Can You Really be Productive with Web Based Project Management Software?

This is a difficult question to answer. In principle, if all of your information and software is stored online, you should be able to work from your office, from home, from the airport, from the coffee shop – from wherever your travels might take you. However, some coffee shops charge for access to their Wi-Fi networks, most airports do the same. While many hotels have free Wi-Fi available, this is not the case everywhere. What about when your network goes down at home? Suddenly, when you begin to consider all the “what-if’s” involved in web based software productivity, it does not seem so lucrative after all. I will look first at the benefits of web based software and then the deficits of managing your work this way. Finally, I will offer my own answer to this question.

The first benefit of web-based applications, and the one that companies are most concerned with in these times, is cost reduction. Because these applications do not require intricate knowledge and training, they save time and money in this respect. Moreover, applications such as ScrumDesk, might be free or almost free for small-businesses making them more cost-effective solutions for start-ups than desktop based software.

Second, no matter what computer you use at home – PC or Mac – and no matter where you are, in principle, able to access your information and projects with minimal effort. This means that users are able to take their work with them – home and abroad – and this accommodates telecommuting team members.

Third, updates are instantaneous. While you are commuting home, eating dinner, or on that airplane, your web based software may be updating. The next time you sign in, the latest application runs. It is that easy.

Fourth, and the final benefit I will mention here is the higher level of security offered through web-based software. If your computer at the office suddenly dies, your action item list, contacts, resources, etc. live on, virtually. From this standpoint, web-based applications are less susceptible to some of the biggest drains on resources in companies. (For further arguments in favor of web-based software read, Top 20 Reason Why Web Apps are Superior to Destop Apps by Vinny Lingham)

From these four arguments, it would seem that yes, you really can be more productive using web-based software. However, these are only on-paper benefits. Are they enough to weigh out some of the problems you may experience with web-based software?

The biggest problem with web-based software is that it requires an internet connection in order to run. Because of this, places where there is no internet connection are not productive places. You will not be able to access any of your action items or contact lists if you cannot sign onto the internet. During internet outages, hours of time may pass by where you have the inability to work. No longer is having a computer running the program sufficient to perform tasks.

Another major complaint when it comes to web-based software is the lack of technical support and/or server downtime when the server itself is experiencing trouble. Because the software is web-based, it is more difficult to contact those who might be able to help. More importantly, when the web-based software server goes down, your information may go down with it – with no copies on any computer in the office.

Third, because of the concern over simplicity, web-based software may not have as many features as the fully licensed programs. This can go either way. If you could use those features, then you are missing out. If you are not sure what you would have used those features for anyway, then perhaps it does not matter that the web-based application does not have those features.

A final contender on the side of web-based applications leading to less productivity is the idea that perhaps your information is not as secure as it is on a local computer. While viruses may be less lethal, and a complete system crash at home or at the office will not destroy months worth of work, project management software often contains a good deal of confidential information. If someone were to hack into the user name and password of an employee, they would have this information at their hands. As I previously mentioned, if the server goes down or crashes, then it is possible all your information will be lost without a backup available. Cary Stuart discusses the the security issues surrounding Online Project Management Suites.

Web-based applications might be too unreliable to support project management and confidentiality needs for large companies. Complete dependence on web-based software may lead to a significant decrease in productivity - but that's only if a server fails or information becomes inaccessible due to internet outages. Small businesses and start-up companies may reap more benefits (especially cost-wise) than problems by utilizing these programs. Web-based software boasts great potential for increasing productivity as software companies become more in tune with ways to protect privacy and Wi-Fi networks and internet becomes more mainstream and accessible.