Summary

This report evaluates multiple project management software packages to identify which is best suited for managing the launch of a new film series. The project has a budget of $165,000 and involves a wide range of stakeholders, including government officials, industry representatives, and young filmmakers. Key tasks include developing a project communication plan and effectively tracking the project budget.

The analysis centered around five tools: Microsoft Project, Trello, Basecamp, Teamwork, and ClickUp. Each software was evaluated for its potential to assist with task management, communication, and budget tracking.

Microsoft Project excelled at resource allocation and financial overseeing, providing extensive features for tracking expenses and progress via Gantt charts. However, its steep learning curve and limited built-in communication tools make it less user-friendly for encouraging team collaboration. Trello's Kanban-style approach provided a straightforward and visually appealing system for task management, but its limited built-in finance and communication capabilities made it unsuitable for complex projects. Basecamp included useful communication capabilities such as message boards and real-time chat, but it lacked advanced budget management tools. ClickUp displayed variety in communication with features like task-specific comments and shared documents for budget tracking. However, its absence of built-in calculations caused a need for manual changes, increasing the chance of errors.

Ultimately, Teamwork was chosen as the recommended software due to its extensive communication and budget management features. It combines straightforward task-specific communication tools, automated notifications, and customizable financial tracking reports. The integration with accounting software and milestone-based budgeting provides precise resource allocation, while the user-friendly interface facilitates team cooperation. Teamwork effectively fulfills the project's primary needs by balancing advanced functionality and accessibility, making it an appropriate choice for ensuring the film series' successful launch. 

*The main purpose of this project is to evaluate existing project management tools and decide which fulfills the project’s primary needs, which is ensuring a film series launch project.

*This project management course allows me to understand the project management process and how to perfectly execute it.

*This course allows me to develop communication skills with teams and how to work in a diverse environment and cultures. And be able to transfer these skills into my internship later on.

*I ended this course with a satisfactory mark and was ranked above the class average.