Since 2022, the Russian market for project management systems has undergone significant changes. The need of customers to replace the solutions of foreign vendors that have left the market has opened up new opportunities for the development of domestic systems. What developers are betting on today, what requirements customers are facing and what trends affect the market - in a new TAdviser review.

Import substitution of foreign systems and adaptation to new conditions caused by sanctions restrictions continued to affect the market in 2024. Some Western companies have officially announced their departure, others have become less available for interaction. For example, Notice, ClickUp and other services have either left the market or made it harder to access their services.

The departure of foreign solutions encouraged companies to switch to domestic platforms in order to minimize the risks associated with the use of foreign software. This became a powerful growth driver for domestic developers and increased the demand for integration with foreign services for data transfer, and to ensure a smooth transition.

At the same time, customers were looking not just for a replacement for Western products, but for modern systems that offer a new level of capabilities. In particular, solutions combining low-code development functionality with tools for managing business processes and corporate architecture were in high demand.

Against this background, Russian services were able to take advantage of the moment: over the past few years, they have significantly tightened their capabilities, simplified the migration of data from foreign systems, and introduced functionality that allows transferring data in one click. These improvements attracted a certain part of users who left foreign platforms, - comments Nikita Kritsky, product manager at Kaiten.

Some companies have taken a wait-and-see attitude in the hope that foreign vendors will return. Others tried to develop solutions on their own.

According to Elena Lashmanova, director of the analytical solutions department of KORUS Consulting Group, the increased interest in custom software development is partially due to the immaturity of some vendor solutions on the market. In addition, regional players began to appear with their IT products. And many companies began to "assemble" project management systems from blocks of different solutions from several vendors.

The greatest impact on the market was the need to consolidate the efforts of domestic developers. The companies actively collaborated with integrators and industry associations to create comprehensive solutions that can replace Western counterparts and also offer more flexible project management models.

As Veronika Berezkina, an expert on the project management of KSK Technologies, notes, the second factor in the development of the market is the continued use of Western systems due to the lack of pressure from regulatory authorities, the lack of budgets for the transition to domestic software and habits.

Despite the fact that the market today presents project management solutions from many Russian vendors, Microsoft Project remained the market leader in 2024, although its share has almost halved - from 80 to 43%.^[1] Not all companies were ready to change the Microsoft product to its Russian counterpart.

Companies switching from imported products are not rarely trying to find their full clone. At the same time, for large companies, an instant transition to a new solution is almost impossible. It is more correct to perceive this as a project that includes the stages of analyzing existing infrastructure, business processes, developing a migration plan, as well as migration itself, taking into account integration with external systems, "says Andrey Pavlov, head of the 1C joint business solutions development group.

The growth of the market and the growing need for IT teams to improve their own efficiency was influenced by both the increase in the number of distributed teams and the increase in the share of remote employees and the increase in competition for personnel. Another driver was the need to integrate different functional commands into a single environment, as well as ensure transparency of processes. The companies sought to reduce costs and automate project management. The market developed primarily due to solutions that gave customers a quick effect and made it possible to quickly implement various projects.

In 2024, we saw a major transformation of the project management systems market. The key driver of growth was the desire of companies to build a single digital business management environment. If organizations used to be content with individual project management solutions, they are now looking for end-to-end platforms that can bring project, process, and enterprise architecture management together in a single environment. The second important factor in growth is the strengthening of the demand for a strategic approach to digital transformation. Companies have realized that point automation of individual processes no longer has a sufficient effect. It requires a holistic view of the organization, the ability to see and control change at all levels of the corporate architecture. This trend is especially noticeable in large businesses, where managers strive to get a complete picture of what is happening in the company - from the organizational structure to specific tasks, - notes Igor Prostokvashin, leading analyst at Comindware.

Another growth driver is the introduction of artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud platforms that have improved the functionality of project management systems. Cloud technologies help improve team mobility and flexibility, AI tools help predict task times, manage risk, automate routine tasks, and evaluate performance. Also an important factor was the increase in the number of startups and small businesses in need of effective project management tools. And integration with CRM, ERP and other business systems has made these solutions more attractive to companies, providing an integrated approach to project management.

The main market trends also include simplification of interfaces, flexible and hybrid methodologies, the transition to no-code/low-code-platforms, awareness of the importance of communications and soft skills, as well as a focus on sustainable development.

According to Nikita Kardashian, head of the practice of comprehensive digitalization of Naumen processes, one of the trends is the expansion of the approach to project management in general, its application in new areas of management, such as the management of innovations, products, and digital transformation projects. Close integration of project management systems with adjacent automation zones, such as knowledge management or software development, is also important. This is especially true for technology and IT companies, to a lesser extent it affects the "classic" project business, such as construction and organization of events, but there are quite new approaches there.

The development of the market faced a number of restrictions. Among the restraining factors, experts note a shortage of personnel, economic instability and the complexity of import substitution projects, including the migration of data from foreign systems.

The first leads to a lack of qualified specialists in the implementation and operation of systems, and the second to the postponement of investment projects, - comments Nikita Aksyanov, head of product promotion at Directum Projects.

Today, Russian business does not demonstrate active development, especially against the background of high interest rates and ″ expensive ″ money. This limits the emergence of new organizations that could use project and other business process management systems, - notes Nikita Kritsky.

