Lists that rank individuals, software, or other entities as the “Best Available” or the “Top 10” often reflect subjective preferences of the author, social trends, or specific evaluation criteria rather than universal truths. Sometimes, believe I or not, the #1 in the list paid for the list…imagine that. This applies to rankings of people (e.g., beauty, talent) and software products alike (e.g., fastest, most accurate, least expensive). Of course I will talk mainly about software today. Here is an explanation on how these rankings are formed and their reliability.
Software rankings of “best application software” are similarly subjective but also rely on user reviews, functionality assessments, and specific criteria tailored to business or personal needs. For example, G2’s (www.g2.com) list of best software products are based on overall user ratings and satisfaction. But some software are ranked by the authors’ preferences and personal experiences. For instance, “The 10 Best Apps for a New Computer,” an article from a couple of years ago by yours truly. That is all based on my likes, dislikes, preferences, personal experiences, and possibly even how much coffee I had when I wrote it. But to me it is true and valuable to others.
In my opinion and other honest “rankers” I believe the following things are a major way to evaluate or rank best to not the best. First is Cost, and that should be the total cost of ownership, including licensing fees and maintenance expenses. Is the software worth it? Next, is it easy to use, with intuitive design, and user-friendly interfaces. Is it security focused? Does it protect against data breaches and compliance with regulations, if and when needed? Does it do well, what it claims to do? Will it be able to grow with you or your business as needed? And always, user feedback and experiences should be considered a high priority when suggesting applications.
Some examples of highly ranked apps that appear in many lists today can start with Salesforce Sales Cloud. This is a leading CRM platform that integrates AI and data for efficient sales management. Next Trello, one of my favorite platforms is a comprehensive CRM tool for marketing, sales, and service automation. Of course, Gmail which is a popular, free online email and all-around office type of software. Easy to use management software focusing on collaboration and task organization. Just to mention a couple as these are at the top of their game for what they do.
Of course, I cannot go on without the behemoth production suites getting a mention in a good app list. The three biggies in order of worldwide usage are Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and LibreOffice. They can all do pretty much what the others can, but not everything. They are all excellent and can work together across most all platforms. A person could not go wrong with any of the three. Keeping in mind, they all have a free version, but the first two have paid versions with added functionality. The last, LibreOffice is 100% free for everything. This is something that you may be interested in considering.
As with anything, user experience (UX) is a critical factor in determining the success of software applications. It influences everything from initial adoption to long-term retention and business outcomes. Whether for consumer apps or enterprise tools for businesses; prioritizing UX ensures that software meets user needs effectively while driving productivity and satisfaction of use. Take a look at some of the ones I “ranked” above, not really, I was just drawing examples, but they are all very good at what they do. All are, or have been, used by me extensively and I approve.
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