The 10 Best Product Management Tools in 2021

There are many challenges to overcome when it comes to product planning. We have collected 10 Product Management tools to simplify processes, collaboration, analysis, and feedback. 

What are Product Management Tools?  

Product management tools are software applications designed to help teams execute the phases of the product lifecycle. They are designed to help with planning, research, development, launch, and evaluation. Product Management Tools are used for various tasks. 

10 Tools for Easy Product Management in 2021  

1. User tracking and analysis tool: Amplitude 
   • These tools provide information about the users and visitors to the site and how they interact with the product or content. The product analytics platform can capture what customers and users do on the site and how they behave.  
   • Amplitude also brings insights into what resonates with users and what doesn’t. 
2. Roadmapping software tool: ProductPlan  
   • Roadmapping is also important for product management. Working with a tool makes the work faster, more effective, and more flexible. The tool supports project tools in product strategy and helps the team focus on the vision and goals.  Possible integrations include Jira, GitHub, Slack, PivotalTracker, Trello, Azure DevOps, Confluence, and Microsoft Teams.  
   • The tool also offers various product specification templates. There are templates for launch plans, executive portfolios, and various strategy templates.  
   • A free 14-day trial of ProductPlan is available for testing.  
3. Customer survey tool: SurveyMonkey
   • With the SurveyMonkey survey tool, you can send many pre-formatted questions as surveys. Thus, you can create a survey in a short time. There is a choice between multiple choice, dropdown, or open questions.  Then you can send the survey to employees or customers. However, it is important to use surveys sparingly so as not to annoy users. 
4. Customer interview tool: Zoom 
   • When talking to customers on the phone or for surveys, it is sometimes good to record the meeting. With Zoom, it is possible to record the conversation so that you can view it again later. This is because if the user asks a question that other users might also have, this can be retracted later. The findings can then be processed further and included in a FAQ, for example. 
5. Collaboration tool: Trello
   • For the team to communicate with each other quickly and easily during product development, a collaboration tool is necessary. Trello provides a continuous record of communication. There are also many other tools such as Confluence. However, the goal of all of them is to enable centralized team communication.  
   • The advantage of Trello is that it makes processes and projects easy to see through and simple for the user to learn, although the user interface can cause difficulties at first. In addition, the number of possible integrations is growing.  
   • The tool is free and offers a business-class package for $9.99 per user per month.   
6. Project management tool: Monday
   • This tool is suitable for any size of team. Monday adds value to the team and can support teams from 5 to 5,000 members. It is an online product management tool that helps teams with planning, tracking, and analysis. You can create and track everything from product roadmaps to weekly iterations.  
   • It has a simple UI and onboarding is quick and easy. Individual team members can find all the information they need. Another advantage is the 24h support and also webinars etc. to expand one’s knowledge.  
   • For the teams the tool offers customizable templates, there you can add different columns and switch between views like Kanban or calendar.  
   • And there is also a 14-day trial version.  
7. Feature flagging software: Split.io
   • These tools can be used to turn certain functions on and off when the code has been run into production. This is useful for A/B testing or feature rollouts, for example. A tool like Split.io allows product teams to manage feature flags. This way you can get the best out of it! 
8. Heatmap tool: Hotjar 
   • As a product manager, you need to put yourself in their customers’ shoes. With tools like hotjar, you get insights into user behavior. Heatmaps help understand what users are interested in on the website. With this knowledge, new insights can be given to the team and informed decisions can be made with the data.  
9. Presentation tool: Powerpoint  
   • Probably everyone knows PowerPoint. This presentation tool is helpful when you present strategies to customers or present plans and goals. You can also use it to conduct training within the company, but also to present product information or industry analyses.  
10. Industry analysis tool: Gartner 
    • To be able to plan a product optimally, you also need to do a industry research. This can be useful in the development of strategy. Research companies such as Gartner provide data in the form of statistics and reports. From this, you can derive knowledge and priorities and make informed strategic decisions.   

Selecting the Right Tool  

But how to choose the right one among the many tools now?  

1. UI 
   • How do you like the user interface? Can you use it intuitively? Which operating systems are supported and is there a mobile version?  
2. Usability  
   • Does the tool have customer support and if so, how can you reach it? Does the tool offer added value in the form of blogs, videos, webinars, or similar?  
3. Features 
   • What features does the tool have? Can you manage productspecific tasks? What solutions are there for product development? Here you need to consider which features you need at all and which you can do without.  
4. Integration 
   • Does the project management tool offer the possibility for integrations of different apps? And lastly, of course, the price also plays a role. How are the prices designed and how flexible can you work with the tool?  

Final Thoughts  

There are many different tools for project planning and project management. And not every tool fits every team. Therefore, you should take your time and look at the tools carefully to choose the right one for your team. If you do, it can make your work much easier and more efficient. Also, if you work agile, check out our 10 proven tools for agile project management!