As Marat Mukharyamov, CEO of Project Lad, said, at the end of 2024, a number of projects were either frozen or postponed due to a high refinancing rate. For comparison: in mid-2024, many corporations still planned investment budgets for business development, including project management systems. In addition, the expert confirmed the lack of qualified personnel, to a greater extent on the side of the customer.

It is also worth noting the complexity of the transition from disparate systems to single platform solutions and the relative immaturity of the IT infrastructure in the corporate sector.

Many companies have used various tools for managing projects, processes, resources for years. Combining all this in a single environment requires a serious restructuring of the organization. However, we see that the awareness of the need for such a transformation outweighs the temporary difficulties of the transition, - explains Igor Prostokvashin.

Companies continue to live with the idea that for digital sovereignty it is enough to build their data center and deploy virtual machines on Russian servers. At the same time, the modern IT infrastructure assumes the presence of rather complex software components that are difficult to deploy and administer. There are not enough qualified specialists in the overheated IT market. Information security requirements are also tightening, which further complicates the situation, "adds Alexander Spiridonov, director of consulting at Timetta.

Security issues and high competition have also become deterrents.

Vulnerabilities in systems can lead to data leaks and financial losses, and high competition slows down innovation, forcing companies to focus on maintaining competitiveness instead of developing new solutions, says Elena Kuts, head of the expert and analytical department of the Russian software developer ALMI Partner (AlterSoft).

According to Alexei Dmitriev, business development manager, "MyOffice" high competition has led to price wars and lower margins for software manufacturers, and some companies have faced difficulties in introducing new solutions - especially those that already had established processes and systems.

The need to adapt existing business processes to new tools remains a deterrent. As the Vasily Sautin head of the directorate for business development notes, IBS this is most noticeable in industries with high requirements for productivity and integration: power, oil and gas, construction. They require high performance project management tools and their integration with enterprise systems - ERP, BI, etc.

But despite economic instability, the market showed stable growth and increased by 15-20% compared to 2023, depending on the region and sector. According to My Office, the total market volume of project management systems in Russia in 2024 amounted to 17.39 billion rubles.

According to experts, the main growth fell on the segment of complex platform solutions. This confirms the general trend: business is moving from simply automating individual processes to building holistic digital ecosystems where project management is integrated with other critical business functions.

The market is adapting to new challenges, but the potential for further acceleration remains, especially due to state support, initiatives like the federal project ″ Domestic Solutions ″ and growing interest in digital transformation, "comments Vasily Sautin.

The market size in 2024 can be estimated as significant, and its growth rate is above average. We expect to maintain positive dynamics in the next three years, thanks to the trends outlined above, "adds Dilara Izhberdeeva, Senior Manager of Technological Transformation Practice Reksoft Consulting.

In 2024, sales of the 1C:PM Project Management line of solutions increased by 16%. At the same time, the demand for products for large companies increased faster than for small and medium-sized businesses, says Andrey Pavlov.

According to preliminary forecasts of experts, the market will continue to grow due to import substitution and will increase by 17% in 2025.

Despite the departure of large foreign players, the market is saturated with domestic and opensource solutions. At the same time, it is predicted that by 2027 the share of Russian solutions will reach 80%. In the context of import substitution, Russian developments continue to strengthen their positions. Many domestic solutions are becoming more and more effective and in demand, - sums up Elena Kuts.

According to the self-report of the companies that took part in the ranking, the average growth in revenue by market in 2024 should have ranged from good to exceptional. She topped the ADVANTA rating, which ended 2024 with a growth rate of over 50%.^[2]

Over a twenty-year period, TAdviser collects information about IT projects in various industries. During this time, a huge amount of data has been accumulated on the implementations of various solutions. With regard to PM systems, the publication has collected a base of about 1300 projects. ADVANTA is also in the lead here.

Customer requests in 2024 can be divided into several main categories. First of all, companies were interested in the possibilities of integrating systems with other enterprise solutions (BI, HR, etc.) and migrating data between systems.

The platform should be easily embedded in the existing IT landscape of the enterprise. Many customers are interested in adapting the system to their needs, including the possibility of improving the functionality to take into account industry specifics or integrating new modules.

The presence of mechanisms or the readiness of the vendor to transfer data from foreign CPS to Russian ones become a weighty argument when choosing a solution. Those customers who are just planning to implement a new system are more likely to pay attention to the possibility of effectively integrating the system into their business processes.

If earlier companies were just looking for a project management system, now they come with a request for a comprehensive solution that can become the foundation for the digital transformation of the entire enterprise.

In 2024, customers most often made requests for integrated implementation of PPM systems, which included replacing existing solutions, migrating data and integrating with other systems already implemented in their companies. The key when choosing a system for most customers was compliance with import substitution requirements and compatibility with Russian software such as operating systems, DBMS and virtualization tools. Functionality also played an important role: customers sought to automate the entire cycle of project management, including the work of project offices, - said Konstantin Levdansky, Development Director of Netrika.

Integration with existing tools is essential for all customer categories. For example, it can be integration with CRM systems, developer tools (code repositories and other IT systems) or other internal solutions. Requests for enhanced integration capabilities, such as the development of APIs and webhooks, are especially popular. This allows customers either independently or with the help of third-party developers to configure the necessary integrations, which becomes an important element of system choice, - comments Nikita Kritsky, product manager. Kaiten

For small teams, the priority was ease of use and adaptation of the system to their niche - with ready-made templates and the ability to configure out of the box in literally two clicks.

