Best PIM for project management?

Posted by Hugh
Apr 22, 2012 at 07:22 PM

I’ve used Merlin, and it’s certainly very good indeed for small to medium-sized projects. The people who developed it are, as far as I know, project management specialists, and started Merlin as a sideline. Their hands-on expertise shows. It has three chief merits in my view: an excellent user-interface that takes into account all kinds of possible project complexities, the ability to handle multiple projects across the same resources, and the facility to use it as a “container” for all the files, notes and digital encumbrances any project accumulates. It also, unlike some project software, doesn’t try to be too clever; it leaves plenty of discretion with the user. If I was back managing bigger projects as I once was, I’d seriously look at Merlin (certainly better than MS Project was when I was in that line of work).

But… for personal project management, I think it’s too big. (I’m assuming that “project management” means Gannt charts - otherwise on the Mac platform a task manager like Things or Omnifocus would probably be adequate.) The main Mac alternative to Merlin is Omniplan, which is simpler for smaller projects, easier to learn and use than Merlin and has the reputable Omni Group behind it. When Omniplan can sync straightforwardly with Omnifocus it will be the zealous small project/task manager’s dream.

Except… Omniplan can’t yet handle multiple projects. As a gun-for-hire, what I want a project management application to tell me above anything else is—if I take on Project A with deadline X whilst also working on Project B with deadline Y, am I going to be overloaded in Z weeks’ time? I’ve looked for this extensively and I’ve found several half-there alternatives, such as Pagico. But no simple, not-too-expensive project management application for the Mac platform that I know of can really give me the answers I need yet, I’m sorry to say.