key tasks assigned

7 Key Tasks and Examples: Responsibilities of a Supervisor

By Status.net Editorial Team on February 7, 2024 — 10 minutes to read

As a supervisor, your primary responsibilities include overseeing and coordinating the daily operations of your team. You’re the go-to point for guidance, support, and sometimes even conflict resolution. Your role means ensuring that the team works efficiently and meets the set targets and standards.

• Leadership : You set the tone for your team’s work environment. By giving clear directions and setting an example, you inspire others to follow suit. For instance, if punctuality is a priority, you’re always on time.
• Communication : Acting as a bridge between upper management and your team, you relay information effectively. You might, for example, convey new company policies and gather feedback from your team to share with higher-ups.
• Performance Management : You track your team’s productivity and quality of work. Suppose a team member is underperforming; you provide constructive criticism and potentially formulate a performance improvement plan.
• Training and Development : You identify skill gaps and recommend training programs. You could mentor a junior team member, enhancing their knowledge for better progress.
• Resource Management : You’re entrusted with managing the tools and materials your team needs. You would allocate these resources wisely to prevent bottlenecks in the workflow.
• Problem-Solving : When issues arise, it’s your job to identify solutions. If there’s a conflict between team members, you would mediate and help find a middle ground.

In essence, your role as a supervisor entails being an approachable leader, an effective communicator, a sharp evaluator of performance, a guide for growth, a judicious resource allocator, and an adept problem-solver.

Key Responsibilities of a Supervisor

In your role as a supervisor, you’ll handle a range of duties tailored to support your team’s success and the smooth running of daily operations. Here’s what that will look like across various aspects.

Setting Goals and Objectives

You’ll need to set clear, achievable goals and objectives for your team, aligning them with the company’s broader mission. For example, you might establish monthly sales targets or project completion benchmarks that help guide your team’s efforts.

Overseeing Daily Operations

Your day-to-day will revolve around monitoring the workflow and ensuring all tasks are completed efficiently. If you’re running a retail space, this can mean coordinating staff schedules and managing inventory.

Managing Staff Performance

You’re accountable for evaluating how well your team members are doing, offering constructive feedback, and addressing any issues that arise. In a customer service setting, you might review call handling times and customer feedback to assess staff performance.

Ensuring Workplace Safety

Your team’s safety is in your hands, which means upholding health and safety regulations. In a warehouse, for instance, this could entail conducting regular site inspections or safety training sessions.

Providing Training and Development

It’s important that you identify training needs and provide opportunities for growth within the team. Say you’re supervising a marketing team; you might set up a workshop on the latest digital marketing trends to keep your team sharp and up-to-date.

Enhancing Team Productivity

You should implement strategies to boost productivity, like optimizing workflows or introducing time-saving tools. As a call center supervisor, you might introduce a new management software to track calls more effectively.

Fostering a Positive Work Environment

You have the chance to create a work atmosphere that promotes collaboration, respect, and well-being. This could be as simple as recognizing employee achievements or arranging team-building activities to strengthen camaraderie.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

As a supervisor, you play a pivotal role in shaping the dynamics of your team. Your ability to communicate effectively and manage relationships is key to both individual and collective success.

Conducting Effective Meetings

When you organize meetings, ensure they have clear objectives and stick to a pre-defined agenda. Start by stating the purpose and outline the topics to cover. For example, if you’re leading a project kickoff meeting, you might set goals for the project, assign tasks, and discuss timelines.

Resolving Conflicts

Part of your job is to address disputes promptly and fairly. Say two team members have differing views on a project approach, you should listen to both sides, understand their perspectives, and guide them toward a solution that aligns with the team’s goals.

Offering Constructive Feedback

Feedback is an opportunity for growth, so make it specific and actionable. If a team member is struggling with time management, you could suggest they break tasks into smaller, manageable steps and recommend tools to track their progress.

Promoting Team Collaboration

Encourage your team to work together by highlighting individual strengths and creating opportunities for joint problem-solving. If someone excels at data analysis, pair them with someone with strong presentation skills to tackle a project that requires both.

Administrative Duties

Supervisors play a vital role in managing the day-to-day administrative tasks that keep a business running smoothly. Your ability to complete these responsibilities effectively has a direct impact on your team and organization.

Maintaining Employee Records

You are in charge of keeping up-to-date records for each member of your team. This typically includes contact information, employment history, job performance, and any disciplinary actions. For example, you might use a digital system to track an employee’s attendance or update their training certifications.

Budgeting and Resource Allocation

You’ll manage your department’s budget and make decisions on where to allocate resources. This could mean determining how to divide funds across projects or deciding if additional staff can be hired based on financial reports.

Adhering to Company Policies

You’re expected to understand and adhere to all company policies. This includes implementing health and safety protocols and ensuring that team members are aware of and follow these guidelines. When a new policy is introduced, it’s your job to update your team and integrate this policy into daily operations.

Reporting to Management

As a supervisor, you regularly compile reports and updates to keep management informed about your team’s progress. This might involve reporting on sales figures, project status, or employee productivity, giving higher-ups critical insights into department performance.

Strategic Planning and Implementation

When you step into a supervisory role, one of your key duties is to engage in strategic planning and implementation. This process means you’re responsible for setting goals, developing strategies to meet those objectives, and guiding your team to execute these plans effectively.

• First, you’ll need to identify the long-term goals for your team or department. For example, increasing the team’s sales by 20% within the next fiscal year. Once you have clear objectives, you can start crafting a strategic plan which includes specific, measurable steps.
• Now, let’s talk about implementation. You take the strategies from your plan and translate them into actionable tasks for your team. You’re the driving force behind turning those abstract strategies into concrete results. For instance, you might roll out a new training program to improve product knowledge among your sales staff, aiming to increase customer satisfaction and sales numbers.
• You also have to monitor the progress of these strategies. For example, keep track of monthly sales figures to see if your team is on pace to hit the 20% increase mark. If things aren’t going as planned, be ready to make adjustments. This might involve shifting resources, altering tactics, or providing additional support to your team.

Effective strategic planning and implementation are about clear communication, adapting to changes, and leading by example. Your team will look to you for direction and motivation, so keep your plans realistic, stay flexible, and always show your commitment to achieving those goals together.

Performance Evaluation and Improvement

Supervisors have a pivotal role in shaping their team’s productivity and career growth through effective performance evaluation and improvement.

Developing Performance Metrics

First, you need to establish clear performance metrics that align with your company’s goals. These should be quantifiable and easily understandable by your team. For example, if you are supervising a sales team, a performance metric could be the number of successful client acquisitions per quarter.

Implementing Improvement Strategies

Once metrics are set, you should identify and implement strategies to help your team meet or exceed these benchmarks. This might entail providing additional training sessions for customer service representatives to enhance their interaction skills or updating the software tools used by your data analysis team to increase efficiency.

Conducting Regular Performance Reviews

Regular performance reviews allow you to track progress and provide feedback for ongoing improvement. During these sessions, if a team member has excelled in client communication, highlight this success, and discuss how these skills can be shared with the team. Conversely, if an employee’s performance is lagging, work together to establish a clear and actionable plan for development.

Quality Control and Assurance

As a supervisor, you play a pivotal role in maintaining the standards of the products or services your team provides. You ensure that deliverables meet the established quality criteria before they reach the customer. A significant part of your job is to implement and monitor quality control procedures, identifying any issues that could affect the final outcome.

• For instance, you should regularly review your team’s work through audits or performance reviews. Let’s say you’re overseeing a manufacturing process; you would perform spot checks on the production line, test samples for defects, and then document any issues. You’d need to provide feedback and guidance to your team to prevent future occurrences.
• Another component of your responsibility is assurance. This typically means setting up training programs to help your team understand quality standards and why they matter. If you’re in a service-oriented industry, you might conduct role-playing exercises to help employees handle different scenarios with clients.
• Communication is key. Keep your team informed about any updates in quality expectations or new methodologies. For practical application, imagine introducing a new software that tracks quality metrics; you’d explain how the tool improves the team’s ability to maintain high-quality work.
• Lastly, you address customer complaints related to quality. You need to investigate these issues, find the root causes, and take corrective actions. By doing this, you not only resolve the immediate problem but also demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement.

Crisis Management and Problem Solving

When you’re a supervisor, managing crises and solving problems is part of your job. You must act quickly to identify the issues and implement solutions to minimize the impact. Your role in this includes assessing the situation, making decisions, and guiding your team through the resolution process.

First, assess the situation:

• Gather information: Quickly collect all relevant details about the crisis.
• Analyze the impact: Determine how the crisis affects your team and operations.

Next, make decisions:

• Identify options: List possible actions that could resolve the problem.
• Evaluate outcomes: Consider the potential consequences of each action.

Lastly, guide your team:

• Communicate clearly: Keep your team informed about the crisis and your plan.
• Delegate tasks: Assign roles and responsibilities to team members to tackle the issue.
• Follow up: Ensure that solutions are implemented effectively and learn from the experience.

Example : Imagine a safety incident occurs on the production floor. You must quickly understand what happened, ensure everyone is safe, and stop the problem from escalating. You might decide to temporarily halt production, which, although impacting schedules, ensures safety. Then, communicate with your team, delegate tasks to address the immediate risks, and plan to resume operations safely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you outline the key duties a supervisor has to perform daily.

Your daily duties as a supervisor include delegating tasks, monitoring staff performance, and providing feedback. You also need to ensure that the day’s objectives are clearly understood by your team.

Could you give an example of the core roles a supervisor plays in a team setting?

As a supervisor, you act not just as a manager but as a leader. For instance, you might mediate conflicts within the team and work to create a collaborative environment where everyone’s ideas are valued and considered.

What are the top priorities a supervisor should focus on to maintain team efficiency?

To keep your team running smoothly, you should prioritize setting clear goals, managing resources effectively, and keeping communication lines open to quickly address any issues that arise.

How does a supervisor effectively support and develop their staff?

You can support and develop your staff by identifying their strengths and weaknesses and providing opportunities for training and professional development. Regular one-on-one meetings can help you guide their growth.

What are the essential supervisory skills necessary for effective leadership?

Important supervisory skills include effective communication, decision-making, problem-solving, and time management. These help you lead your team confidently and handle challenges as they come.

In what ways can a supervisor ensure the successful implementation of company policies?

As a supervisor, you can ensure company policies are followed by clearly explaining their importance to your team and overseeing their application in daily operations. Regular training sessions can also reinforce policy awareness and adherence.

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How To Assign Tasks To Team Members Effectively? Our Full Guideline

How can I effectively assign tasks to people?

Why is it that despite assigning tasks, some groups reach peak productivity and project success, while others grapple with conflicts and burnout?

And how can I address and solve issues related to task assignment?

In this article, we’ll provide answers to all of these questions.

Ready to elevate your task assignment skills and boost your project success? Let’s dive right in!

I. Assigning Tasks: Quick Overview

1. What is task assigning?

Task assigning is the process of allocating specific duties to team members to achieve a common goal.

2. Why is assigning tasks to team members important?

Effective task assigning is crucial for achieving team goals and maintaining productivity because it improves:

• Fair workload distribution.
• Resource efficiency.
• Seamless team collaboration
• Simplifying project progress tracking.

There’s more.

As everyone knows their role, responsibilities, and how their work contributes to the bigger picture, they feel less confused and more accountable for their assigned task.

II. How to assign tasks effectively in a project?

Below are the best strategies, practices, and tips for assigning tasks to others effectively.

Stage 1: Before assigning tasks

• Understand the project & your team members

Ensure you get a clear understanding of:

• Project’s objectives, scope, desired outcomes, and any deadlines.
• Team members’ skills, strengths, weaknesses, and preferences.

This step allows you to match the right tasks with the right team member, which helps allocate tasks efficiently, increase productivity, and maximize project success.

• Break down the project into individual tasks

Follow these steps:

• Identify major components of the project based on its goals.
• Break components into smaller tasks.

This makes it easier for managers to allocate responsibilities and track progress while helping team members better grasp the overall process.

• Prioritize tasks

Prioritize tasks based on 3 factors: 1) urgency, 2) importance, and 3) complexity. Here’s how:

• Identify time-sensitive tasks.
• Address tasks contribute to your long-term goals and should not be neglected.
• Categorize tasks based on difficulty levels, and time and resources required.
• Create a priority list of tasks based on the combination of all three criteria.

This valuable step helps managers make informed decisions on which tasks to tackle first and find the right people to work on each task.

Stage 2: While assigning employee tasks

• Match the right person to the right task

Assign tasks to the most qualified people.

Start by allocating high-priority tasks to the first available person with the matching expertise. Schedule low-priority tasks.

Straightforward tasks can be assigned to less experienced members, while complex tasks may be given to those with advanced skills.

• Be mindful of your team’s availability.
• Set realistic deadlines. Ensure to give members sufficient time to complete their assigned task.
• If someone shows interest in a particular task, consider assigning it to them.

If you know your employees well enough, then make a list of dependable people who are ready to take on a little more duties.

Give them low-priority yet important tasks with authority.

• Communication

To avoid disputes, constant clarification, or errors, it’s important to help your team members understand:

• Project’s goals, desired outcomes, and deadlines.
• Tasks’ requirements and priorities, plus how they contribute to the overall project’s success.
• Who is responsible for which task and what is expected of them.