SMBs are looking for a simple, one-size-fits-all solution. They need a system that has basic design control functionality, ready for use without long-term configuration and refinement. This approach allows you to quickly get the first results from automation, - says Andrey Pavlov, head of the 1C joint business solutions development group.

Companies also focused heavily on security and data preservation. These issues have become even more relevant due to the continued withdrawal of Western services from the market, as well as the increase in hacks and attacks. An important criterion was the ability to check the source code for vulnerabilities and comply with all corporate standards.

For the corporate sector, the trend of choosing boxed solutions that allow you to independently configure in accordance with the company's information security policy has intensified.

Customers working with a critical information infrastructure (CII) focused on the possibility of placing the system on their own servers. In 2024, they actively switched to domestic project management systems to comply with government requirements for import independence.

Most customers come to us with custom requests: with their own specifics of projects, priorities and methodology. As a rule, such customers have a very specific idea of ​ ​ how the system should look and function. But at the moment, not all solutions presented on the market are subject to revision for the individual needs of the customer. Memfis philosophy is just aimed at the possibility of customization to increase the total usefulness of the system, "says Sergey Trukhin, FIS Sales Director.

Large enterprises are interested in the ability to see connections between all levels of the organization - from strategic goals to specific tasks of performers. Managers want to understand how project activities affect the achievement of business goals, how resources are used, where bottlenecks arise. At the same time, it is important that the system can develop with the company, allowing gradually expanding the scale of automation.

Most often, customers were looking for solutions for managing project resources. Again, this is purely our experience, but we can make a careful assumption that companies are trying to optimize the workload of employees, to increase the return on investments in PHY, - comments Alexander Spiridonov, director of consulting at Timetta.

Another important criterion when choosing a solution is the possibility of gradual implementation. Customers want to start by automating the most critical processes and gradually scale the solution to the entire organization. At the same time, they must be sure that the chosen platform will cope with the growing load and new tasks.

It is important for customers that this system has full functionality, that is, it can manage terms, resources, money, and physical volumes. At the same time, it should be productive, as well as have developed integration systems with various corporate systems, such as 1C:ERP, Jira, MDM, etc., - says Marat Mukharyamov, CEO of Project Lad.

According to the expert, this high-frequency request does not have any pronounced industry specifics. Another group of requests that has arisen since mid-2024 is related to the management of IT projects for the development of products and services: it is important for customers that the project management system provides the entire vertical of the company's management with reporting on the progress of the project, making decisions at each level of the hierarchy. An additional requirement in requests for IT project management is integration with the task management system: backlog, sprints, epics.

Marat Mukharyamov noted a trend towards management systems for capital construction projects: despite the rather difficult financial situation for them, large commercial developers invest in automation in order to save money and more effectively manage the project portfolio. The request for management of capital construction projects is also generated by corporations that build a large number of industrial facilities for their own needs.

Igor Prostokvashin, a leading analyst at Comindware, notes the growing interest in corporate architecture tools. Companies are looking for solutions that will not only automate current processes, but also manage their change, model new scenarios of work, and assess the impact of changes on the business. This is especially true in the context of constant transformation of business models and processes.

Nikita Kardashian, head of the practice of comprehensive digitalization of Naumen processes, noted that three factors are extremely important for Russian business: processes and their automation, accelerated changes, and reduced costs of owning systems.

According to Nikita Aksyanov, head of product promotion at Directum Projects, customers are interested in platforms that can replace MS Project or Primavera. At the same time, users expect an intuitive interface from Russian solutions so that training takes a minimum of time and finance. In addition, the management of projects on Agile methodologies or their hybrids with "classics" is now gaining popularity. Therefore, many customers expect the appropriate functionality from the products. There are requests for AI tools. But so far this is more of an interest, not a mandatory requirement.

During negotiations with customers, the topic of artificial intelligence and its integration into project management often arose. Customers were interested in built-in AI, which would produce results based on data loaded into the system. This means that companies have a need for more custom solutions. For example, so that the service scans the knowledge base of completed projects and issues personalized commercial offers, - adds Sergei Kozlov, general director of the company-developer of the system for business management "Megaplan."

The business also draws attention to the following factors:

• stability of the system operation;
• Quality of service and support of the vendor;
• competencies of the integrator;
• availability of the necessary capabilities in the "box";
• the presence of a fully functional Gantt chart;
• Easy to configure functions, objects, and processes without programming
• Flexible role policy configuration
• Seamless transition from current project management solutions through correct data migration
• availability of APIs;
• user-friendly interface and ease of learning how to work in the system;
• presence of a developed expert community associated with a specific solution, training materials, community in social networks.

Equally important are the price factor and flexibility in licensing (for example, subscription, one-time purchase), which allows you to choose the most suitable model for the business.

Customers are also paying more and more attention to the origin of the solution. They want to be confident in the long-term availability of the platform and the possibility of its development, regardless of external factors. Therefore, Russian "citizenship" of the system has become one of the important criteria for choice, especially for large enterprises and organizations with state participation.

For customers, it is important to have a solution in the register of domestic software, full compliance with data security requirements (availability of licenses from the FSB of Russia and FSTEC of Russia) and the ability to choose hosting - cloud or on-premium, - comments Pavel Petrakov, General Director of the SPC "BusinessAutomation."

