Item: Asana
Rating: 10
Author: Ryan Durry

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We started using Asana in just my department (creative services), but it organically caught on when other teams saw us using it, and eventually the organization decided to upgrade to the paid account for all staff. It has become an essential daily tool for all teams for a huge variety of tasks.

Pros and Cons

Ease of use and access.
Shared locations for tasks and notes.
Easy retrieval of historical data and notes.

Does not work well as a communication tool -- email and chat functions still used to supplement daily workflow.
Daily calendars are not an option -- meeting invites and availability still fall to other tools.
Workload and portfolio management tools have moved to more expensive tiers and are out of reach for our team.

Return on Investment

The team is more efficient and collaborative.
Deadlines are more consistently communicated, tracked, and met.
Meetings and notetaking are more efficient.

Alternatives Considered

Microsoft Office 2016 and Wunderlist

Ease of use and access are what initially put Asana ahead of other options available. We have stuck with Asana because of the flexibility in solving a variety of challenges that would otherwise fall to a spreadsheet or piles of paper, and the load it has taken off of the team when managing projects.

Support Rating

We have not encountered a lot of issues, and Asana training opportunities have covered most of our needs, so our need for support has been minimal. When I have worked with them though, the experience has been pleasant and helpful. My biggest gripe is in rising costs and features (like Portfolios) being pulled out of lower-level tiers and put behind the higher-cost access.

Key Insights

Do you think Asana delivers good value for the price?

Not sure

Are you happy with Asana's feature set?

Yes

Did Asana live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Asana go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Asana again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Microsoft Office 2016, Workplace by Facebook, Wunderlist

Likelihood to Recommend

Asana is exceptionally well suited to replace your daily notebook or pile of post-its. Ease of use and access mean it is always there for you and won't slow you down. Meeting agendas and shared notetaking have really improved our office. The only areas it falls short are in calendar management and communication. I would be thrilled if I could move further away from Outlook in my daily work, but Asana just doesn't quite do it.

Easy to use but flexible enough to solve most of your daily problems

Overall Satisfaction with Asana