Tips: Use clear and concise language when communicating. Encourage employees to ask questions and seek clarification on the project and their assigned tasks.

Stage 3: After assigning tasks

• Monitor Progress & Offer Help

Check-in with team members regularly to see how they are doing and if they need any help.

Encourage them to open up and transparently communicate their concerns and challenges.

On your side as a team leader or project manager, be available to offer assistance if they encounter challenges.

This helps resolve issues and improve the task assignment process.

• Provide Necessary Resources

Ensure that team members have the necessary resources, tools, and information for their task completion.

Stage 4: After the task/project is completed

• Reflect on Past Assignments

After each project or task, take time to reflect on what worked well, what didn’t, and where certain tasks weren’t up to par.

Address any issues and offer feedback on completed tasks. Use this feedback to refine your approach in future assignments.

Recognize and reward everyone’s efforts and contributions. This helps keep employees excited and motivated.

• Continuous Learning and Improvement

Invest in training and development opportunities for your team to enhance new skills and knowledge.

Extra tips for assigning tasks effectively:

• Use project management software to help you manage workload, make time estimates, performance reviews, etc.
• Be flexible. Things don’t always go according to plan, so be prepared to adjust your assignments as needed.
• Don’t be afraid to experiment. Try different approaches to see what works best for your team.

III. How to assign tasks in Upbase?

In this section, I’ll show you how a project management tool like Upbase helps simplify task assignments, improve morale, and increase outcomes.

Quick info:

• Upbase organizes and manages projects by lists.
• Members of a list can’t see and access other ones except those lists’ owners allow them to.
• Upbase offers unlimited free users and tasks.

Sign up for a free Upbase account here , follow this guide, and take your task assignment process to the next level.

1. Break down projects into smaller tasks

Create a new list:

• Hover over “Lists” on the left sidebar to open the dropdown menu.
• Select “List”
• Edit the list’s icon, color, name, and description. Then, add your employees.

Add new tasks to the list:

• Navigate to the Tasks module.
• Create and edit sections.
• Add tasks to sections by clicking “+” or “Add task”.

Add new tasks via emails : Open the dropdown menu next to the list name, select “add tasks via emails”, and follow the instructions.

Add task details:

You can add specific instructions, priorities, deadlines, and other attributes to individual tasks and subtasks.

Keyboard shortcuts : Hover over a task card and press:

• “S” to set high priority
• “D” to open the Due date picker
• “C” to open the Tag picker

Upbase Tip : Use task tags to categorize tasks by urgency, importance, and complexity. This makes it easier to match the right tasks to people for later.

2. Assign tasks

Check your employee availability:

Go to the Members page, and click on the team member you’d to assess their workload.

You’ll be driven to a separate page that shows that member’s assigned tasks, along with their due dates, priorities, etc. You can also filter tasks by one of these attributes.

Use this page to check each employee’s availability and identify who can complete additional tasks.

Assign tasks:

Open the desired task, click “Assignee”, and choose the right team member(s).

Keyboard shortcuts : Hover over the task and press “A” to open the Assignee picker. Press the space bar to assign yourself. This way makes assigning tasks easier and quicker!

If you want multiple people to work on a particular task, consider dividing it into subtasks, give time estimates for each, and then assign them to the right team member(s).

Communicate tasks:

Use the Messages and Chat modules to communicate with your team.

Messages is best suited to show the big picture, like project goals, desired outcomes, everyone’s duties, and how their work contributes to the whole.

Make use of the comment box to encourage everyone to ask questions and seek clarification about the project or their assigned tasks.

Chat supports both 1:1 chats and group chats. It’s perfect for quick discussions about issues, task deadlines, etc.

3. Track progress

Upbase offers an array of tools for project managers to track the workload of other employees.

To track a project’s progress:

From the Tasks module :

Here, you can view tasks in a List or Board format.

The List format provides an overview of tasks, deadlines, priorities, and employees working on them, while the Board visualizes the project’s progress.

Besides, you can group tasks by due date, priority, assignee, or section. View tasks filtered by one or multiple tags. Or create a custom filter.

From the Calendar module:

It shows all the scheduled tasks within a project by week or month. It also allows you to create a new task or reschedule overdue tasks.

To track the progress of all projects in a workspace :

Filters : In addition to filtering tasks within a project, you can create custom filters across multiple or all projects in a workspace.

Schedule : It functions similarly to the Calendar module. The two main differences are:

1) Schedule is to track the progress of tasks from all projects while Calendar is to track the progress of tasks within a project.

2) Schedule offers an additional view, named Daily Planner.

Other tools for progress tracking:

My Tasks : A private place where you can get an overview of all the tasks you create or tasks assigned to you.

4. Encourage collaboration and provide support

Use Upbase’s Docs, Files, and Links to provide employees with resources, information, and tools they need to complete tasks.

These modules are available in each list, making it easy to manage project data separately. Plus, they all provide collaboration features like watchers and comment boxes.

• Docs : You can create native documents, share a doc’s public link, embed Google Docs, and organize documents by folders.
• Files : It allows you to upload/download files, manage file versions, embed Google Drive folders, and show files by Grid or Board view.

• Links : You can save URLs as cards, and then add descriptions, watchers, and comments.

5. Providing feedback

On the Tasks module, you can create a section, named “Review”.

When a task is completed, the assignee will drag and drop it here. Then, you, as a project manager will leave feedback on it via the comment box.

So, why wait? Sign up for a free Upbase account now and experience it yourself.

IV. Common mistakes to avoid

For successful task assignment, remember to avoid these common mistakes:

1. Fear of Assigning Tasks

Some people, particularly new or inexperienced managers, may hesitate to allocate tasks to others due to concerns about:

• The quality of the work
• Fear of losing control
• Lack of trust in team members

This fear can hinder productivity and personal growth within a team or organization.

2. Lack of Clarity

This means that the instructions and details regarding a task are not transparent.

Team members may not have a clear understanding of what they are supposed to do, what the goals are, or what the expected outcomes should be.

This lack of clarity can lead to confusion and misunderstandings.

3. Poor Communication

Poor communication can contribute to misunderstandings and problems in task assignments, too.

However, it addresses different aspects of the overall process.

Poor communication means that there might be a lack of information sharing or ineffective communication methods. This could include:

• Not providing updates
• Failing to ask questions when something is unclear
• Not actively listening to others.

Even with clear instructions, if there’s poor communication, the information may not be conveyed effectively.

2. Overloading

Assigning too many tasks to a single person or team can overwhelm them and negatively impact the quality of their work. It’s crucial to distribute tasks evenly and consider each individual’s capacity.

3. Ignoring Skills and Strengths

Neglecting to match tasks with team members’ skills and strengths can result in subpar performance. Assign tasks based on individuals’ expertise and abilities to optimize results.

5. Micromanagement

Hovering over team members and scrutinizing every detail of their work can stifle creativity and motivation.

Trust your team to complete their tasks and provide support when needed.

6. Inflexibility

Being rigid in task assignments can prevent adaptation to changing circumstances or new information. It’s essential to remain open to adjustments and feedback.

8. Unrealistic Deadlines

Setting unattainable deadlines can put unnecessary pressure on your team and lead to a rushed and subpar outcome. Ensure that timelines are realistic and allow for unexpected delays.

10. Lack of Feedback

Forgetting to provide constructive feedback or failing to seek input from team members can hinder growth and improvement. Regularly discuss progress and provide guidance when necessary.

In summary:

Successful task assignment relies on clear communication, matching tasks to skills, flexibility, and a supportive, accountable, and feedback-driven environment.

Avoiding these common mistakes will help ensure that tasks are completed efficiently and effectively.

1. What’s the difference between assigning and delegating tasks?

Task delegation means you give someone the authority to make decisions and complete tasks independently without constant supervision.

Task allocation, on the other hand, means you assign specific duties to someone, often with clear instructions, while retaining overall control.

A delegated task gives the team member more freedom to make decisions and determine how to produce the desired results. An assigned task is more limited because it’s based on instructions and under supervision.

In short, delegating tasks typically involves a higher degree of trust and empowerment than allocating tasks.

2. What’s the difference between tasks and subtasks?

Tasks are generally larger, more significant activities that need to be completed, while subtasks are smaller, specific components or steps that contribute to the completion of a task.

Subtasks are often part of a broader task and help break it down into manageable pieces.

3. Who is the person assigned to a task?

The person assigned to a task is called an “assignee”. They’re responsible for completing that specific job or duty.

4. Who should you delegate a task to?

Delegate a task to the person best suited for it based on their skills, expertise, and availability.

Choose someone who can complete the task effectively and efficiently, taking into account their experience and workload.

5. What is the best way to assign tasks to team members?

The best way to assign tasks to others is by considering each member’s strengths, skills, and workload capacity, and aligning tasks with their expertise and availability.

6. Why is it important to assign tasks to your team members?

Assigning tasks to team members is crucial because it ensures clarity, accountability, and efficiency in achieving goals.

It helps prevent duplication of efforts, enables better time management, and allows team members to focus on their strengths, ultimately leading to successful project completion.

7. How do you politely assign a task?

To politely assign a task, you can follow these steps:

• Start with a friendly greeting.
• Clearly state the task and its importance.
• Ask if the person is available and willing to take on the task.
• Offer any necessary information or resources.
• Express appreciation for their help.

8. How do short-term goals differ from long-term goals?

Short-term goals are specific, achievable objectives that you aim to accomplish soon, typically within days, weeks, or months.

Long-term goals are broader, more substantial objectives that you work towards over an extended period, often spanning years.

Short-term goals are like stepping stones to reach long-term goals.

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The seven key tasks and responsibilities of a team leader

There are seven key value-creating tasks and responsibilities that any team leader who wants to build and lead a high-performing team must do.

In leading teams, there are basically two different kinds of tasks and responsibilities.

First, there is a mechanistic or administrative set of tasks .

And second, there is a strategic and value-oriented set of tasks and responsibilities.

In this post we are mainly interested in the second kind (and, partly, in how the two sets of tasks depend upon one another). The administrative set of tasks is often necessary to the extent that teams are part of bureaucratic structures. However, in terms of supporting high performance, the administrative team leader tasks are largely worthless on their own.

In the mechanistic or administrative set of tasks, the team leader often simply enacts company-wide policies or orders, often set by corporate functions, and often with little influence over the purpose or the goals of those corporate guidelines.

A team leader is responsible for creating conditions so that the team can perform at its best

On the other hand, because a team leader owns the value-oriented or strategic set of tasks , they are responsible for creating the conditions for a team’s best performance.

This entails a number of specific tasks to build the key elements of high-performing teams . We have tried to break that down into a concrete list of activities and deliverables that collectively supports the development of a high-performing team. Being a team leader means you need to do the following:

A team leader has to lead the definition of and the ongoing conversation about the team’s purpose : why are we here, why are doing what we are doing, how are we creating value?

A team leader has to set and lead the ongoing monitoring, together with the team, of specific performance goals . She also has to moderate those goals, both with senior and outside stakeholders, as well as with the team itself.

A team leader has to work on staffing and capacity and has to make sure that the team’s manpower is in line with its goals and deliverables.

A team leader has to make sure her team members have the knowledge, skills , and capabilities they need to collectively reach the team’s goals.

A team leader is responsible for setting team rules , discussing and negotiating those rules on an ongoing basis with the team, and modeling her own behavior to exemplify those rules.

A team leader has to communicate with his team in a way that leads to productive communication patterns proven to support team effectiveness, and he has to build and maintain relationships with and between team members that facilitate trustful collaboration.

A team leader has the prime responsibility of detecting, evaluating and managing tensions and conflicts in her team, and ensuring that those tensions support the team’s purpose and goals or, at the very least, that they do not inhibit the team from reaching its goals.

The Team Kit gives you the knowledge and the guidance to build and lead high-performing teams

Test the team kit for free, taking care of the fundamentals of high-performing teams is not a question of team leadership styles.

A good team leader has to fulfill the above mentioned tasks and responsibilities one way or the other, regardless of her leadership style. On a fundamental level, those responsibilities are independent of styles and personalities.

We have seen many examples of team leadership where the ongoing sensemaking of purpose and goals was done in very different styles and language. But we have not seen any high-performing team where the leader of the group did not somehow facilitate this very conversation.

In addition to the seven tasks and responsibilities detailed above, a team leader is well advised to own some “real” tasks from the team’s set of deliverables (while at the same time delegating some of the genuine team leader tasks to his team members, thereby facilitating shared leadership).

One set of tasks where the team leader is often well positioned to do some “real work” is covering the above mentioned administrative functional tasks resulting from the team’s internal environment.

Just don’t mistake enacting the corporate performance management processes and writing appraisals with the seven value-creating team leader responsibilities discussed above!

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Table of Contents

So it’s Monday morning and you’ve got a task list as long as your arm. Everything seems important and you don’t know where to start. Feeling overwhelmed, you start checking email instead, thinking to clear a few and make progress that way. Trouble is, for each one you send, you get a reply that you have to deal with. 

By lunchtime, you still haven’t made a start on your to-do list and have no chance of hitting your productivity targets. 