As Denis Mochalov notes, product owner ELMA365 ELMA Projects, companies that have already passed the path of automation on the product deserve special attention, it is not available now in Russia. Therefore, in order to meet the expectations of those who used ecosystem products, the platform must include document work, communication tools, automation of any accompanying or supporting process, project lifecycle management.

Customers, when choosing solutions for project management, usually ″ put forward ″ few key requirements. The most important of them are the convenience of managing tasks, ensuring effective teamwork and the ability to track time, resources and budget. Companies often look for tools to generate reports and view analytics about project progress, team performance, and other key metrics. Mobile access is becoming more and more relevant for teams working remotely, - adds Aleksei Dmitriyev, business development manager at MyOffice.

Also in demand are systems that can be easily customized for specific processes and methodologies of the company - Agile, Waterfall, etc.

For 2022-2023, a base was created that made it possible to position domestic solutions as an alternative to foreign competitors. However, the rapid development of functionality in previous years often occurred in a hurry, which required subsequent refinement. In 2024, developers focused on improving usability, performance, stability and mobility of solutions. This made them more competitive and user-friendly.

Also, vendors worked to increase the level of information security and expand the functionality of their products.

More solutions have begun to expand beyond their original categories. For example, task trackers actively add project management elements to the functionality, and project management systems add project portfolio management elements. In addition, significant attention was paid to the introduction of artificial intelligence tools, which are used to automate tasks and increase the efficiency of project and portfolio management, - comments Konstantin Levdansky, Development Director of Netrika.

Eliminating technical debt and refactoring have become priorities. This was necessary to improve the quality of systems, especially cloud, and ensure their reliability. Users who were in a hurry to switch to new systems, after a while began to study their capabilities in depth. It turned out that some functions are either absent or cause difficulties. In response, the developers actively introduced the missing functionality, trying to catch up with foreign counterparts such as Jira or Asana. One of the goals was to create products that are as understandable and familiar as possible for users who previously worked with foreign systems. This helped smooth out the transition and reduce the negativity associated with changing platforms, says Nikita Kritsky, product manager. Kaiten

The developers focused on integration, first of all, the platform's stability to the influx of new users, quick fixation of bugs, refinement of features for comfortable collaboration, organization of operational activities and project management: deadlines, budgets and resources, - said Inga Skers, CEO of WEEK.

According to Nikita Aksyanov, head of product promotion at Directum Projects, competition in the market in 2024 was very high, so the pace of implementation of new products has increased. Those who previously dealt only with the tools of classical project management begin to add Agile elements to systems.

All developers are now simplifying the interface and making it more modern. Otherwise, you can lose to some new products. In addition, the winning competitive advantage will be the improvement of the no/low-code. Such platforms help customers to independently customize the interface and processes for themselves, minimizing the cost of refinement. Some vendors are still dealing with issues of import independence, since not everyone has yet completely left MS, the expert believes.

Developers focused on improving usability and mobility of solutions, as well as integration with other tools and platforms. For example, we are actively developing the functions of visualization of work and flexible management of task cards. In addition, we have a version of the Memfis mobile application that allows you to work even offline, "says Sergey Trukhin, FIS Sales Director.

At the moment, in connection with the needs of import substitution, we are focusing on the development of a version of Spider Project for Linux, which will appear this year, "adds Vladimir Liberzon, Development Director of Spider Project.

Systems become more adaptive, allowing you to quickly build and modify business applications without deep technical knowledge. It is important that this flexibility is combined with the ability to build complex corporate solutions that meet all the requirements of big business.

Systems can work efficiently both in the mode of point automation of individual processes, and as a comprehensive platform for managing the digital transformation of the entire enterprise. This allows companies to start with solving specific problems and gradually expand the scale of using the system at a comfortable pace for themselves.

Systems are becoming more flexible because large companies have come to market with their demands. The situation is developing in such a way that it is now impossible to develop any one universal solution to suit everyone at once. Too different, often mutually exclusive requirements. The winners are those developers who can offer more low-code and no-code settings, or have enough resource to completely redesign the system for the ″ of a large client ″. Plus, information security requirements are gradually beginning to influence the product development process, a set of functions and a technological stack, "explains Alexander Spiridonov, director of consulting at Timetta.

Another important area of ​ ​ development was the improvement of coordination and coordination mechanisms. In modern systems, business models created in diagrams are automatically agreed with all parties involved. This creates a unified context for the work of IT architects, business analysts, process owners and ordinary employees.

In recent years, developers have focused on flexible methodologies such as Agile and DevOps, which has greatly accelerated the development and deployment cycle. The implementation of continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) improves the quality and speed of releases. The move to cloud technologies for storing, processing, and deploying applications (such as AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud) provides scalability and flexibility, and microservice architecture makes it easier to update and scale applications.

Anastasia Lastovkina, director of digital transformation at fintech developer and integrator Fork-tech, notes that many software developers emphasized the versatility of their platform - the ability to use both for classic projects with fixed parameters (terms, cost, scope) and for Agile approaches.

In 2024, we observed a qualitative change in approaches to the development of project management systems. The developers focused on creating unified platform solutions that go far beyond classical project management. The key focus was the integration of project management with other critical business functions in a single digital environment. Special attention was paid to the development of corporate architecture management tools. For example, we at Comindware implemented the ability to create a single process register that combines both automated and automated processes. This allows companies to see a complete picture of their activities and effectively manage changes at all levels of the organization, - comments Igor Prostokvashin, leading analyst at Comindware.

