TaskJuggler is a Solid Option for Project Planning

by Lisa Hoover - Mar. 19, 2010Comments (4)

Effective project management is only as good as its planning. Fancy Gantt charts are one approach, but some may find open source project management software TaskJuggler a more comprehensive solution.

TaskJuggler handles the nuts and bolts of project management, from its inception to its conclusion. Unlike Gantt charts, or todo lists, this application includes an optimizing scheduler that analyzes the project outline and various user-provided constraints, then builds project time lines and assigns resources based on the data.

With so many features and options, TaskJuggler has a steeper learning curve than other apps, but its developers say you can get up to speed in less than three hours. For more in-depth understanding of what TaskJuggler can do, the project team will walk you through a hands on workshop to help you get more comfortable working with the app. You'll need to contact the team directly to set that up, or you can check out the workshop slides online.

Have a look at some screenshots to see TaskJuggler in action, then head over to the project's Web site and download it for yourself. Have a favorite project management tool of your own? Let us know in the comments.

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by Jack G on Mar. 19, 2010

Good to see more project management software in the FOSS world. Microsoft Project needs better Open Source alternatives. Gantt Chart is another one, but TaskJuggler looks pretty slick too.

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by an anonymous user on Mar. 19, 2010

Check out OpenWorkbench, it's very mature and has almost all the features of MS Project.

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by Julie on Apr. 14, 2010

Thanks, I'll have a look but I've been using PlanningForce for quite a long time, very powerful! (http://www.planningforce.com)

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by Rebecca on Nov. 30, 2011

Wow - this looks complicated, and I am put off by the fact that even they admit it takes a long time to learn! Try Clarizen http://www.clarizen.com/ProjectSoftware.aspx . It shares many of the useful features mentioned above, but the dsahboard is clear and easy to use, and you can pick it up quite quickly. Clarizen is a powerful and helpful tool that actually makes managing a project easy, NOT more complicated!

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