The ability to prioritize is a critical skill for any employee. Yet, too often, we waste time being reactive, instead of consciously prioritizing. When your team isn’t hitting KPIs or meeting deadlines it could be a sign they’re overwhelmed with tasks and need support with prioritization. But learning to prioritize work isn’t just about telling them what to do and when: You need to equip them with the skills and information they need to understand what’s important, not prioritize for them. 

In this post, we’ll look at how to prioritize work for your team so they understand their role in achieving business goals and can make better decisions. Let’s dive in. 

Get clear on priorities and workload.  Switchboard keeps everything–and everyone–organized in rooms, so it’s easy to see what you need to do next.   Learn more

The challenges of prioritizing work with your team

Before you can prioritize effectively, you need to understand what gets in the way of that. Let’s take a look. 

Understanding what’s really important 

Prioritizing tasks involves figuring out which are most valuable compared to others, but this isn't always clear . Plus, their value can change based on factors like project objectives, customer needs, company values, deadlines, etc. That means you need to know what matters most to your project, team, customers, and business—and factor in other people’s priorities. For example, you might decide that fixing a website bug that’s driving users crazy is more urgent than a new, in-demand app feature to drive conversions. However, your boss may have other internal or long-term priorities that matter more to them, so they could pressurize you to move those up instead.   

Seeing the big picture 

Sometimes, it’s hard to prioritize daily tasks because information is siloed or poorly organized , limiting your ability to see the big picture and how individual tasks fit into it.  

Imagine you’re working on that new feature. The marketing department has valuable insights on customer preferences, but it’s stored in a database you can’t access. That means you need to wait for them to share the insights to get crucial information that could influence which subtasks to prioritize, hampering your ability to respond to market demands and meet business goals. 

Expecting the unexpected 

Project needs change, deadlines get moved up, and backlogs build up, throwing a wrench into your carefully weighted priorities. For example, if a key stakeholder requests a sudden change in direction, you’ll need to quickly reevaluate which tasks can be shunted so you can accommodate them. 

Micromanaging  

Sure, you’re the team lead, but handing down tasks without involving your team in the process can lead to resentment and misunderstandings . It also limits their ability to understand where they fit into achieving project goals, making it harder for them to prioritize. Excessive hand-holding also prevents them being autonomous and taking ownership of their work. It also eats into the time you have for high-level decision making and strategizing.  

How to prioritize work with your team

Now you know what to watch for, let’s see how to effectively prioritize work with your team. 

1. Set clear objectives and review them regularly with your team 

Having clear goals is the number one determiner of productivity for high-performing tech teams, not least because you can’t prioritize unless you know what’s important. Here’s how to get clear on what you’re trying to accomplish:  

• Establish clear objectives. These should align with overarching team, project, and company goals. Define what success looks like, whether it's increasing sign-ups, driving adoption, or reducing churn, so you know what to prioritize. 
• Get stakeholder input and buy-in. Get input and build alignment with higher-ups to understand business goals, better allocate resources, and avoid surprises down the line. When leadership agrees on what you’re trying to achieve, it also puts you in a better position to push back on requests that could distract you from those goals.   
• Involve your team in prioritizing. Unproductive team members are 2.8 times less likely to know their goals than those who have clarity, so you should revisit objectives regularly and involve them in prioritization.  For example, instead of dictating tasks, hold a team meeting to discuss priorities each week, fostering buy-in, ownership, and accountability. Teams that discuss goals weekly or bi-weekly vs quarterly are 2.7 times more confident about hitting them. 

Once you have a clear picture of your goals, you can move on to deciding how to achieve them.

2. Differentiate impact from effort and urgency from importance

Often, urgent but less important tasks get done first because, well, they’re urgent. Similarly, it’s easy for everything to seem important and, therefore, urgent. 

You see where we’re going with this? 

To avoid misdirecting your energy toward tasks that don’t actually move the needle, you need to learn to understand their value, like this:  

• Assessing impact vs effort. Instead of task-centric, think outcome-centric. Bigger, more complex tasks may seem to have more weight, but you should evaluate them not on what’s involved, but rather on the impact for your project, customer, or business. Is it game-changing or just marginal? Will it reveal critical information or are you just checking a box? What’s the cost of not doing it? Regardless of size or complexity, prioritize activities that deliver the most value by driving essential outcomes or advancing key initiatives. Similarly, if you have to choose between deliverables for two clients, think about which is more understanding and flexible. And whose business matters most to yours. 
• Urgency vs importance. When everything seems equally important, narrow it down by focusing on the results you want to achieve. Work that demands immediate attention and contributes to overarching goals should come first, followed by whatever’s important but not time-sensitive. This lets you maintain a balance between short-term needs and long-term objectives and avoids the trap of prioritizing based solely on looming deadlines. For example, if you’re weighing up fixing that bug vs. developing the new feature, remind yourself of the overarching goal. If that’s reducing churn, the bug is a top priority. 

You also need to forward-plan and be mindful of the impact on others : If the whole design team is blocked waiting for you to give feedback, you may need to prioritize that over your own tasks. Similarly, if you need to collaborate on a minor task, you may need to give people some notice, maybe get the ball rolling on that before other, more important, tasks.  

3. Use prioritization frameworks and methodologies 

With the above in mind, frameworks help take the guesswork out of task prioritization and make it easier to stay aligned with business goals and allocate resources. Here are a few to try: 

• Eisenhower Matrix. This categorizes tasks into quadrants based on urgency and importance, so you can decide what to tackle now, what to delegate, reschedule, or shelve.  

• Ranking or scoring. Useful when grooming your product backlog, this involves assigning a unique number to each item, encouraging stakeholders to prioritize objectively, rather than everything being equally important or urgent. 
• Business value matrix. To prioritize large-scale work, break it into its component parts and assign a number to each task. This should be in line with how much it contributes to creating value for the business, for example, by boosting retention, improving UX, etc. Then, calculate the overall score for each task or feature. For example, a business like Amazon whose model is to maximize customer lifetime value will prioritize retention and repeat business. However, a gaming startup with a single high-value, one-off transaction may be more concerned about winning new customers.
• Effort Value Matrix. This categorizes features from your product backlog into high-value, low-effort (low-hanging fruit or quick wins like a simple bug fix), high-value, high-effort (big projects and strategic initiatives like a site redesign), low-value, low-effort (easy but not offering a ton of value), and low-value, high-effort (aka time sinks).  

• Get Things Done. This system involves capturing and recording items that need your attention; clarifying whether they’re actionable (if not, put them on hold); organizing them by creating tasks or reminders; reflecting, reviewing, and updating them regularly; and, finally, engaging with them (or, as a well-known sneaker brand might say, “just do it”). 

4. Break down large tasks or projects  

Breaking large tasks or projects into smaller, more manageable components makes it easier to prioritize them. This is because you're creating a roadmap of actionable steps that move you toward your overarching goal . For example, Agile methodologies focus on delivering large or ongoing projects through shorter, iterative sprints. This also has the advantage that you don’t commit to too much upfront and can pivot as projects, markets, and customer needs change. 

Imagine you’re tasked with the gargantuan task of overhauling your company's website. By breaking it into steps like updating content, redesigning layouts, and optimizing UX, you can identify which tasks are most urgent, important, or valuable and which will require collaboration. 

5. Don’t spread yourself too thin

Part of prioritizing is knowing when to focus on the One Thing that’ll move you toward your goal. And since you can’t do everything, that means knowing your limits . Pick a certain number of critical tasks per week so you know what to focus on each day and don’t get overwhelmed. If you’re working for more than one boss or on multiple projects, you’ll need to negotiate with and get alignment between them, so you can prioritize. Where possible, you should also delegate tasks according to your team’s capacity and individual competencies. For example, if you’re facing multiple project deadlines, prioritizing one key task per day and delegating non-core tasks lets you keep things moving without getting burned out. 

6. Communicate clearly

Prioritization relies on making informed decisions, so you need full visibility of business goals, workloads, and workflows. Break down team and information silos and establish clear communication channels so information can flow and everyone has a holistic understanding of what’s important. To do this:

• Create open lines of communication with stakeholders. For example, a regular meeting, feedback form, or Slack channel. This lets you gather input and build alignment on objectives so you can negotiate priorities based on a shared understanding. 
• Share the why. When team members understand project goals and their role in achieving them, it’s easier for them to identify tasks to prioritize. 
• Be transparent and proactive about communicating delays or changes. If you’re faced with multiple deadlines you can’t meet, be proactive about telling stakeholders before it becomes a problem. 
• Use information sharing and document management systems. Share all essential information about the project, stakeholders, and business goals in a central location that everyone can access. For example, a Notion wiki or your dedicated Switchboard project room. This avoids information being siloed in email or Slack threads. 

7. Be flexible 

Projects, timelines, and deliverables change and unforeseen roadblocks can arise, so yesterday’s carefully prioritized task list may be irrelevant today. That means you need to be flexible enough to adapt on the fly . For example, if beta testing feedback reveals users are confused by your UX, you’ll need to fix it before you can move on. 

Recognize the inevitability of curveballs and keep reminding your team of the overarching goals. This will make it easier for them to handle unexpected changes and pivot when needed.

8. Use technology for efficient task management 

The right tools are essential to put much of our advice into practice. For example:

• Project management tools. Platforms like Asana, Trello, or Jira let you break down projects into their component tasks and organize them into workflows with assignees and due dates. Kanban boards allow you to visualize dependencies and what everyone’s working on so you can anticipate blockers or delays and redirect efforts as necessary. Visibility also promotes accountability, which helps team members to prioritize. 
• AI-powered task managers. With automated task allocation, workflow management, and smart scheduling, these take the legwork out of prioritization and reshuffles. Predictive analytics also provides valuable insights into what might go wrong based on historical patterns and real-time data.
• Online collaboration platforms. Switchboard lets you organize everything and everyone in one central space where you can share, explore, and work side by side on apps, documents, and files. That means you have all the information you need at your fingertips, without digging through folders. You can also create dedicated meeting rooms, set up polls, and leave comments on anything in the room to discuss priorities with stakeholders and your team. 

9. Avoid procrastination, distractions, and multitasking 

Essential or high-impact tasks may be challenging, taking you out of your comfort zone and leading to procrastination. And then there’s the daily clamor of notifications and emails that create a sense of urgency. This means it’s tempting to deal with them first, even if they don’t really help move the needle. 

To avoid this, learn to recognize when you’re procrastinating or mistaking quick wins like answering an email for actually making progress . If something is important work, set it as priority number one and get to it, logging out of email or chat and silencing notifications. Eliminating these distractions also helps avoid unproductive multitasking and context-switching between tools and tabs, which prevents you from getting into a flow state. 

Finally, encourage people to block time for deep work and foster an asynchronous work culture where it’s ok to get back to someone later. You should also empower them to set boundaries, say no to low-priority tasks, or negotiate workloads and deadlines. 

Pro tip: Switchboard saves your work, so you can catch up, leave feedback, and communicate on your own schedule. Missed a meeting? No problem: catch up with the room recording or ask Switchboard AI to summarize room activity.

Prioritization: Do it with your team, not for them 

Effective prioritization requires you to be aligned on goals and know how each person and task contributes to achieving them. To do this, you need to communicate with stakeholders, involve your team in prioritizing, and evaluate tasks based on impact, urgency, importance, and effort. Creating an asynchronous work culture and encouraging people to block focus time, eliminate distractions, and avoid multitasking also empowers them to take control of their time. 

By applying these best practices, you enhance your team’s ability to identify and focus on the most important tasks, leading to improved productivity and better management of workloads. 

You also need to use the right tools to get visibility on goals and workloads . When you use Switchboard as the base of your tech stack, you can pull up all the tools and information your team needs to make decisions, plan workflows, and agree on priorities—without ever leaving your dedicated room. 

Get clear on priorities and workload. ‍ Switchboard keeps everything–and everyone–organized in rooms, so it’s easy to see what you need to do next.   Learn more

Frequently asked questions about how to prioritize work for your team

What’s the difference between urgency and importance.

Urgency means something is time-sensitive or and needs immediate action due to deadlines or external pressure. Importance means a task contributes to achieving high-value or long-term goals. Balancing urgency with importance is essential for effective task prioritization. 

How can I improve my prioritization skills?

To improve your prioritization skills, distinguish urgent tasks that demand immediate attention from important tasks crucial for long-term success. To do this, you can use prioritization frameworks and  project management tools to get visibility of workflows, so you can see what to move forward with first. 

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Mastering Task Management: A Guide to Setting Priority Levels for Your Team

Task management is so much more than getting through a list of ‘to-dos’. To effectively manage large projects you need to create a system that maps back to your project needs. This involves not only organizing tasks by urgency and importance but also adopting a strategy to categorize and address issues based on levels of priority.

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What are Levels of Priority?

Levels of priority typically refer to the hierarchical ranking of tasks or items based on their importance and urgency.

• Low Priority: These tasks won’t significantly speed up your project’s progress. They’re important but lack urgency.
• Medium Priority: Medium priority tasks require timely attention but can wait until the more pressing high-priority tasks are completed.
• High Priority: High-priority tasks are both urgent and important, often with deadlines that are close on the horizon or with high stakes attached.
• Urgent Priority: These tasks are critical and require immediate resources and attention to prevent negative consequences.