Resource management capabilities have significantly expanded. Modern systems allow you to track resource utilization from the strategic level to specific operational tasks. At the same time, managers can immediately see how changes in one part of the organization will affect other business functions. This is especially important when planning large-scale transformation projects.

During the development of our product, colleagues focused on expanding the tools for planning projects, which will allow users to further manage resources more efficiently. We also implemented manpower and material planning functionality to optimize and improve the project management process. In the near future, it is planned to add the ability to take into account resource costs, as well as to implement functionality for comparing planned and actual resource indicators: this will allow users to more accurately assess the efficiency of resource use and make informed decisions, "says Pavel Petrakov, General Director of the SPC" Business Automatics. "

Artificial intelligence became the main trend last year, including in the development of project management systems. Some companies have integrated neuropower into their solutions, which help automate routine, analyze project data and make forecasts on risks and resources. However, the widespread use of AI for project management is still a long way for companies.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are becoming an integral part of applications: developers are actively introducing them into their applications to automate processes, analyze data and create personalized experiences for users. There are also tools for AI developers - libraries and frameworks (such as TensorFlow, PyTorch) that simplify the implementation of AI in applications. Developing IoT solutions and working with big data require new approaches to processing and security. Therefore, special attention is paid to security, including the introduction of DevSecOps and enhanced, multifactorial authentication, - said Aleksei Dmitriyev, business development manager at MyOffice.

Modern project management solutions are entire systems of services for interaction within teams. Initially, in their formation, the developers started from the functionality of the task manager. Now in such systems you can find your own knowledge bases, instant messengers, etc. This allows you to conveniently use them within the same system, and not switch between several. In 2024, the developers of Russian project management systems actively worked to adapt their solutions to the challenges of the local market. This was caused by both external factors and internal customer needs.

In response to the increasing complexity of projects and the lack of resources, developers have implemented new capabilities, including planning and reserving resources, improved tools for analyzing employee load. They also strengthened security-related functionality. For example, advanced authentication and access control mechanisms were introduced. Collaboration tools evolved. Many companies continue to operate in a hybrid mode of operation, as well as in the format of geographically distributed teams, which stimulates the demand for improved opportunities for real-time collaboration, "says Dilara Izhberdeeva, Senior Manager of Technology Transformation Practice Reksoft Consulting.

The issue of import substitution of soup remains relevant. Although many foreign solutions have already left the Russian market, some companies continue to use them, albeit with restrictions. Users face difficulties when paying, but can often do with free versions of products, which in functionality can sometimes exceed paid domestic counterparts.

Project management systems are often critical to automating key company processes, and replacing them requires considerable effort. Many companies have postponed the implementation of such projects due to their complexity. However, they are now actively starting to replace PMS and PPM systems.

As Nikita Kritsky, product manager, notes, Kaiten large companies using server versions of foreign systems are still holding on to them. Part took a pause for two to three years in the hope that the situation would stabilize. But, after almost three years, it becomes obvious that many will still have to switch to domestic solutions if they have not yet done so.

Replacing imported project management systems is a complex issue. Medium and small companies have no problems in this regard, because there is a fairly large selection of free open source solutions. They cover the needs when managing projects of a small scale (up to 10 people on the project), and with skillful use - and several times more. Much more difficult for large customers. Imported systems are difficult to maintain and develop, but a lot of effort has already been invested in them - both in terms of the amount of data on projects already underway and made, and in terms of the depth of implementation of the system itself, - explains Dmitry Zavalishin, founder and general director of DZ Systems Group of Companies.

According to the expert, it is usually impossible to replace the foreign system with an identical Russian one. Migration is possible, but as a result, personnel retraining will still be required, which will definitely lead to a significant failure in established business processes. And the deep customization of existing systems is not affordable for every customer.

Import substitution often sounds in customer requests, but it is not the main driver for the implementation of project management systems, says Marat Mukharyamov, CEO of Project Lad. According to the expert, in a large business, the request for PM systems is formed on the basis of the current trend for the introduction of project management methodology in business. And in the absence of global market leaders in the market, such as Oracle Primavera and Microsoft Project, the choice falls on Russian solutions. There are requests for migration from import solutions, but so far this is rather an assessment of opportunities. Customers continue to use import licenses, but everyone understands that there will be no development of such systems. Therefore, a large business that has previously introduced such systems is eyeing Russian counterparts, summed up Marat Mukharyamov.

Regarding the quality of domestic solutions of the Project management system class, the opinions of experts and market participants differ. Some believe that the functionality of some products is in no way inferior to foreign ones, others believe that most Russian systems of this class are not yet mature enough.

Despite the difficulties of implementation and functional limitations compared to foreign counterparts, domestic solutions have high potential and will definitely strengthen their position in the market. Government support and growing interest in project management create opportunities for development in this area. At the same time, it is important to remember that import substitution is not only limited to the creation of new solutions, but also includes adaptation and integration with existing systems, "adds Elena Kuts, head of the expert and analytical department of the Russian software developer ALMI Partner (AlterSoft).

