next six months. The project manager would likely meet with the client to understand their needs, create a content calendar with monthly topics ideas, assign writers to deliver content each month, and assign someone to proof and publish each piece.

As you can see from the example, each project often has multiple steps in its workflow, so project managers usually have strong organizational skills. Additional skills include:

Leadership 

Communication

Negotiation

Technical abilities

Critical thinking 

Why do they need tools to complete tasks?

Project managers often have several projects to manage, each with different goals, resources, budgets, and teams involved. Project management software helps managers stay organized. With the help of software, managers can:

See all projects and the progress of each one in a centralized dashboard

Communicate with their team easier

Assign roles and set milestones so everyone knows their part

Manage budgets

Identify problems quickly

Create a standardized process that everyone is familiar with

Goals of project management tools

Project management software comes with a handful of features that help managers achieve goals, like evaluating the scope of a project, breaking it down it smaller, assignable tasks, and setting up a workflow to achieve it. More specific goals include: 

Planning a project

Project managers take an initial concept, talk with everyone involved, and create a process to turn an idea into reality. Aside from meetings to assess the project objectives, the project manager will define the project's score and develop a detailed plan to get the job done.

Tracking steps for the project

Projects become actionable steps within the software. Managers assign tasks, with due dates, through team calendars. At a glance, managers can see where multiple projects are in their lifecycles and quickly identify problems. For example, if a deadline lapses, the manager gets a notice and can message team members for an update.

Managing personnel

Team members receive task and deadline assignments within the software. While working on their aspect of the project, they have access to collaboration tools, like file sharing and messaging. 

Documenting work

As each person completes their task, project management tools provide documentation of their involvement. Software often includes time stamping, allowing you to see who finished each task and when. A record of the entire project and its timeline lives in the software.

Meeting goals

With project management software, teams can set goals and identify key performance indicators (KPIs) to gauge success. Teams can set up team dashboards and performance reports, too, so everyone can easily understand how well they've performed.

Types of project management tools

Dozens of project management programs exist on the market, and while they all focus on organizing and maintaining a workflow, their features vary. As you research different types of software options, consider features like the following:

Scheduling tools like Gantt charts, timelines, and calendars

Collaboration tools like file sharing, messaging, and discussion boards

Integrations with apps and platforms that your company already uses

Reports that provide projects status in one dashboard

Budget tracking capabilities

Time trackers or integrations with commonly used time trackers 

4 Popular Project Management Platforms

As you weigh the features your team needs, you can explore individual solutions to see which type of project management tool is best. Let’s explore a few popular platforms:

1. Airtable

Best for : Teams that want to customize their management process

Airtable does offer the resources to create a workflow, but it's ideal for those who want to code their own process. It's a highly customizable platform that benefits larger enterprises that need to track not only a project but also resources, budgets, and staff [ 2 ]. 

Whether you decide to draft a process from scratch or not, the features of this platform include:

Ability to import projects from other software

Gain multiple project views for easier project data management 

Ready-made processes for things like a product launch or collecting feedback

Best for : Simple projects, small teams

Trello, a Kanban board-style system, is ideal for basic needs. You'll create a workflow and move projects through it. The stages of the project are on Boards, while the projects are listed on Cards. Two boards might say "Writing in progress," and the next might say "Ready for editing." You'll move the Card through each Board until it's complete [ 2 ]. 

Other beneficial features of Trello include: 

Basic automation like calendar reminders or items crossed off a checklist 

Color-coded cards

Best for : Enterprise teams with complex needs

Asana offers features and functionality beyond the basics and meets the needs of larger teams that manage dozens or hundreds of projects at a time. Managers can set up a workflow, assign roles, and access a project calendar using shared workspaces [ 2 ]. 

Additional features that users like include: 

A variety of ways to view work, like on a list, calendar, and bulletin board

Ability to set goals and due dates

Integration with apps like Microsoft Teams, Google, Slack, and Adobe Creative Cloud

4. Smartsheet 

Best for : Teams that rely on spreadsheets

If you have projects organized by spreadsheets and you're happy with the process but want more features and functionality than Excel or Sheets can provide, Smartsheet could be a good fit. Each column often represents a step in the workflow, and each row is a specific project the project manager can assign to a team member [ 2 ]. 

Its features include:

A messaging tool that makes communication easy

Easy-to-send forms to gather feedback on a project

Digital asset management

Basic automation, like reminders and approval notices

Get started today with Coursera

If you're new to project management, online courses can help you accelerate your learning process. The Project Management Institute, for example, offers project management certifications, or you can check out learning options on Coursera, like the Google Project Management: Professional Certificate . This highly-rated course guides you through learning the best practices and most in-demand skills in the field of project management.

Article sources

Project Management Institute. " What is Project Management? , https://www.pmi.org/about/learn-about-pmi/what-is-project-management." Accessed July 27, 2023.

Asana. " Project management software and tools: Your best picks for 2023 , https://www.google.com/url?q=https://asana.com/resources/best-project-management-software." Accessed July 27, 2023.

Coursera Staff

Editorial Team

Coursera’s editorial team is comprised of highly experienced professional editors, writers, and fact...

This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

The 10 Best Tools for Scientific Projects and Research Lab Management in 2021

Many life-science laboratories all over the world still use analog methods for data storage and processing, project management, and lab management, but the technology for scientists is ever-evolving and offers more and more advanced solutions that can simplify all aspects of lab work, as well as research lab management , saving time, effort and even money. From browsing and managing literature to analyzing genetic data, we’ve put together a list of the 10 best digital tools for scientists to check out in 2021.