Distinguishing between these levels is crucial; it prevents being overwhelmed when every task seems equally important. By categorizing tasks, teams can focus on what truly moves the needle, ensuring that energy is spent wisely and deadlines are met with precision. Utilizing a tool like Creately, with features such as real-time collaboration and an infinite canvas, can help visualize and organize these priorities effectively, making the process of task management both efficient and clear.

The Dangers of Not Prioritizing Tasks

Without a clear hierarchy of tasks, teams can become mired in low-impact activities, squandering valuable time that could be better spent on mission-critical objectives. Here’s what can happen when prioritization falls by the wayside:

• Resource Misallocation : Vital resources may be expended on tasks that offer little return on investment, leaving high-priority tasks starved for attention.
• Missed Deadlines : A lack of prioritization often results in a scramble to meet deadlines, which can compromise the quality of work and stress the team.
• Increased Overhead : Time spent on unimportant tasks translates to increased costs without corresponding benefits, eroding the project’s profitability.

By contrast, focusing on high-priority tasks ensures that the team’s efforts are aligned with the project’s most critical outcomes. This targeted approach not only prevents time wastage but also propels the project forward with momentum. Utilizing tools like Creately’s visual kanban project management feature can help teams visualize their workflow, making it easier to identify and focus on high-priority tasks, ensuring that every minute counts towards achieving key milestones.

How to Prioritize Tasks

Categorizing tasks based on urgency, importance, and potential impact helps teams focus on what truly matters. Establishing task priorities within a team is crucial for efficient workflow management. Here’s a step-by-step approach to help you set priority levels effectively:

• Identify All Tasks : Begin by listing out all tasks that need attention. This comprehensive view allows important tasks to be noticed.
• Categorize by Urgency and Impact : Use templates like the Eisenhower matrix to categorize tasks based on their urgency and potential impact on your goals.
• Assign Priority Levels : Label each task as Urgent, High, Normal, or Low priority, considering the consequences of delay.
• Set Realistic Deadlines : For each task, establish a deadline that reflects its priority level and complexity.
• Estimate Time Requirements : Assess how much time each task will likely take, which helps in scheduling and resource allocation.
• Visualize on a Canvas : Utilize tools like Creately’s infinite canvas to drag and drop tasks, making it easier to visualize and rearrange priorities.
• Clarify Responsibilities : Assign tasks clearly to team members, ensuring everyone knows their high-priority duties.
• Review and Adjust : Regularly review the priority list to adjust for any changes in project scope or unforeseen events.

The Benefits of Setting Priorities

The art of prioritization is not just about ticking off tasks on a to-do list; it’s a strategic approach that leads to a significant increase in efficiency and productivity. By focusing on urgent tasks, teams can manage their time more effectively, ensuring that the most critical objectives are met first. This approach minimizes the risk of important deadlines slipping through the cracks.

• Increased Efficiency : When priorities are clear, teams can navigate their workload with precision, avoiding the pitfalls of multitasking and the inefficiency it often brings. Prioritization allows for a streamlined workflow where high-impact tasks are addressed promptly.
• Improved Time Management : With a well-defined set of priorities, time is allocated to tasks that require immediate attention, which optimizes the workday and maximizes output.
• Reduction in Distractions and Procrastination : A clear set of priorities acts as a roadmap, guiding teams away from less critical activities that can wait. This clarity reduces the temptation to procrastinate and helps maintain focus on the tasks that will drive the most value.

Visual Prioritization Tools

In the realm of task management, visual templates serve as a visual aid, helping to categorize tasks based on urgency and importance, which is crucial for setting clear and actionable priority levels.

• Eisenhower Matrix : This template helps distinguish between tasks that are urgent and important, urgent but not important, important but not urgent, and neither urgent nor important. It’s a strategic framework for decision-making that ensures you’re not just doing things right, but doing the right things.
• Impact-Effort Matrix : By plotting tasks based on the effort they require versus the impact they have, this matrix helps teams focus on high-impact, low-effort tasks that can yield significant benefits with minimal resources.
• RICE Framework : Sometimes feature prioritization in more detail. The RICE framework is a method to standardize your evaluation criteria and make informed decisions based on the information available. Each feature idea is evaluated on the basis of metrics and given a score accordingly
• Kano Model : In the product development landscape, the Kano Model categorizes features into Basic Needs, Performance Needs, and Excitement Needs. This model guides teams to understand customer expectations and prioritize features accordingly, ensuring a balanced and delightful user experience.
• User Story Mapping : In agile project management, User Story Mapping is a pivotal technique. It involves visually organizing user stories to create a comprehensive view of the product backlog. This approach aids teams in understanding user journeys, prioritizing features, and identifying dependencies for a more user-centric and streamlined product development process.
• MosCoW Method : The Moscow Method is a project management tool categorizing tasks into Must-haves, Should-haves, Could-haves, and Won’t-haves. It guides teams in prioritizing tasks based on impact and effort, ensuring efficient resource allocation and effective risk management. The method promotes clear stakeholder communication and adaptability to changing project requirements.

Choosing the Right Prioritization Framework for Your Team

Choosing the right prioritization framework for your team is a critical decision that can significantly impact project success. Here are key steps to guide you in selecting an appropriate framework:

• Understand Team Objectives : Clearly define your team’s objectives and goals. Whether it’s maximizing customer satisfaction, optimizing resource utilization, or meeting tight deadlines, having a clear understanding of what you aim to achieve will guide your choice of a prioritization framework.
• Consider Project Type and Complexity : Different projects may require different prioritization approaches. For complex, long-term projects, frameworks like the RICE method or Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF) might be suitable. For simpler projects, an intuitive approach like MoSCoW (Must-haves, Should-haves, Could-haves, and Won’t-haves) may be more appropriate.
• Evaluate Team Dynamics : Consider the dynamics and composition of your team. Some frameworks require extensive collaboration and communication, while others may be more data-driven. Choose a framework that aligns with your team’s strengths and working style.
• Assess Available Data and Information : Prioritization often involves data-driven decision-making. Evaluate the availability and reliability of data relevant to your project. If you have quantitative metrics, a framework like the RICE model could be effective. If data is limited, a more qualitative approach like the MoSCoW method might be suitable.
• Factor in Stakeholder Input : Understand the importance of stakeholder input in your decision-making process. Some frameworks, like the Kano Model, explicitly involve understanding customer or stakeholder satisfaction. Consider the influence of external parties and select a framework that integrates their perspectives effectively.
• Flexibility and Adaptability : Choose a framework that can adapt to changes in project dynamics. Agile frameworks like User Story Mapping are designed to be flexible and can accommodate evolving requirements and shifting priorities.
• Test and Iterate : Don’t be afraid to experiment. Test the selected framework on a small scale or in a pilot project. Gather feedback from the team and stakeholders and be open to iterating and refining your prioritization process based on the lessons learned.

This not only streamlines the prioritization process but also fosters a shared understanding of what needs to be done and by when, ensuring that everyone is aligned and focused on the tasks that matter most.

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Chiraag George is a communication specialist here at Creately. He is a marketing junkie that is fascinated by how brands occupy consumer mind space. A lover of all things tech, he writes a lot about the intersection of technology, branding and culture at large.

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How to Assign Tasks and Responsibilities to Team Members

As a manager or team leader, it’s important to effectively assign tasks and responsibilities to team members in order to ensure that work is completed efficiently and effectively.

This can be a challenging task, especially if you have a large team, are working on a complex project, or are leading a team with no experience .

In this blog post, we will provide tips and best practices for assigning tasks and responsibilities to team members in a way that helps your team succeed.

We’ll cover topics such as setting clear expectations, delegating tasks appropriately, and providing support to team members as they complete their work.

By following these guidelines, you can create a productive and collaborative work environment that helps your team achieve its goals.

Setting Clear Expectations

One of the key elements of effective task assignments is setting clear expectations for team members.

This includes outlining the specific tasks that need to be completed, as well as any deadlines or goals that need to be met. It’s also important to communicate the purpose of the tasks and how they fit into the overall goals of the project or organization.

This helps team members understand the context of their work and why it’s important.

To set clear expectations, it’s a good idea to create a written document or task list that outlines the specific responsibilities of each team member.

This can be a simple spreadsheet or project management tool, or a more detailed project plan. Make sure to include details such as the task description, any necessary resources or tools, and any deadlines or milestones.

It’s also a good idea to discuss the task assignments with team members individually, to ensure that they understand their responsibilities and have any questions answered.

By setting clear expectations, you can help team members stay organized and focused as they complete their work.

Delegating Tasks Appropriately

Effective task assignment also involves delegating tasks to the right team members.

This means considering the skills, experience, and workload of each team member, and assigning tasks that are appropriate for their abilities and capacity. Delegating tasks appropriately helps to ensure that work is completed efficiently and effectively, and helps to avoid overloading any one team member or causing delays due to a lack of resources.

To delegate tasks appropriately, it’s important to have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each team member. This may involve reviewing their previous work or having candid conversations about their interests and capabilities.

It’s also important to consider the workload of each team member and ensure that they are not taking on more work than they can handle.

Another key aspect of effective task assignments is empowering team members to take ownership of their work . This means giving them the autonomy to complete tasks in their own way, within the parameters set by the project plan or task list.

Empowering team members to take ownership of their work can help to foster a sense of ownership and responsibility, and can lead to higher quality work and greater job satisfaction.

Providing Support to Team Members

Effective task assignment also involves providing support to team members as they complete their work.

This includes making sure that team members have the necessary resources and tools to complete their tasks, as well as offering guidance and assistance when needed. Providing support helps to ensure that team members are able to complete their work efficiently and effectively, and can also help to foster a sense of teamwork and collaboration within the team.

There are several ways that you can provide support to team members as they complete their work. This may include offering training or development opportunities, providing access to necessary resources or tools, and offering feedback and guidance as needed.

It’s also important to be available to team members if they have questions or need assistance with their tasks. By providing support and assistance, you can help team members to feel more confident and capable as they complete their work.

In conclusion, effective task assignment is an important element of managing a team or project. By setting clear expectations, delegating tasks appropriately, and providing support to team members, you can create a productive and collaborative work environment that helps your team succeed.

Communicating Task Assignments and Updates

Effective task assignment also involves effective communication with team members.

This includes not only clearly outlining the tasks and responsibilities that need to be completed, but also keeping team members informed of any updates or changes to the tasks or project plan. This can help to ensure that team members are aware of their responsibilities and are able to stay on track with their work.

There are several ways that you can communicate task assignments and updates to team members. This may include using a project management tool or task list to keep track of assignments and deadlines, as well as regularly holding meetings or check-ins to discuss progress and address any issues that may arise.

It’s also important to be available to team members if they have questions or need clarification on their tasks.

Effective communication is key to ensuring that team members are able to complete their work efficiently and effectively.

By keeping team members informed and providing clear guidance, you can help to ensure that work is completed on time and to the required standards.

Assessing and Adjusting Task Assignments

Effective task assignment also involves ongoing assessment and adjustment of task assignments as needed. This means regularly reviewing the progress of team members and the overall project, and making adjustments to tasks or responsibilities as needed to ensure that work is completed efficiently and effectively.

To assess and adjust task assignments, it’s important to regularly check in with team members and review their progress.

This may involve holding meetings or check-ins, as well as reviewing any project management tools or task lists that you are using to track progress. If you notice that a team member is struggling with their tasks or is unable to complete them on time, it may be necessary to adjust their assignments or provide additional support.

Similarly, if you notice that a team member has extra capacity or is particularly skilled in a certain area, you may want to consider reassigning tasks or increasing their responsibilities.

By regularly assessing and adjusting task assignments, you can ensure that work is completed efficiently and effectively, and that team members are able to make the most of their skills and abilities.

Encouraging Team Input and Feedback

Effective task assignment also involves encouraging team input and feedback.

This means soliciting ideas and suggestions from team members and actively listening to their concerns or issues related to their tasks or the project as a whole. Encouraging team input and feedback can help to foster a sense of ownership and engagement among team members, and can also lead to better decision-making and problem-solving.

There are several ways that you can encourage team input and feedback. This may include holding regular team meetings or check-ins, as well as setting aside time for open discussion and brainstorming sessions.

It’s also a good idea to create a culture of open and honest communication within your team, where team members feel comfortable speaking up and sharing their ideas or concerns.

By encouraging team input and feedback, you can create a more collaborative and inclusive work environment that helps your team succeed.

Providing Recognition and Rewards

Effective task assignment also involves providing recognition and rewards to team members who excel in their work. This can help to motivate team members and encourage them to continue performing at a high level, as well as foster a positive work culture.

There are many ways that you can provide recognition and rewards to team members. This may include offering verbal praise or written feedback, as well as more tangible rewards such as gift cards, paid time off, or additional responsibilities.

It’s important to consider the preferences and motivations of individual team members when deciding on recognition and rewards, as different people may respond differently to different forms of recognition.

By providing recognition and rewards to team members who excel in their work, you can show appreciation for their efforts and help to motivate and inspire them to continue performing at a high level.

Wrapping Up

Effective task assignment is an important element of managing a team or project.