Many Russian companies seek to secure their infrastructure as much as possible, which leads to hyper-control: companies want to have all their own, even code. If we talk about Russian PM solutions, then the question is difficult. Because you always need to understand who is asking. For state corporations, most likely, not a single domestic and not a single Western solution will be 100% suitable. As for medium-sized businesses, Russian solutions are largely superior to the same European products in terms of innovation, development quality, ergonomics of interfaces, - said Alexander Spiridonov, director of consulting at Timetta.

Igor Prostokvashin, a leading analyst at Comindware, notes that Russian platforms offer a more comprehensive approach to business management. Instead of highly specialized project management solutions, developers create unified environments where project management is integrated with other important functions - from process management to enterprise architecture modeling. This approach allows you to achieve a qualitatively new level of efficiency in managing an organization. An important advantage of Russian systems remains their complete independence from external factors - customers can be sure of the long-term availability of solutions and their constant development.

If earlier Russian systems were perceived as a temporary replacement for foreign solutions, now they are becoming a conscious strategic choice for business. This is largely due to the fact that developers better understand the specifics of the work of Russian enterprises and can offer more suitable tools for solving their problems. For example, project management can be closely integrated with classical workflow, which is relevant in Russia. In some general aspects, Russian systems may be inferior, but superior in specific for our country.

In a number of aspects, Russian systems offer more advanced capabilities compared to foreign counterparts. This applies, for example, to low-code development tools, tools for modeling and analyzing business processes, customization capabilities for specific customer requirements.

But, according to Nikita Kritsky, there is no complete parity of Russian decisions with foreign ones yet. If foreign products were to return to the market, a significant proportion of users would probably prefer them. Overseas players have large investments, resources and a larger customer base, allowing them to offer more functional and developed products.

By and large, two or three years is too short a distance. The world's cloud services for project management have come a colossal way. Tusk trackers have been on the Western market for decades. Of course, we also have quite high-quality products that can already compete with Western samples. But it is too early to talk about any complex solutions at the same level of study, "agrees the Sergei Kozlov general director of the company-developer of the system for business management. "Megaplan"

Experts note that returning companies to older platforms can be a painful process. For example, Atlassian Jira has changed a lot in three years. For users, it will be a completely new product that takes time to adapt, like any other system. At the same time, companies that have become accustomed to Russian solutions in recent years are likely to remain on them in order to avoid a new wave of difficulties.

You need to look at things soberly. Of course, replacing MS Project is not easy and not even always necessary. But many companies have no choice and need to find a solution. You do not need to expect a one-on-one replacement, this does not happen. Some functions will have to be sacrificed, since almost no one uses MS Project at full capacity. If you come to terms with certain changes in processes, then you can quite find an analogue. Moreover, we can find that Russian systems on modern platforms can please with their own strengths, - comments Nikita Aksyanov, Head of Product Promotion at Directum Projects.

Comparing Russian and foreign systems is not easy, since large foreign solutions such as MS Project or Primavera have existed for decades and have accumulated significant functionality. At the same time, Russian solutions are already close to world leaders in terms of basic capabilities. In some cases, they may be inferior to automation of less common processes, but such tasks are usually solved through individual improvements under the customer, "adds Konstantin Levdansky, Development Director of Netrika.

You should not compare only the functionality of domestic and foreign systems. First of all, it is necessary to talk about the adaptability of Russian solutions to real business processes in each specific company, as well as the possibility of implementing projects of various types with the help of these solutions, - says Elena Lashmanova, Director of the Analytical Solutions Department of KORUS Consulting Group of Companies.

The main difficulties of switching to Russian systems are associated with high one-time costs for replacing solutions, the difficulty of transferring a large amount of accumulated project information, the need and complexity of integration with other corporate systems, and the need to train employees to work with the new system. In addition, foreign products, as a rule, were well integrated with other solutions of the vendor.

Among the barriers are a low level of user confidence in the quality of new solutions, difficulties in integrating with existing systems and a lack of standards governing the functionality and compatibility of software. Nevertheless, thanks to the efforts of developers, integrators and state support, the import substitution process is significantly accelerated. Today we see a steady trend, when domestic systems are increasingly becoming no longer an alternative, but a default choice for large companies. Russian developers take into account feedback from customers and are actively improving their products, which creates favorable conditions for further market growth, says the Vasily Sautin head of the business development directorate. IBS

Russian solutions can offer more flexible price models and be more convenient when integrating with local services. Despite some limitations, they are becoming increasingly competitive, and the choice depends on the specific needs of the company. However, for full parity with foreign systems, they need more time, investment and client support.

Market participants highlight the following trends affecting the development of project management systems.

- Automation of processes.

- Integration of digital tools with external services.

The issue of import substitution still remains relevant, so it is important to pay attention to the integration tools with the existing landscape of information systems. The possibilities of mosaic replacement of solutions that are gradually retiring or losing their relevance are also important, "says Denis Mochalov, product owner ELMA365 ELMA Projects.

The new systems provide seamless integration of various enterprise applications, creating a single digital environment for work. It is important that integration takes place not only at the data level, but also at the level of business processes, which allows building end-to-end processes throughout the organization, "said Igor Prostokvashin, leading analyst at Comindware.

- Attention to sustainable development.

- Creating ecosystems that combine a variety of business tools.

