Project Management Software Recommendations

May I suggest that you take a step back. There is nothing wrong with Gantt charts but the thinking must be right before the information is processed into a project schedule. For example, use a mind mapping tool such as Mind Genius to define the project and its scope and then move it from their into a Gantt chart. Then consider whether you are managing a single project or multiple projects that require the flow of project value to be maximised. Go back to the mind mapping tool and get the relationships right between one project and another and prioritise the projects. Too often people start with a Gantt chart then try to put too many micro tasks in the chart and then wonder why projects are difficult to manage. More often than not it is the thinking and approach to projects that determine the success or failure and not the sophistication of the project management tool (despite what the vendors may tell you)

Tim,

Im terms of a SaaS-based easy to use PM tool, checkout SmartSheet at http://www.smartsheet.com.

Good luck.

Charlie

Gantt Charts are important. But they are by now means sufficient. Try HyperOffice. It is SaaS based, and has tools which allow you to manage distributed teams through a central online location. You can create projects, tasks, subtasks, assign responsibilities, set timelines and priorities, get notified, attach resources, set dependencies etc. And you also get Gantt Charts - http://www.hyperoffice.com/online-project-management/.

Most computer software development firms use a technique called "Agile" development. There are lots of variations of the approach but they all use very short cycles of development (typically 1 week to 1 month) -- so Gantts aren't that useful.

Anyone using Agile uses either Base Camp http://basecamphq.com/ Pivotal Tracker https://www.pivotaltracker.com/ or Jira http://www.atlassian.com/software/jira/

There are others but I've personally used all of the ones listed above very successfully. It's a bit of a change in thinking if you grew up with old-school waterfall PM, but it's worth it. Agile is a very productive way to run a project (even non-software projects).

There are still tools that still use Gantt chats, but you are right that more and more dev teams are starting to use the agile methodology for project management. Axosoft http://www.axosoft.com/ just released OnTime v11 Beta http://www.axosoft.com/ontime/betav11/ that you can try for free, which is a SaaS solution for agile developers.

As mentioned above, Basecamp, Pivotal and Jira are other popular agile tools as well.

Cheers