It involves setting clear expectations for team members, delegating tasks appropriately, and providing support and assistance as needed.

Effective task assignment also involves ongoing communication and assessment, as well as encouraging team input and feedback and providing recognition and rewards for excellent performance.

By following these guidelines, you can create a productive and collaborative work environment that helps your team succeed.

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The Ultimate Guide to…

Task Management

Brought to you by projectmanager, the online task management tool used to plan over 2 million projects..

What Is Task Management?

• Why Manage Tasks?

Common Task Management Tools

What is task management software, benefits of task management software, how to manage tasks in projectmanager, how to manage your team’s tasks.

• What You See On a Task Management System
• How To Track Task Progress

How Often Should You Update Your To-Do List?

Should you share task lists, how to save time with task management tools, next steps for task management.

Projects are made up of tasks, and knowing how to manage your tasks and team members is the secret to getting your projects completed on time. At its simplest, task management is having a to-do list, but you’ll soon find that to-do lists aren’t going to cut it for managing project workloads.

Task management is a process where a project manager identifies, monitors and progresses the work that needs to be done during the day. In terms of project management, task management is how the workflow is efficiently organized. It’s task-oriented, detailed and part of the larger scheduling of a project.

Tasks come in all shapes and sizes, and so should task management software. ProjectManager is online project management software that helps teams manage their tasks in real time. Assign and prioritize tasks, set up recurring tasks and give teams a collaborative platform to share files and comments. More than a mere to-do list, our tool also helps track your tasks in real time to keep you on track. Get started for free today.

A task, just like a project, has a life cycle. It starts when the task is ready, then it’s assigned, started, finished and verified. It can also be terminated, expired, paused or failed. Some tasks can be dependent on others to start or finish. The process of monitoring them is known as task tracking and it’s an important aspect of project management.

Task management is a complicated discipline, one that requires great attention to detail, flexibility and the right project management tools.

Why Should You Use Task Management Tools?

You can’t be efficient if all you do is react to whoever shouts the loudest at work. You can’t be efficient purely by answering the next email in your inbox. And data from the Pew Research Center points to another reason that you might not be as good at managing your tasks as you think: 70% of Facebook users spend time on the app every day.

You have to manage your tasks as a group because what comes in next might not be the most important. You have to manage your time to spend the right amount of time working on the priority tasks.

To keep things organized you’ll need a task management tool to help you prioritize tasks, track progress and collaborate with your team. Our free Related: task tracking template is a great place to start monitoring your project tasks.

Task management tools let you stay on top of all your work and help your team hit their deadlines too. The benefits of task management are:

• You can see everything you are working on at once
• You know what your priorities are
• You know how much time you’ve got to do those tasks
• You can group tasks together to work on similar things at the same time

Some project management tools also offer resource management, time tracking, and team collaboration features so that you can manage your projects.

Above all, you can keep a balanced workload so that you can adjust or delegate tasks and deadlines⁠—preventing you from being overworked.

There are lots of project management tools for managing your tasks. We’ll outline a few of the more common tools below.

To-Do Lists

At the simplest, you’ve got a notebook and pen and you can write down your to-do list. The downside of this simple approach is that it’s hard to move tasks around to group them and prioritize them. Today most task management apps come with a to-do list feature that helps you better track, prioritize and assign tasks.

Online Task Lists

The online task list is a step up from a to-do list. Since it’s online, it can be accessed from anywhere, and it can be updated and edited easily.

ProjectManager’s online task list lets you have complete control over your tasks. Add due dates, priority levels, attachments, notes and even tags for easy sorting. Plus, you can set recurring tasks so you don’t have to keep adding them to the project. If you’re working on a team, you can assign tasks to other team members to help carry the workload.

Online Kanban Boards

If task lists just don’t do it for you, try using kanban boards to manage tasks. Kanban boards are a popular project management tool that provides a visual means to manage your project tasks. Tasks are created using kanban cards, which are then placed in relevant columns.

Kanban board columns are typically labeled as “to do, doing, done,” but with ProjectManager you can customize your columns to say whatever you want. Plus, just like with the task list feature, you can add files, comments, priority levels and more to your tasks. The user-friendly interface allows you to quickly track progress levels for tasks, and where a bottleneck or overdue task might be lurking.

Task management software streamlines the process of managing tasks. It gives project managers more control over project tasks and teams the means to work better together to complete those tasks.

Comprehensive task management software , like ProjectManager, lets you use all of the most common task management tools in one software. Task management is more than just making a to-do list and crossing out those tasks once they’re complete. It’s controlling your work, prioritizing tasks, collaborating with team members and tracking progress.

Watch the video below to learn more about task management, and how a well-organized task list can set you up for success.

Powerful task management software can offer a path for your teams to work more productively. A task management tool that is integrated with other project management features is even better and can help you better manage tasks and projects.

Here are some key benefits to look out for when choosing the best task management software to manage your work.

• Track time spent on work
• Collaborate with teams
• Organize, prioritize and assign tasks
• Monitor progress in real-time
• Update status of tasks online
• Attach notes, files, links and make comments to tasks
• Share tasks with the team
• Create personal to-do lists within tasks

Must-Have Task Management Software Features

Prioritize Work & Set Recurring Tasks

More than a to-do list, you need project management software equipped with a task list where you can assign tasks, track progress, set priorities, attach files, share comments and list due dates. Set recurring tasks for repeated work to save time. You want the ability to create your own private task lists and migrate them to Gantt charts too, so you can organize your work.

Visualize & Customize Workflow

Kanban boards visualize workflow and should be easy to use with drag and drop cards. Your kanban board columns need to be customizable so you can align the tool to your project’s production cycle. They can be great to organize tasks, collect product backlog items and plan sprints.

Stay Updated on All Changes

Staying updated with everyone’s work facilitates team collaboration and gives project managers real-time data to make better decisions. Changes to tasks can trigger email alerts to keep everyone on the same page. In-app notification is even better.

Work Better Together

Give your team a collaborative project management platform and they’ll be more productive. Online task management software connects teams anywhere and at any time, to let them comment on their tasks and attach relevant files to foster teamwork.

Get Real-Time Data on Task Progress

To stay on schedule you need to keep an accurate time tracking record of your team’s logged hours on tasks. There are also the costs associated with resources, which must be tracked to stay on budget. An online task management tool can monitor progress and track performance.

Find Tasks Quickly & Easily

Projects have many tasks and you want to be able to find the one you need when you need it. That’s where tags come in. By tagging tasks by priority, department or deliverable, you can quickly filter your work and see just what you want when you want it.

ProjectManager gives you all the task management tools you need to collect, assign and track tasks through every phase of their life cycle.

Here’s a step-by-step list of how to manage your tasks in ProjectManager. Sign up for a free trial and follow along to take control of your project tasks.

1. Import Task List or Start a New One

Tasks are the small jobs that lead to the final deliverable. You break down the larger project into these more manageable tasks, which is called a task list.

In ProjectManager, you can easily import your task list from any spreadsheet or even from another project management software, once it’s been exported. Or you can open a new project and start your task list in the software.

ProjectManager allows you to visualize your task list using multiple project views such as Gantt charts, kanban boards, project calendars or the task list view.

2. Prioritize Tasks

Tasks can be overwhelming unless you first determine what must be done, what’s important and what can be ignored if there’s no time. That’s called prioritization.

ProjectManager has a pulldown menu that can indicate priority. There are preset priorities with symbols and color codes. Now you can filter your task list to see what to work on next.

3. Add Task Descriptions

Tasks should come with directions. Teams shouldn’t be micromanaged, but there is usually project management documentation that clarifies expectations. That frees up both the manager and the team member.

Our project management software has unlimited file storage, so managers and team members alike can attach as many documents and images that they need to the task. Team members can even manage their own tasks by adding to-do lists or comments.

4. Assign Work

No task gets done unless there’s someone assigned to it. Assigning work is what triggers that task’s execution. No amount of direction or organization is going to overcome a lack of accountability.

ProjectManager’s task management tools make assigning tasks easy. Once you’ve invited the team into the project, they’re all collected in the dropdown menu on the task. Simply select one or more team members and they’ll be alerted by email.

5. Switch to Kanban View

Not all team members are going to work the same way. Managers and stakeholders tend to respond to the timeline view of a Gantt chart. Team members, however, want a project view that helps them track tasks and manage their work. Kanban boards are a great task management tool to visualize production cycles and automate workflows .

ProjectManager has a kanban board view that’s fully customizable. Team members can organize their tasks into columns, such as to do, doing and done. Then they can just drag and drop their task card to the appropriate kanban board column. This helps them stay focused on what’s high priority, while providing transparency into what everyone is working on.

6. Set Up Filters

On big projects, tasks are going to need more identifiers than just priority levels, or else they’ll fall through the cracks. Plus project managers will want their team to update their statuses with notes and progress levels.

With ProjectManager’s task tracking features, team members can indicate their status on a progress bar, noting how much work they’ve done. Managers can filter by progress to see what work has been started. You can set custom tags for better categorization, too.

7. Stay Productive with Collaboration Features & Email Alerts

Team collaboration is what makes projects more productive. Getting team members to work better together leads to greater efficiencies and quality deliverables. Being able to give teams collaborative tools is essential to any successful task management.

ProjectManager’s task management tools facilitate collaboration at the task level by giving teams a project management platform to communicate. When a comment is added to the task, an email notifies the other person. If that person isn’t assigned to the task, you can still bring them into the conversation by tagging them in the task list, kanban board, Gantt chart or project calendar view. While it can be difficult to search out these dialogues on email, they’re all tethered to your task and easy to find on ProjectManager.

8. Track with Dashboard

Managing tasks means tracking progress. If your tasks aren’t performing as planned, then your project is in trouble. A task tracking dashboard collects project metrics to give you a high-level view of the project.

ProjectManager has a real-time project management dashboard, so the data collected isn’t from yesterday, but as current as the most recent status update. It then takes all that information and crunches the numbers, displaying the results in user-friendly graphs and charts that can be shared with stakeholders.

9. Get Detailed Reports

Dashboards are good for broad strokes, but managing tasks means getting into the weeds sometimes.

ProjectManager has easy reporting features that can be filtered to show just the data you want. Get reports on tasks, seeing due dates, milestones summary and more. There are also project management reports on variance, workload, availability and others.

ProjectManager gives you much greater flexibility than paper to-do lists and task management apps, and it’s not only about making sure everyone has access to the ‘master’ list of tasks. You can:

• Use kanban boards, Gantt charts, task lists and project calendars.
• Turn task lists into projects
• Export and import lists from Excel or MSP
• Define custom kanban board views
• Filter lists by day/week/month
• Drill down into the details of a task from the task list
• Manage dozens (and even hundreds) of tasks from multiple projects easily with only a few clicks.

If you need a task management software that lets you manage tasks in multiple ways, and roll those tasks up into full-blown projects with resource management, task tracking and reporting tools, then sign up for a free trial of ProjectManager .

One of the big challenges for project managers is making sure that tasks are done by others. When it’s your responsibility, you know that you will get around to it, but when you need to delegate tasks—let’s face it, they probably need a little chase every now and then, even if it is an action that has been recorded in the minutes of a meeting.

When other people take an action in a meeting, make a note of it and add it to your task management app. Assign it to the right person and it will show up in their personal to-do list. Then they won’t forget!

With a project management software like ProjectManager, you’ll be able to monitor progress and see how your team members are doing. Filter the project’s task list by resource to see what work everyone has got on: this gives you an at-a-glance view of the workload for each person. You can then remind them from time to time about what they agreed to do, making sure it is completed before the deadline.

The cool thing here is that it means your simple to-do list is linked to resource management reporting. You can pull up details of who has too much to do and who has some capacity to take on more work, using the information in your task list, Gantt chart or kanban board. It saves a lot of time and duplication of effort.

ProjectManager lets you see your team’s workload at a glance with our resource management tools. Our colorful resource chart indicates if any team member is over or under allocated, and then lets you reassign tasks with just a few clicks to balance the workload.

How to Use a Task Management Software

The main things you’ll see in your task management tool are – obviously! – the tasks. Make the Tasks page of your project management tool the first place you go every day.

You’ll see the work you have assigned to you that day, their percent complete , and the upcoming tasks so you can check that the priorities align to what you feel you need to work on and make any changes to your task list as necessary.

Click any task and you will see the details about that piece of work. In ProjectManager you can go even further, sequencing tasks , sharing status updates, adding links, uploading files and audio messages to your task. It’s a great way of keeping everything to do with that activity in one place.

Tasks that are overdue will be highlighted automatically by the task management app. This is helpful to see what you should have completed by now but haven’t. You can either agree with your team that the due dates for completion needs to be changed or get cracking on making sure that work is finished off. It’s a very visual reminder of what needs to be done!

Pro Tip: Don’t let a long task list overwhelm you. Stay focused and avoid multitasking .

How To Use Task Tracking Features

On your task management tool you’ll see a column for ‘Progress’. This is an indication of how far through you are with the work. Anything that is greater than 0% means the task has started and when it gets to 100% the task life cycle will be considered complete.

In ProjectManager, your team members can update their tasks’ life cycle manually by expanding the task and updating the progress timeline. The task tracking data flows through to the timesheets and updates your project schedules to reflect how the team is getting on with the tasks allocated to them.