We are talking about multifunctional platforms, which include not only project management, but also CRM, internal corporate systems, calendars, mail services and other tools. This allows users to work within a single platform, avoiding the need to integrate many disparate solutions, "explains Nikita Kritsky, product manager. Kaiten

- Implementation of AI tools. The use of artificial intelligence to automate routine tasks, predict deadlines and analyze risks has become an important area.

It seems that AI from the metaphorical world has moved into the category of applied tools. ChatGPTs are used by applicants to complete test tasks, and workers perform their tasks using algorithms. Often recognize where AI has worked, and where a person is not possible. This is probably a big challenge for project management systems for the coming years. Many ethical issues are involved here, - said Sergei Kozlov, general director of the company-developer of the system for business management "Megaplan."

- Data analysis and development of predictive analytics tools. Modern platforms are able to analyze information, identify potential risks and offer optimal solutions. This helps managers make more balanced decisions based on real data processed, including using AI.

As Marat Mukharyamov, General Director of Project Lad, said, in the context of the use of AI, we can talk not only about the assistant project manager, who can give recommendations on the progress of the project, but also about more advanced services, such as automatic generation of the calendar and network schedule and risk management.

- Data protection and cybersecurity: The more complex the systems, the more vulnerable they are, so developers have become a priority to implement solutions with enhanced data protection.

- Combination of Waterfall and Agile.

The modern project management system should allow you to automate not only the classic "waterfall" project, acting as a "replacement for Excel," but also be able to work with flexible methodologies (Agile, SCRUM, Kanban), product approach, portfolios and project programs. It should be closely integrated with adjacent automation zones, such as task or knowledge management, "says Nikita Kardashian, head of the practice of comprehensive digitalization of Naumen processes.

- Focus on no/low-code - modern low-code platforms allow you to create complex corporate solutions that fully take into account the specifics of a particular organization.

Nikita Kardashian, head of the practice of comprehensive digitalization of Naumen processes, noted that today the application of low-code approaches, "civil" development and process changes by users without IT participation or with minimal involvement comes first.

"Boxed" solutions that force the customer to follow the workflow rigidly defined by the vendor are a thing of the past, giving way to solutions based on low-code, in which processes, screen forms and system actions are flexibly configured depending on changes in business processes, regulatory framework or customer needs, - says the expert.

Systems are increasingly integrated with other enterprise solutions, providing end-to-end process control and analytics. There is also an increase in the availability of such systems to users, including the ability to work remotely and use from any device. At the same time, information security requirements are becoming tougher, which stimulates developers to improve data protection, "adds Konstantin Levdansky, Development Director of Netrika.

The number of technology services that business uses to solve problems is increasing every day. This leads to the need to ″ be friends of ″ systems with each other in order to configure their unique ecosystem. This implies a request for a kind of integration using no-code/low-code in order to configure everything conditionally by the hands of ordinary employees without involving developers, - comments Inga Skers, CEO of WEEK.

- Creation of adaptive interfaces - they adapt to the role and tasks of a particular user, which allows you to significantly reduce the time for training personnel and increase the efficiency of working with the system.

Few people are ready in 2025 to put up with the interfaces "from the nineties," which are still common in corporate project management systems, "says Nikita Kardashian, head of the practice of comprehensive digitalization of Naumen processes.

- Development of collaboration technologies - modern systems provide tools for effective coordination of actions of all process participants, from managers to performers. Particular attention is paid to the automation of routine operations.

Nikita Aksyanov, head of product promotion at Directum Projects, also notes the growing popularity of Solutions SaaS, which are becoming especially relevant for medium and small businesses.

According to Sergey Trukhin, Sales Director, the FIS banking market has an interest in comprehensive project management systems.

For example, bankers would like to manage the project as a whole from generating an idea to generating analytical reporting. And this implies combining and integrating with many related information systems in the customer's loop. It seems that the market will move in this direction, although overcoming certain difficulties. And here an important criterion in choosing a tool will be the possibility of adapting it to the existing architecture, - says the expert.

In 2025, experts expect the emergence of fundamentally new approaches to organizing project activities, largely related to the development of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies. There will be practical experience in using AI tools, primarily generative models. AI components will be embedded in project management systems. They will perform the functions of intelligent assistants, assistants for finding information in knowledge bases, predicting the necessary indicators of the "health" of any project, as well as used for predictive analytics on resource allocation. One of the most popular functions will be an AI bot that provides transcription and meeting logging services.

AI will take on routine planning and resource allocation tasks, allowing managers to focus on strategic issues. Systems will not only monitor the current state of projects, but also predict potential problems, offer optimal solutions even before critical situations arise.

Another forecast is the entry of large players into the market. Their systems will become powerful tools for business, which will not be easy to compete with.

We expect that the products of large Russian corporations of the Sberbank and VTB level will enter the Russian PM-solutions market. This is most likely inevitable. In addition, in our opinion, by the end of 2025, all companies that have begun the transition from foreign software to Russian software will finish it. This does not mean that the trend for import substitution will completely exhaust itself, but will no longer be decisive by 2026, - said Alexander Spiridonov, director of consulting at Timetta.

I think we will continue to observe the entry into the market of internal solutions of industry technology giants in an attempt to capitalize development costs. The number of collaborations between different players will also increase so as not to waste time and money on the invention of bicycles. We are already considering different partnership options to provide our customers with the best possible system, "adds Sergey Trukhin, FIS Sales Director.

Experts do not exclude the return of foreign market players.

