From planning and scheduling to collaboration and reporting, project management is the glue that holds cross-functional teams together. Tools like Trello, Microsoft Project, Wrike, and Basecamp aim to streamline workflows, but all too often, businesses find themselves adapting to the software instead of the software adapting to them.
That’s where a bespoke solution—designed around your projects, teams, and priorities—makes all the difference.
Trello – Simple Visual Project Tracking
Trello offers a clean, Kanban-style interface perfect for organising tasks in a visual, drag-and-drop manner.
Key features:
- Customisable boards, lists, and cards
- Checklists, attachments, and due dates
- Automation via “Butler” for repetitive actions
- Power-ups for calendar, reporting, and integrations
- Mobile and desktop apps
Limitations:
Trello is great for lightweight projects, but struggles with scalability. Managing dependencies, budgets, or resource allocations requires third-party plug-ins or complex workarounds. It’s best suited to small teams or informal workflows.
Microsoft Project – Structured Gantt Planning
Microsoft Project is a powerful tool aimed at traditional, waterfall-style project planning and resource management.
Key features:
- Detailed Gantt charts and task dependencies
- Resource and budget tracking
- Critical path method (CPM) analysis
- Timeline forecasting and baselining
- Integration with Microsoft 365
Limitations:
It’s a robust but complex platform that demands a steep learning curve. Collaboration features are limited, and real-time updates across teams often require syncing with SharePoint or third-party tools. Not ideal for agile or hybrid teams.
Wrike – Enterprise Project Collaboration
Wrike provides cross-team project management with a strong focus on real-time collaboration and reporting.
Key features:
- Task hierarchies and dependencies
- Dynamic Gantt charts and workload views
- Time tracking and custom dashboards
- Pre-built workflows for marketing, IT, and operations
- Integration with Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, and more
Limitations:
Wrike’s enterprise-level power can overwhelm smaller teams. Customising views, permissions, and reports often requires training. It’s powerful—but only once configured to your exact needs, which takes time and expertise.
Basecamp – Lightweight Project Coordination
Basecamp is a popular choice for remote and distributed teams who want an easy-to-use, “everything in one place” collaboration tool.
Key features:
- To-dos, message boards, and group chat
- Simple scheduling and file sharing
- Automatic check-ins and team status updates
- Flat-rate pricing model (no per-user fees)
Limitations:
Basecamp’s simplicity can be a double-edged sword. It lacks dependencies, workload tracking, Gantt views, or detailed reporting—making it unsuitable for complex projects or highly regulated industries.
Project Tools Are Helpful—Until They Limit You
Project teams often face the same frustrations:
- Workflows that don’t quite fit the tool’s logic
- Siloed communication across departments or systems
- Limited integration with internal data, finance, or HR
- Reports that don’t reflect actual project health
- Reliance on spreadsheets or manual exports for anything non-standard
Shoothill: Project Management Built Around Your Way of Working
Shoothill develops custom project management platforms that are designed from the ground up to match your processes, goals, and teams. Whether you’re managing construction schedules, digital campaigns, product rollouts, or R&D pipelines—your projects are unique. Your software should be too.
We can build:
- Custom workflows with flexible approval chains
- Role-based dashboards with real-time metrics
- Seamless links to timesheets, CRM, finance, or HR
- Visual tools for planning, dependencies, and workload balance
- Reporting engines tailored to your KPIs
Don’t Compromise on the Tools That Run Your Projects
You shouldn’t have to settle for templates, plug-ins, or platform limitations. Shoothill can create a project management solution that matches exactly how you deliver work—improving clarity, coordination, and accountability from day one.
🔹 Talk to Shoothill today about building a project management system that works the way your business actually operates.
Would you like to tailor a version of this for specific industries like construction, marketing agencies, or engineering teams?