The easiest way to stay on top of your deadlines and tasks, and those of your team, is to update your to-do list once any individual item on it is completed. If that sounds like too much to remember, check your to-do list at the end of every day and mark the tasks you finished that day as complete. Mark anything that you started as ‘in progress’.

It will take you a minute or two and it means that tomorrow you’ll be starting work with a clear idea of what you are in the middle of and what should be your next priority.

Pro Tip: Book a 15 minute slot in your calendar at the end of every day to update your task list. If you are using timesheets (and you should be) then you can fill them in at the same time.

Yes! Task management works best when everyone can see what needs to be done. Online task management software makes this easy because your project task list can be shared with the team. Don’t worry about people getting confused about what they personally need to do: each task will be allocated to an individual so you get the whole picture for the project while still knowing what you are personally responsible for.

The exception to this rule is that you will probably want to keep your personal tasks separate from project tasks. Items like completing your expenses, that meeting with HR you’ve been meaning to organize or providing a reference for someone who has just left are tasks that you don’t need to share with your team.

Managing your tasks, and those of your team, takes up valuable time in the day. You may be wondering if it’s worth it. When time is money, are you really going to get a return from spending so much time on managing your workload?

The answer is easy: Yes! Not managing tasks is a recipe for missing deadlines and feeling overwhelmed. You’ll spend more time working out your priorities every week and dealing with the fact you’ve spent time on the less important tasks while ignoring a looming deadline. Ultimately that will cost you money, time and stress.

You can still cut down the amount of time it takes to manage your tasks by using the right project management tools. Here are 5 tips for saving time on task management activities.

• Tip #1: Use Your Project Calendar What gets scheduled gets done. Use your project calendar or project schedule to add deadlines for your tasks. Then you can forecast when you might be busy and when you’ve got extra capacity.
• Tip #2: Stick With One Method Forget sticky notes on your monitor, a list on your tablet, scribbled notes on a piece of paper… you need one to-do list. Using online task management software or an app is the best way because you’ll probably always have your phone or laptop with you. You can quickly open the task management app on your smartphone or tablet and record the task.
• Tip #3: Prioritize your tasks We mentioned this earlier but it’s worth mentioning again. Creating one central list of tasks for you and the project team is a big help, but then you need to think about the right way to tackle that long work management list. Prioritize your tasks. There are two ways to do this: what’s urgent and what’s important. Of course, a task can be urgent and important at the same time and the priority of tasks can change from day to day!
• Tip #4: Track your time Using timesheets for time tracking is a great way to manage tasks. Why? Because it helps you see exactly where you are spending your time during the day and this information lets you prioritize effectively.
• Tip #5: Delegate Finally, look at what you can delegate. You don’t have to do everything on the project yourself. Projects are a great development and learning opportunity for your team members too, so think about what you can delegate to others. Not only can you pat yourself on the back for helping develop their skills, it is also work off your to-do list that you don’t have to do!

If you haven’t already found the task management app that works for you, now is the time to test drive a few products and find one that suits your style.

ProjectManager is easy to use, quick to set up and lets you manage task lists with your team from wherever you are.

Start your free 30-day trial

Task management resources.

• How to Estimate Tasks and Dependencies
• 5 Ways to Improve Time Tracking
• 10 Tips for Better Task Management
• How to Link Tasks on a Project
• Project Management Trends (2022)
• How to Prioritize With Personal Kanban
• How to Schedule Different Project Tasks
• How You Can Manage Task Dependencies
• 5 Tips for Task Estimating
• What Is Batching and How Can I Use It to Get More Done?
• How to Make & Maintain a Project List

Deliver faster, collaborate better, innovate more effectively — without the high prices and months-long implementation and extensive training required by other products.

• Project Manager Roles and Responsibilities [8 Key Roles]

“A project manager is like a doctor who leads the trauma team and decides the course of action for a patient - both at the same time. Without the right kind of authority to efficiently handle all the project management issues, development teams can easily get into trouble.” - Scott Berkun, the author of “Making Things Happen”

How did it all start? In the late 1980s, Microsoft was launching an ambitious project and had run into a problem: there were way too many players involved. There were teams from marketing, engineering, and the business end, and no one knew how to coordinate all of them.

So, Microsoft came up with what was then an ingenious solution. They picked one person to take charge of who would be given significant authority to organize and coordinate their new project. Once Microsoft appointed a dedicated leader, everything went smoothly and the teams were much happier with their work dynamics. The end result of this new strategy was Excel .

Eventually, Microsoft made this new role as a staple for all their projects. Thus, the project manager was born.

8 key roles and job responsibilities of project managers

At the end of this post, you'll find a cheat sheet containing an overview of a project manager's key responsibilities ! But first...

WHO are project managers and what are they like?

Good project managers are people with an excellent entrepreneurial mindset. This allows them to think about a project beyond the basic skill set needed to manage it, and it is the project manager’s job to direct teams and team members to the finish line. At the end of the day, the project’s success or failure rests solely on the project manager’s shoulders, and he or she is the one responsible for the end result.

Project managers keep knowledge and information flowing seamlessly . They need both technical know-how and first-hand knowledge of the tasks they assign to others to keep the project moving forward.

"Project Managers play the lead role in planning, executing, monitoring, controlling, and closing projects. They're expected to deliver a project on time, within the budget, and brief while keeping everyone in the know and happy." — Cam Lee, Rock Agency

But technical know-how does more than enable project managers to communicate ideas effectively to all those involved. Good project managers use their technical understanding to win team members’ respect . Since project managers influence more decisions than anyone else in the company, their primary task is to use what they know to not just win employees’ respect, but keep it throughout the project and into the future.

What do project managers DO? 8 key roles and responsibilities

1. Activity and resource planning

Planning is instrumental in meeting project deadlines, and many projects fail due to poor planning . First and foremost, good project managers define the project’s scope and determine available resources. Good project managers know how to realistically set time estimates and evaluate the team's or teams’ capabilities.

They then create a clear and concise plan to both execute the project and monitor its progress. Projects are naturally unpredictable, so good project managers know how to make adjustments along the way as needed before the project reaches its final stages.

2. Organizing and motivating a project team

Good project managers don’t get their teams bogged down with elaborate spreadsheets, long checklists, and whiteboards. Instead, they put their teams front and center. They develop clear, straightforward plans that stimulate their teams to reach their full potential. They cut down on bureaucracy and steer their teams down a clear path to the final goal.

"There is no other way than leading by example. If you are doing your part correctly, always supporting your team, and having a fair and healthy approach with them, motivation should never be a problem." — Dragan Hrgić, Remade

3. Controlling time management

Clients usually judge a project’s success or failure on whether it has been delivered on time. Therefore, meeting deadlines are non-negotiable. Good project managers know how to set realistic deadlines , and how to communicate them consistently to their teams.

They know how to effectively do the following:

• Define activity
• Sequence activity
• Estimate the duration of activity
• Develop a schedule
• Maintain a schedule

4. Cost estimating and developing the budget

Good project managers know how to keep a project within its set budget. Even if a project meets a client’s expectations and is delivered on time, it will still be a failure if it goes wildly over budget. Good project managers frequently review the budget and plan ahead to avoid massive budget overruns.

5. Ensuring customer satisfaction

In the end, a project is only a success if the customer is happy. One of the key responsibilities of every project manager is to minimize uncertainty, avoid any unwanted surprises, and involve their clients in the project as much as is reasonably possible. Good project managers know how to maintain effective communication and keep the company’s clients up-to-date.

6. Analyzing and managing project risk

The bigger the project is, the more likely there are to be hurdles and pitfalls that weren’t part of the initial plan. Hiccups are inevitable, but good project managers know how meticulously and almost intuitively, identify and evaluate potential risks before the project begins. They know how to then avoid risks or at least minimize their impact.

"You have to go in expecting that things won't be as you had planned, and things won't be as easy as first expected. Goals, conditions, and circumstances will change." — Kalila Lang,  DigiSomni

7. Monitoring progress

During the initial stages, project managers and their teams have a clear vision and high hopes of producing the desired result. However, the path to the finish line is never without some bumps along the way. When things don’t go according to a plan, a project manager needs to monitor and analyze both expenditures and team performance and to always efficiently take corrective measures.

8. Managing reports and necessary documentation

Finally, experienced project managers know how essential final reports and proper documentation are. Good project managers can present comprehensive reports documenting that all project requirements were fulfilled, as well as the projects’ history, including what was done, who was involved, and what could be done better in the future.

Scroll down till the end of this post to find our cheat sheet where all these roles and responsibilities are summarized!

Do you need a project manager?

No matter how large or demanding projects are, you need someone who will reliably and consistently maintain efficiency and productivity. Not only has research shown that 89% of high-performing organizations include a project manager , but also that the profession is consistently one of those most in demand. Project management is indispensable to successful businesses, and business owners need leaders with the right vision, the right skills, and the right know-how to face the biggest challenges and ensure projects are completed successfully and according to schedule.

Project managers are integral parts of almost every kind of organization—from small agencies with only one project manager guiding a handful of projects to multinational IT companies that employ highly specialized project managers placed in charge of ambitious projects. If one of these describes your business or any kind of enterprise in between, then the answer is definitely yes.

Project Manager Roles and Responsibilities Cheat Sheet

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Other posts in the series on Project Management Methodologies and Frameworks

• PRINCE2 Project Management Methodology
• Rational Unified Process (RUP)
• Feature Driven Development [FDD]
• Crystal Methods
• Joint Application Development (JAD)
• Extreme Programming (XP)
• What Is Project Management?
• Extreme Project Management XPM
• Project Management Life Cycle
• Agile Project Management
• Theory of Constraints
• Waterfall Project Management Methodology
• Traditional Project Management
• Adaptive Project Management

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12 Best Practices for Successful Task Assignment and Tracking

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1. What are the top 12 practices for successful task assignment and tracking?

Key practices for effective task assignment.

The assignment of tasks should always be done strategically to ensure successful completion. Here are six key practices for successful task assignment:

• Clear and concise instructions: Always provide clear steps on how to accomplish the task. Vague instructions may lead to misunderstandings and poor results.
• Assign tasks based on skills and experience: Certain tasks require special skills. Assign tasks to those who have the skills and experience needed to perform them efficiently.
• Establish realistic deadlines: Set achievable deadlines to prevent unnecessary pressure and poor quality of work.
• Communicate the task's importance: Explain why the task is necessary and how it contributes to the overall project.
• Availability check: Make sure that the person assigned to the task has the capacity to do it.
• Empower them: Give them the freedom to do the work in their own way, as long as they meet the project’s quality standards.

Efficient Task Tracking Methods

Task tracking not only ensures timely completion but also guarantees that the quality of work is not compromised. Here are six efficient task tracking methods:

• Use of tracking tools: Implementing task tracking tools like Trello or Asana can automate the tracking process.
• Regular follow-ups: Frequent check-ins allow early detection of issues and timely resolution.
• Setting Milestones: Break down the tasks into manageable chunks or stages with set deadlines.
• Encourage self-reporting: Ask team members to provide status updates on assigned tasks. This makes tracking easier and instills a sense of responsibility.
• Document progress: Keep a record of task progression to easily identify bottlenecks and delays.
• Feedback session: Constructive feedback sessions aimed at learning can be helpful for future tasks.

Comparison Table for Task Assignment and Task Tracking

2. How can I effectively use these best practices in my daily work management?

Utilizing best practices in daily work management.

Deploying the best practices in your daily work management is all about integration and consistency. Whether you are leading a small team or managing a large project, the successful task assignment and tracking methods will boost productivity and keep everyone on the same page. Here's how you can effectively use these practices:

• Clear Communication: Always communicate task details clearly. Specify the project description, important deadlines, and the expected deliverables. Make use of tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams for smooth communication.
• Team Collaboration: Encourage teamwork, brainstorming sessions and ensure everyone contributes their ideas. Collaborative tools like Google Workspace or Monday.com can assist in shared work.
• Prioritization & Scheduling: Prioritize tasks based on their urgency and importance. Use scheduling tools, like Asana or Trello, to arrange tasks for all team members, ensuring they are aware of their responsibilities.

Implementing Task Assignment Practices

Assigning tasks effectively involves understanding each team member's strengths and weaknesses. The following steps are recommended:

Successful Task Tracking

Tracking tasks helps in maintaining the project's accuracy ensuring that everything is running smoothly. Adopting effective tracking practices can lead to a drop in missed deadlines, an increase in productivity, and a more efficient workflow. Here are some tracking methods:

• Use a Project Management System that offers real-time tracking.
• Conduct regular progress meetings.
• Encourage team members to provide progress reports.

3. Can these best practices for task assignment and tracking be applied to any industry?

Applicability of best practices across industries.

The best practices for task assignment and tracking are versatile, adaptable and can be beneficial to most, if not all industries. This includes but is not limited to the IT, healthcare, construction, education, and manufacturing industries. The principles of clarity, efficiency, and productivity that underscore these best practices are universal needs across business operations.