1. Researchgate — world-leading scientific social network

In recent years, the open science movement is gaining momentum. Sharing information and collaborating is considered by many the path that will lead us forward. ResearchGate is the leading social networking platform for scientists. It has over 20 million users from all over the world and is the perfect place to stay updated on the newest discoveries in your field of research, connect with fellow scientists and share knowledge, discuss and ask questions. ResearchGate also offers an analytics feature that can be used to get stats on the number of times your article was read or cited by ResearchGate users.

2. Papers — literature management software

Dealing with literature — reading, gathering, annotating, citing, sharing —  is an unavoidable part of research work. It can up to many hours and, if not managed correctly, easily lead to information loss and messy libraries. Papers is an award-winning reference manager that simplifies these tasks. Papers has a vast range of annotation tools: highlights, inline notes, draw, sticky notes, and more. It can be used to create an organized library with tags and folders. The Browser Extensions allow you to search across your favorite scholarly search engines and journal sites, so you enjoy 1-click downloads to add references & full-text PDFs to your personal or shared libraries quickly. You can also create shared laboratories to collaborate with colleagues, and sync information between devices. Additionally, Papers has an AI recommendation feature that shows you the latest and most important papers in your field so that you never miss out on updates. 

3. Wrike - project management for agile research enterprises

Wrike is an online project management software favoured by many pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies for giving full visibility and control over tasks. Wrike eliminates silos by creating a shared digital workspace across departments with real-time commenting and notifications, live editing, dynamic reports, and more. Wrike offers customizable dashboards, workflows, request forms and more, that can be tailored to fit the specific needs of your lab. With these tools, you can view the bigger picture of projects, and also get real-time updates on due tasks or view detailed to-do lists. Additionally, Wrike lets you easily share information on the state of your projects with stakeholders.

4. Labguru — all-in-one research lab management software

Many laboratories around the world are implementing an ELN (Electronic Lab Notebook) for digital record-keeping, in order to keep data safe, organized, structured, and searchable. Others are implementing digital lab management tools, such as inventory and sample management systems or calibration management software . Labguru is an all-in-one tool that saves you the issue of integration between systems: it includes all your research and lab management needs in one place. 

Labguru is a secure, cloud-based ELN, LIMS, and informatics platform which offers a complete solution for life science research and industry. It records and manages laboratory data and inventory, includes molecular biology tools and chemistry tools, enables automation of the lab, insight into lab data making labs run more efficiently. With Labguru, you can design experiments and workflows, capture structured and unstructured data, manage projects, and share your work. Customizable experiment templates, integration of protocols, SOPs, and other cutting-edge features help to increase data quality, streamline workflows and reduce costs. Labguru is available on desktops and mobile devices via the cloud.

5. Unpaywall — find your literature for free

How many times did you find yourself stuck because of a paywall separating you from a necessary article? Unpaywall is an extension available for Chrome and Firefox which allows you to skip the paywall on millions of journal articles. Unpaywall searches the web for you and informs you if the paper you’re looking at is freely available on a different website. Unpaywall is integrated with thousands of library systems and search platforms worldwide and is completely legal as it only retrieves papers from legal sources such as university/government repositories and content uploaded by the authors.

6. Scismic — Talent matching platform for the sciences

Scismic is a tech platform built by scientists to help life science companies find qualified scientists and build diverse teams. Their specialized algorithm accurately targets only relevant candidates based on scientific skills, so you save time in candidate screening and hire faster. Scismic’s diverse scientist community and race- and gender-blind algorithm is 2x more effective in bringing underrepresented scientists to jobs. Like Labguru, Scismic facilitates collaborative decision-making and enables efficient processes so you can focus on your R&D!

7. Zoom — bringing the world of science closer

During the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers had to cope with the unexpected change of working from home or in shifts with small teams. In order to keep research going, they had to use video conferencing. This had surprisingly positive outcomes: researchers reported that scheduling time-limited virtual meetings encouraged them to prepare and plan the meetings better, receive all the information they needed, and set tasks and goals for better collaboration, in contrast to working in the lab where they wouldn’t dedicate specific time for catching up with colleagues.

Zoom has been the world’s leading video app for the last two years. It offers HD video and audio and supports meetings with up to 1000 participants.

8. Geneious — analyze genetic data

How much of your time do you spend on analysis and complex processing of data, when you could instead be moving your research forward? Geneious saves you this time and helps you centralize, structure, process, and visualize data in order to derive insights. Geneious features sanger and NGS analysis tools, visualization and manipulation of all DNA types, cloning tools, chromatograms, primer design, statistical graphs, database searching, and more, covering the needs of genetic research labs. Unlike many bioinformatic tools, Geneious has a simple click interface instead of a command line, making it easy to use. 

9. SnapGene — simplify molecular cloning

SnapGene is a tool made specifically for molecular cloning, helping to visualize, plan and document all the stages of the process. As its name suggests, it’s fast and user-friendly. Unlike Geneious, which includes many different procedures and views cloning as a one-step action, Snapgene delves into the details with plasmid visualization and annotation, sequence alignment and validation tools, agarose gel simulations, and more. Snapgene automatically records your experiments and creates a graphical history that can be shared and converted. 

10. Labworm — find the perfect software for you

We’ve recommended many excellent research lab management tools, but perhaps you still didn’t find what you’re looking for. In that case, Labworm can help you. From productivity and project management to lab automation and data processing, LabWorm is the place to stay updated on software for scientists. The site includes hundreds of systems and gadgets, organized according to topic. F or each tool, you can see reviews, as well as the number of people who upvoted it.

Latest posts

Why Labguru is IgGenix’s Number One Choice for a Lab Management Solution

Lir Lutao Shahar

Customer Story- Leveraging the Immune System with Equaly

Managing Specimens and Biocollections With Labguru ELN

Ilya Letnik, PhD

Solutions ELN

Subscribe to our newsletter