Project management software

[Kzach]

I'm looking for some sort of software that will help me map out, plan, organise and tweak a large project.

Essentially, I'm writing a setting book ala FRCS and I'm getting to the stage where the mess of files and pages I have is confusing even me!

Something visual would be nice. Something that links all the sections and pages together so I can see what's been done and what needs to be done. Like a flow-chart or something.

I'm sure there must be something like this out there but I haven't a clue what it'd be called or what to look for.

Thanks for any help or advice you can give.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Visio?

 

[Kzach]

Hmm, thanks. That led me to Omnigraffle which looks like it might be the ticket. Still gotta test it out though

 

[ki11erDM]

I have never used it but I do know lots of people love MS Project. Most people I know think of that as the gold standard...*shrug*

 

[Kzach]

Hmm... tried Omnigraffle, Visio and Curio.

All seem to require a degree just to use let alone are a project unto themselves just to manage a project.

I was sortof hoping for something simple that I could just point at my folder of files and it'd automatically put them in some sort of visual order I could mess with.

 

[XCorvis]

You could look at Mind Mapping software.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mind_mapping_software

There are also a number of tools targeted at writers that might do what you want.

 

[Kzach]

Yeah, I have. Curio and Merlin are both mind-mapping apps I've checked out.

Again though, they both require you to essentially create a full-blown project of its own just to manage a project. Which to me makes no sense.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Yeah, I have. Curio and Merlin are both mind-mapping apps I've checked out.

Again though, they both require you to essentially create a full-blown project of its own just to manage a project. Which to me makes no sense.

I am afraid that's unavoidable.
It's the digital equivalent of buying folders and filing cabinets, and putting the individual files into it.

Except that it's still a little easier.

 

[heruca]

If you don't need visual links, try OmniOutliner.

 

[Mercule]

I found that doing up an Excel spreadsheet with column headers for "task", "effort", "duration", "remaining work", "est. date", and "actual date" works pretty well. It's even better if you know how to use the grouping features to show/hide stuff.

About the only thing I haven't done, yet, is to get the charting. I'm sure it can be done, but I haven't bothered.