List of Industries

• Information Technology
• Construction
• Manufacturing

Each of these industries can make use of the best practices in their own unique way. For instance, in the IT industry, these best practices can be utilized to assign and track different coding or debugging tasks. In healthcare, these practices can be used to efficiently assign patient care tasks to different members of a healthcare team. In education, teachers can assign tasks to students and track their progress more effectively. In short, these practices foster a culture of accountability and efficiency.

Tabular Representation of Application in Different Industries

In conclusion, these best practices provide a standard system that is convenient, effective and that can be customized to any industry’s specifics. The consistent theme across all industries is to enhance productivity and optimize resources.

4. What is the first step one should take to apply these practices effectively?

Understanding the task.

The first step towards effectively applying the practices for successful task assignment and tracking is gaining a thorough understanding of the task at hand. To successfully delegate assignments and oversee their completion, you must grasp the task's specifics, objectives, and requirements. The following goals can guide you:

• Determine the nature and scope of the task: Exactly what does this task entail? What are its dimensions and boundaries?
• Identify the expected outcome: What should the ideal result look like once the task is completed?
• Analyze potential problems: What kind of issues may arise during the execution of the task? How can they be addressed proactively?

Establishing Clear Objective and Goals

Once you've comprehended the task, the next step involves establishing clear objectives and goals. These goals should ideally be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). A well-defined goal gives a clear direction to the entire task assignment process. Consider the following points when mapping out your goals:

Identifying the Right People for the Task

Once each task has been clearly defined and its goals set, the next step is to assign the right people to the task. This requires analyzing your team's strengths, weaknesses, preferences, and workload. Here are some factors to consider:

• Skills and capabilities: Does the person possess the necessary skills and abilities to perform the task effectively?
• Workload: Does the person have the necessary time and bandwidth to take on the task?
• Preference: Does the person show an interest in the task? Are they excited about the work they're assigned?

5. Are there specific tools that help facilitate these best practices for task assignment and tracking?

Top tools for task assignment and tracking.

There are numerous tools designed specifically to facilitate task assignment and tracking. They range from simple to-do list apps to complex project management systems. Here are a few popular options:

• Asana: This tool is designed for both individuals and teams. It allows for task assignment, due dates, priorities, comments, file attachments, and progress tracking.
• JIRA: Popular among software development teams, JIRA provides a detailed view of ongoing tasks, project timelines, and allows for personalized workflows.
• Trello: Trello operates on a board-and-card system, allowing for easy visualization of tasks and assignments. It also supports collaboration and progress tracking.
• Basecamp: This is a project management tool that integrates discussions, tasks, files, and timelines in one place. It offers a clear view of who’s working on what.

Choosing the Right Tool for Your Needs

To choose the right tool for task assignment and tracking, you need to consider the size of your team, the complexity of the tasks, and the specific features you need. Equally important is the user-friendliness and cost of the tool. Here's a simple comparison:

Consistent Use of Tools

Regardless of which tool you choose, consistent use is essential. All team members should be trained on how to use the tool effectively. Regular updates and reviews are also crucial to keep everyone aligned and ensure smooth progression of tasks. Remember, a tool is only as good as how you use it.

6. How does clear communication help in successful task assignment and tracking?

Benefits of clear communication.

Successfully assigning and tracking tasks in any business or organization often hinge on clear and effective communication. With effective communication, team members can understand their responsibilities, tasks can be properly tracked, and project deadlines can be met. There are several benefits that clear communication provides:

• Boosts Team Morale: When everyone understands their role in a project, they feel valued, which increases motivation and productivity.
• Prevents Confusion: Clear instructions prevent misunderstandings, ensuring tasks are done correctly the first time.
• Increases Efficiency: When goals and objectives are clear, teams can work more efficiently, saving time and resources.

How to Communicate Clearly

Implementing the right communication strategies can be crucial for successful task assignment and tracking. Here are a few methods to foster better communication:

Elements of Clear Communication

To ensure your communication is clear and effective, consider the following elements:

• Clarity: Ensure the message is simple, direct and that technical jargon is minimized where possible.
• Conciseness: Too much information can confuse. State only necessary details.
• Feedback: Encourage feedback - it helps affirm the message was understood correctly.

7. Why is it important to define expected outcomes when assigning tasks?

Importance of defining expected outcomes.

Defining expected outcomes is a vital step in task assignment and tracking because it sets the direction and provides a clear vision of what needs to be achieved. It helps in setting the standards, improving performance, and ensuring better accountability. The following points will further elucidate its significance:

• Clarity and direction: defining the expected outcome provides clear instructions to the task performer about what exactly needs to be achieved. It gives them a sense of direction and purpose.
• Performance measurement: With a defined outcome, it becomes easier to measure performance. The actual results can easily be compared against the expected results, simplifying performance appraisal.
• Increased Accountability: If expected outcomes are well-defined, it can help increase accountability. Task performers are more likely to take ownership and responsibility of their work, ensuring that they deliver the expected results.

Best Practices When Defining Expected Outcomes

While defining expected outcomes is important, it is equally crucial to ensure they are well drafted. Following are some best practices to consider when defining the expected outcomes:

Defining expected outcomes when assigning tasks is a fundamental step to ensure smooth progress and successful task completion. It not only provides a clear vision of what needs to be achieved but also facilitates performance measurement, leading to improved productivity and increased accountability. Employing the best practices while defining these outcomes can greatly enhance their effectiveness.

8. How can these best practices improve overall team productivity?

Enhancing team productivity through best practices.

Implementing best practices in task assignment and tracking can significantly improve overall team productivity. Effective task assignment ensures that the right tasks are allocated to the right people based on their skills, capabilities, and availability. This eliminates confusion, reduces the chances of mistakes, and improves efficiency. When tasks are tracked effectively, it's easier to identify bottlenecks, improve workload distribution, and ensure timely completion of tasks.

Key benefits include:

• Better task distribution: When tasks are assigned judiciously taking into consideration individual skills and capabilities, it ensures a better distribution of workload. This leads to improved efficiency and higher productivity.
• Proactive problem-solving: Effective task tracking allows for early detection of problems or issues that might arise during the execution of tasks. This allows for proactive problem-solving, ensuring the smooth continuation of work.
• Effective communication: These practices foster better communication within the team as tasks and responsibilities are clear. This reduces chances of misunderstanding or confusion, promoting a more harmonious and productive work environment.

Illustrating Productivity Improvement Through a Table

Here's a simple table illustrating the difference in overall team productivity before and after implementing these best practices:

9. What are some challenges one might face when implementing these best practices and how can they be overcome?

Challenges faced in implementing best practices.

When initiating the best practices for successful task assignment and tracking, several challenges might pop up which could hinder the effective execution of the process. Firstly, resistance to change is a common obstacle that organizations face. Employees might resist the new strategies brought about by these best practices, partly due to their unfamiliarity or because they feel comfortable with the old systems. Secondly, lack of adequate resources such as software and tools for task assignment and tracking can also pose a significant challenge. Lastly, the lack of appropriate training to equip the workforce with the necessary skills can impede the implementation of these practices.

Overcoming the Challenges

The good news is, these challenges aren't insurmountable. Here are a few solutions:

• Resistance to Change: This can be overcome by fostering a culture of open communication where the benefits of the new practices are clearly articulated. Regular feedback forums where employees' concerns can be addressed can also help ease the transition.
• Lack of Resources: For businesses facing this issue, it could be worth investing in project management software or tools which have proven to enhance task assignment and tracking. There are many budget-friendly options available.
• Inadequate Training: Conduct regular training sessions and workshops. Such initiatives would enhance employees' skills, thus boosting their confidence in using new systems.

Considerations for Successful Implementation

10. Can these practices be adjusted for small teams or individuals, or are they only relevant for large organizations?

Adapting practices for different team sizes.

The beauty of best practices for task assignment and tracking is that they can be adapted to suit any team size, from large organizations to small teams and even individuals. Indeed, achieving productivity and efficiency is not merely the preserve of the big players. A small team or self-employed individual can efficiently manage their tasks by adjusting these practices to their unique needs.

• Small teams: Best practices can be refined to a simpler format for smaller teams. For instance, daily huddles could replace full-blown weekly meetings for status updates. Task tracking might also involve a more shared responsibility, with every team member being able to monitor and update their progress. Prioritization is still key, but it takes on a more immediate, flexible form.
• Individuals: For solo entrepreneurs or self-employed professionals, these practices can be tailored to personal task management. Clear objectives and deadlines are just as crucial and can be self-imposed. Tools such as personal to-do lists, digital diaries, or task management software can replace team boards and project management platforms.

Best Practices Table

To sum up, while these best practices were developed with larger organizations in mind, they are certainly not restricted to them. With some adjustments, they can offer immense benefits to the efficiency and productivity of smaller teams and individuals too. Therefore, it is important to experiment with, and adapt these practices to fit the specific dynamics and requirements of your working arrangement.

Best Practices for Successful Task Assignment and Tracking

Successful task assignment and tracking is often the difference between successful and unsuccessful projects. The following are the 12 best practices that can streamline your working process and ensure successful task tracking:

• Clarity: Make certain that instructions are clear and comprehensible.
• Define Objectives: Clearly state the purpose and outcome of each task.
• Relevant Skills: Assign tasks based on individual competencies.
• Priority Tasks: Highlight priority tasks.
• Transparent Communication: Maintain an open communication line to deal with problems quickly.
• Empowerment: Empower your team members in task management.
• Use of Technology: Utilize technology to track and manage tasks efficiently.
• Time tracking: Employ a software to track time spent on each task.
• Regular Updates: Showcase constant updates to keep the team on track.
• Project progress visualization: Represent the progression of the project visually for better understanding.
• Deadlines: Set realistic and flexible deadlines.
• Feedback: Regularly give feedback to promote constant improvement.

In light of the above-mentioned practices, the role of technology in task assignment and tracking cannot be overstressed. Several softwares are available in the market to help you streamline your task assignment and tracking processes but none are more efficient and user-friendly than Retainr.io .

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Retainr.io is a whitelabel software that unifies all your task management needs. It enables you to sell, manage clients, orders, & payments with your own branded app, ensuring that all information is kept in one place, thus, making accessibility and tracking easier.

With its vast array of features, it empowers your team members by making task assignment and tracking seamless and efficient. It simplifies project management and enhances transparency in communication. The software's use of visual aids for project progress ensures that all team members have a clear view of where the project stands and what needs to be done.

So, harness the power of Retainr.io to ensure a well-coordinated, proficient, and successful execution of your projects. Start your journey towards efficient task management with Retainr.io today.

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14 Key project manager roles and responsibilities

“ Being a Project Manager is like being an artist, you have the different colored process streams combining into a work of art. ” – Greg Cimmarrusti

At the heart of successful project management is a project manager, who like the ‘captain of a cruise ship’, ensures a smooth ride. When it comes to the roles and responsibilities of the project manager, it starts with creating strategies, delegating tasks , monitoring progress, budgeting, ensuring coordination among team members, and collaboration.

However, if you think you could master these skills, and become a successful project manager , slow down, my friend! There is still a lot to come. Intriguing tasks like team building, acting as a bridge between your team and the client and ensuring timely completion are all part of the p roject manager’s tasks .

Project manager roles and responsibilities

Roles define what you need to do for the project. These roles define how you relate yourself to your team members and customers. Responsibilities are further dependent on your role.

Responsibilities are day-to-day activities and tasks that you do every day in the office. These activities and tasks together contribute to accomplishing your role as the project manager. These responsibilities may vary depending on the stage of the project and several other reasons.

So without further ado, let’s discuss the roles & responsibilities in detail along with actionable tips and examples.

1. Defining goals and roles

Let’s take an example of a website-building company. You will first start by making a bigger picture of the major attributes to which your company contributes. This primarily depends on your customers or the niche in which your business serves.

Defining the role of HR would be limited to hiring and other practices related to administration. Similarly, developers would focus on coding and developing websites.

However, as a project manager, your role would be the center to hold the entire project together. Ensuring enough manpower and resources, and conveying task details to individual team members are all roles of a project manager.

2. Keeping the team close-knit

Focus on building a team that ‘works together’. Start by defining primary roles for the departments. To simplify this process, define goals! When you know what your goals are, you will be able to define roles for each department with ease.

With clearly defined roles, maintaining harmony in the team and fostering trust within its people is the next process so that everyone can achieve more and achieve faster.

For this, you need to ensure that:

• Every member of your team gets regular feedback.
• Everyone understands their tasks.
• Everyone communicates well.
• The team has enough resources and tools for effective collaboration .

3. Delegating work effectively

As a project manager, it becomes critical to delegate tasks to your team members effectively. It is a leadership style that every project manager has to learn and adapt. You should not misuse this responsibility by blaming or degrading your team members.

You should understand the strengths and weaknesses of your team members and delegate the tasks to them accordingly. Your team members must be able to prioritize tasks .

This is where you need to think smart!

Think out-of-the-box!

How about getting help from a project management tool?

This will simplify not only the task delegation process but also help manage the project schedule effectively.

ProofHub is an all-in-one project management and team collaboration tool . You can use this tool for delegating tasks, monitoring progress, communicating with your team members, and also for real-time collaboration .

Take control of your projects with ProofHub: Track, manage, and prioritize tasks effortlessly in one centralized platform!