There is a possibility, although small, that foreign systems will return to the market in 2025-2026. This will change the competitive environment and Russian developers will have to look for new approaches to preserve and attract customers. Most likely, prices will have to be reduced, since it will be more difficult to compete in terms of functionality and quality. This could be one of the key levers of audience retention, says Nikita Kritsky, product manager at Kaiten.

The project management systems market will develop towards greater unification, integration and expansion of functionality, with an emphasis on convenience and accessibility for users. At the same time, developers will be responsible for strengthening competitive advantages in order to remain in demand amid growing competition.

A certain number of project management systems will appear, one of the vendors will go to specialized or industry solutions, and there will also be a realization that the Russian market does not need such a number of solutions in principle. Then we predict the departure of some of the players from this market, - comments Veronika Berezkina, an expert on the project management of KSK Technologies.

Konstantin Levdansky, Development Director of Netrika, predicts that in 2025 and in subsequent years the market will continue to develop towards the creation of more complex systems with wide functionality. Industry solutions are expected to appear that take into account the specifics of individual sectors of the economy, and the development of analytical tools for forecasting. Strengthening information security requirements will remain an important area, and growing competition between developers will contribute to improving the quality and flexibility of the solutions offered.

Further blurring of boundaries between different approaches will continue. Clean Agile or classic project management will be replaced by hybrid methodologies adapted to the specific tasks and features of the organization. Project management systems will need to maintain this flexibility, making it easy to combine different approaches even within a single project.

The positions of Russian vendors will be strengthened. Products will become more competitive thanks to modern technologies. Due to this, the gradual replacement of Western products will continue. Already, there is a tendency to find efficiency in project management at the junction of Agile and hybrid methods. Over time, their application will only expand. There is a focus on user experience. Therefore, the demand for intuitive interfaces of systems and a reduction in time for their development will grow, - says Nikita Aksyanov, head of product promotion at Directum Projects.

Igor Prostokvashin, a leading analyst at Comindware, predicts a significant change in the role of project teams. Already, there is a tendency to form temporary cross-functional teams that are assembled for specific tasks and are just as quickly disbanded after their completion. In the future, this will require new tools for quickly forming teams, assessing competencies and managing distributed work.

Special attention will be paid to the development of knowledge management systems in project activities. It is important not only to carry out projects, but also to accumulate experience, to make it accessible to the entire organization. We expect the emergence of tools that will automatically analyze the experience of completed projects and form a knowledge base available to all employees, the expert adds.

"1C" They expect automation of management in new large projects and recently created companies, as well as in existing organizations that are "ripe" before the use of such systems.

The process of replacing foreign solutions with domestic ones will remain relevant in 2025. In general, project management solutions will continue to evolve and adapt to the needs of customers who increasingly prefer standard use cases. Thanks to this, the number of improvements required for the customer will decrease, thereby reducing the time and cost of implementation, - comments Andrey Pavlov, head of the group for the development of joint solutions for business "1C."

According to the forecasts of Alexei Dmitriev, business development manager at MyOffice, companies will concentrate on cloud technologies that allow teams to work from anywhere in the world and easily scale systems depending on business needs. Integration with other tools (CRM, ERP and communication platforms) will also focus on creating a single ecosystem for managing projects and business processes. Visualizing data through interactive dashboards and graphical planning tools will help teams better understand progress and identify bottlenecks, and risk management methods, including automatic alerting and analysis of possible scenarios, will eliminate system vulnerabilities.

Marat Mukharyamov, CEO of Project Lad, hopes that the main trend will be the transition in large business to ISUPs, which will supply data for the entire vertical of management decisions: from the highest management to the project team.

Customers will continue to look for new approaches and concepts of digitalization. There will be more initiatives to create unified standards for interoperability between solutions, APIs, and data models. All this will help build a more predictable and reliable ecosystem for users. In the long term, the market will evolve towards improved usability and end-user orientation. The key goal is still the creation of solutions that will surpass foreign ones in terms of functionality, convenience, reliability, - said the Vasily Sautin head of the directorate for business development. IBS

According to Dilara Izhberdeeva, Senior Manager of Technology Transformation Practice, Reksoft Consulting, the increasing complexity of projects and the specifics of industries will contribute to the emergence and development of specialized project management systems - for industrial production, construction, mining, etc. Such systems will take into account industry standards and features, including resource management, technical control and compliance with regulatory requirements. The need to take into account the specifics of the companies' activities will contribute to an increase in demand for comprehensive implementation projects, including part on audit and improvement of project management processes before choosing a solution vendor.

Other changes include the trend towards robotization of routine project operations (RPA), support for project activities in real time and advanced analytics in terms of reporting in the context of various project metrics. A collaboration module will become necessary in many systems.

Data security and cyber threat protection will become even more important, especially in the context of the widespread use of cloud technologies.

The withdrawal from the market of solutions of Western vendors played a positive role in the development of Russian project management systems. They develop taking into account the specifics of business in Russia, comply with security standards and at the same time are almost not inferior as foreign counterparts.

But the transition to Russian products is associated with certain difficulties, primarily integration with other systems in the existing IT circuit. Therefore, 61% of IT companies continue to use foreign solutions, although they are studying alternatives presented on the market.^[3]

With the development of the functional capabilities of Russian systems, the situation may change in the next year or two. Despite forecasts that the same Microsoft Project will remain the main tool for companies until 2027.

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