4. Employee feedback

Of all the roles you are involved in as a project manager, gathering employee feedback plays the most crucial role. As the project progresses, it is essential to review the performance of your team members.

It is obvious that over the course of the project, the roles of different individuals may change. Therefore, such reviews will help in providing feedback to your team members about updates.

It is important to note here, that the objectives of the company might not have changed, but the way to reach there would have. This is the reason why you need to be in close proximity to your team at all times.

5. Planning everything from execution to delivery

Ideally, you should have a strategy to achieve more in less. By more I mean, more outcomes, more quality, and more client satisfaction, while less refers to fewer resources and less time. In simple words, you must chalk out a pathway that will help you to complete the project successfully and efficiently. You could use approaches like Agile, Waterfall, etc. However, remember that your team should also be comfortable working in this environment.

All in all, for strategies and planning your project manager skills should involve

• Breaking the project into tasks and sub-tasks.
• Define the scope of the project
• Steady progression by taking up tasks in small chunks.
• Setting an appropriate schedule for the development of certain deliverables.
• Defining milestones.
• Highlighting the project dependencies.

6. Directing the team to achieve a common goal

You should ensure that your team is on the right track toward success.

Have you ever seen what a good shepherd does?

He guides all his sheep and goats on the track toward greenery.

Similarly, keep your team members motivated, so they continue moving on the right track. It is your responsibility to ensure that your team showcases their full potential. In some instances, you will have to own up to tasks of other domains.

For wisely directing your team your project manager’s attributes must be similar to those of human resources like

• Negotiating current employees’ job responsibilities
• Managing their time, and achieving their commitment to the project
• Bids may be required
• Contracts will need to be reviewed and keeping everyone in check to make sure that the team moves along by the plan.

Moreover, implement Agile practices in your teams. This is how you can improve the accountability of the team members. This would help the team become cross-functional which would mean that you will be making the team:

• More adept at taking on challenges and dealing with changes in client requirements.
• More capable of coordinating with clients and juggling responsibilities.
• More comfortable with changing roles and working in more niches than just one.

7. Managing time 

Time is the most crucial resource in project management . This decides the base on which the entire project revolves. You should be able to negotiate deadlines on behalf of your team members.

Effective time management is possible through strategic planning and scheduling. Delegate tasks to your team members and set a deadline.

Identifying bottlenecks early also plays an important role in the timely completion of a project. When you forecast your available resources effectively, you will be able to face sudden challenges related to resources and avoid the project delays.

Pro Tip: I always encourage my team members to use the Pomodoro Technique. This basically means they work with full focus for 25 minutes, and then take a break for 5 minutes. This technique prevents burnout and improves the overall productivity of my team.

Stop wasting time manually scheduling your team’s resources. Find the best resource scheduling software for your needs with just one click!

8. Monitoring progress and tracking roadblocks

This is the most time-consuming part of your daily work routine. There are a lot of technicalities related to this phrase. Excessive monitoring may cause resentment among your team members. However, you need to montior your project scope and project progression, so that the project can be completed on time and within the defined budget.

Project management software comes in as a savior at this point. With ProofHub you have complete control over your team. You can view task progression, workload of your team members and project timeline with Gantt charts. These details will help you to manage resources and identify bottlenecks, and areas for improvement of your team.

Further, you need not overburden yourself with responsibilities. Automation (in the form of automation of repetitive tasks) comes in handy and ensures that project progression is not hindered.

9. Conducting regular meetings

The first thing before conducting meetings is that you should prepare an agenda. This will ensure that your team is aware of the purpose of the meeting.

“ Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together” . – James Cash Penney

Regular team meetings depend on the project methodology you are working on. In Scrum methodology, there is a 15-minute meeting every day. This is the time for you to establish a status quo with your new team members.

If you are using a project management tool, then it is not important to have daily meetings or long meetings. As long as your team members are on the same page, you can let them work independently. Modern workplaces have very short meetings that are mostly focused on the agenda that is shared well before the meeting starts.  

On a project management tool , your team can collaborate, discuss, and share files in real-time on the centralized platform, thereby eliminating the need for physical meetings.

10. Establishing a shared vision

Your vision should match the vision of the business. This is how you will be able to focus your efforts in the right direction. 

Then comes the part where you convey this to your team members. Having all your team members on the same page is necessary for motivating and inspiring the team. 

In order to establish a shared vision, you need to bring enthusiasm and positive vibes into your team. This helps your team to understand the workload and make all possible efforts to convert goals into missions. 

You are responsible for setting the appropriate tone for smoother sailing down the road. 

A vision fosters team cohesion boosts creativity and motivation, and imbibes a purpose that helps in the successful and timely completion of the project .

11. Managing documentation and reports

As the project progresses, there will be hurdles, milestones, and other issues that may creep up. You need to maintain a record of time and budget.

These documents and reports will come in handy for identifying areas where there is a need for improvement in future development programs. Also, these documents will help you to prepare reports for submission to clients.

Further, these documents play two additional functions, in the overall project progression –

• To maintain a record of what has been done in the project and who has been involved in it.
• To ensure that the project satisfies all the project requirements.

Pro Tip: Not a biased one, but how can I not say this? ProofHub is your best friend for managing documents and reports!

Depending on the size of the project, you will have to manage various documents and reports. ProofHub offers you visualizations, reports, and data dashboards to simplify this complex task.

Further, ProofHub acts as a centralized platform for storing all information related to the project such as – who is responsible for what, who reviewed them, the completion date of various tasks, etc.

No communication gaps, no more disorganized work, no more failed project in 2024!

12. Coming up with a plan B

A major responsibility comes with the fact that as a project manager, ‘you should always be on your toes’. Not literally! You will hurt yourself in the process.

Preparedness for unforeseen events and circumstances is essential for ensuring that the project is risk-proof.

In order to keep a cycle moving, you pedal continuously, even if the roads are bumpy.

Similarly, for a project to have a steady progression, you need to keep putting in effort. As a project manager, you should be familiar with the basics of project risk as well as change management.

You must know how to:

• Arrange for extra resources.
• Manage time in difficult circumstances.
• Have an alternate plan to justify the client’s expectations.

13. Managing project budget

Completing the project within the set budget and time defines the success or failure of a project. It is the responsibility of a project manager to negotiate the right budget with the client and complete the project within it. As a project manager, you need to monitor the project scope, schedule, and resource requirements closely as these changes can directly affect the overall cost of the project. For a better understanding, you should know the project management triangle , and how the cost, scope, and time of the project are connected.

For better cost management, you must know how to:

• Understand budget planning and estimation techniques like bottom-up estimating, analogous estimating, and parametric estimating.
• Use project management tools to generate real-time budget reports and track actual expenditures.
• Collaborate with the finance team to manage budget changes and reallocate funds as needed

14. Coordinating with the clients

Your responsibilities also include coordinating with the clients. Not as easy as this sounds, this can in some instances become challenging.

You are primarily responsible for negotiating the requirements of the project with the clients. It is necessary for you to bring clarity to the clients about how they should go about the project and everything that the team can do for them.

As a PM, you become the bridge between all the stakeholders of the project . Any changes or feedback from the client should be conveyed to the individual team member in the most effective manner.

Bear in mind, the following points for smooth coordination

• Share feedback often for continuous improvement of your team, as well as the performance of the whole project.
• Appreciate positive feedback and celebrate accomplishments.
• Avoid the blame game, especially in case of negative reviews.

What does a project manager do?

A project manager oversees the planning, execution, and completion of a project. They play a crucial role in task coordination, resource management, progress monitoring, stakeholder communication , research, and ensuring that project meets its goals on time and within budget.

A project manager is reponsible for the project from initiation to the finishing of a project and for this, you will have to polish your leadership skills , coordination abilities, and motivational skills continuously.

The importance of a project manager

89% of organizations have a project management office. This shows the growing necessity of PMO in almost every business.

Let’s briefly discuss the importance of a project manager – 

1. Realistic planning  

A successful project depends hugely on planning and creating a strategy. Never underestimate the planning phase. Random forecasting and approximate delivery dates are recipes for project failures .

This is where you lay the foundation for the project. The smooth project progression and the timely completion of the project depend completely on effective and realistic planning. 

2. Set clear focus and objectives

Try letting your team members work on a project without proper objectives and focus . You will see them create a muddle out of the project!

As a project manager, it is your responsibility to set guidelines for the steady flow of the project. Right from start to end, you need to ensure that your team members stay on track in order to ensure timely completion of the project. This is like herding a sheepfold safely from the barn to the pasture.

3. Simplifying complex issues 

Your expertise as a project manager shows when you break down tasks into manageable chunks for your team. This helps them in setting priorities as well as milestones.

This will contribute towards the timely completion of the project. You will be able to handle complex issues with better agility when working on small tasks.

“I would like to take you back to 2017, the controversy around Google’s diversity memo. Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, and Alphabet Inc. handled this incident with transparency, inclusivity, and grace.

His skills as a seasoned manager were on display when he organized town hall meetings to address this issue. He did not focus on trying to silence the employee and ignore the issue but rather chose to openly discuss this issue portraying diversity and inclusion. He also reaffirmed the company’s commitment to a supportive and inclusive work environment.“

Although the example is of a CEO, while we are talking about project managers, my aim here was to portray how to act quickly and respond to critical issues effectively. These are the skills that define a successful project manager and sets them apart.

4. Quality control

A team can complete projects on time, but the essential component is ensuring quality. Completed projects may become useless if they do not fulfill quality requirements. 

A project manager ensures the quality of the project by defining standards. This lets the team members know what they are aiming for. 

5. Cost factor

As per a study , 9.9% of every dollar is squandered due to poor project performance. A project manager helps in saving a lot of money for the organization.

As a skilled project manager, you should be able to improve efficiency, mitigate project risks, and optimize cost of the project. All these factors help in combating the waste of resources and help in the growth of the organization.

What qualifications do you need to be a project manager?

Let’s now talk about the point of qualifying to become a project manager.

If you believe you have the capabilities of being a project manager, you need to authenticate them in the form of certificates or experience.

Getting a (PMP)® certification is one of the key requirements for becoming a project manager. Having the project management certificate can make you stand out among your competition. They showcase leadership and expertise in working.

Project Management Professional (PMP)®

This certification is valid across the globe. However, to get the PMP certificate you need commitment and perseverance. Along with real-world project management experience, the basic requirement to qualify for this certification includes:

👉A four-year degree 

👉36 months of professional experience leading projects in the past eight years

👉35 hours of project management education/training or CAPM® certification

Or in case you have a High school diploma, then you will require

👉60 months of experience leading projects in the past eight years

The Project Management Institute (PMI) is the apex body that has the ultimate control over issuing the (PMP)® certification. 

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So, fellow project managers, we’ve journeyed through these 14 key roles and responsibilities that define our craft. From captains of the ship to expert jugglers, we’ve explored the diverse landscape of project management.

Now, you might wonder, “ Can I embody all these roles? Can I excel in each responsibility?” Absolutely! No project manager starts as a master of all trades. It’s a continuous learning process, filled with triumphs, setbacks, and “aha” moments.

Embracing these roles isn’t about rigid checklists. It’s about adapting and evolving as each project unfolds. It’s about harnessing collaboration, communication, and innovation to guide our teams to success.

Cheers to the adventurous road ahead!

What are the two types of project managers?

Traditional and Agile are the two types of project managers, traditional project managers use pre-existing structured methodologies, and agile project managers use adaptive and iterative approaches.

What skills are required to be an effective project manager?

Effective project managers require leadership, organization, communication, problem-solving, adaptability, and client management skills to successfully plan, execute, and complete projects within the set time and budget.

What are the main challenges faced by project managers?

Managing scope creep, understanding priorities, communication issues, resource utilization, and meeting project deadlines are some of the challenges faced by project managers.

How does a project manager plan and organize projects?

A project manager plans and organizes projects by defining project objectives, setting timelines, allocating resources, identifying priorities, setting milestones, budgeting, and developing an efficient management plan.

What is the difference between a project manager and a project team member?

A project manager is responsible for the execution and completion of the project, while a project team member is an individual contributing to specific tasks or activities.

What tools and software are commonly used by project managers?

Project managers commonly use project management software or tools for simplifying the overall project progression. The most preferred tools include ProofHub, Asana, Microsoft Project, etc.

How does a project manager track and measure project progress?

A project manager tracks and measures project progress by using key performance indicators (KPIs), milestones, regular updates, and progress analysis reports, with the help of project management software.

What are the qualities of a successful project manager?

Effective communication, strong leadership, organizational skills, adaptability, problem-solving abilities, risk analysis, client management, and the ability to motivate and empower team members.

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How to Give Assignments to Team Members

Table of Contents

The project has been divided into milestones, goals and objectives broken into tasks, and now it’s time to assign them. But as you open the project management platform, you’re faced with the unflattering process of wording the tasks, and choosing whom to assign them to.

Well, in this article, we offer advice on how to make that jumbled first moment a little clearer. There are actionable tips, learning the difference between allocating and delegating tasks, and suggested criteria on how to choose the best person for the job.

For a more precise overview, here’s a table of contents:

How do you assign employees tasks?

We normally think that assigning tasks is a time-consuming process that focuses on clearing out task lists to keep the project going. However, task assignment should actually be a more employee-oriented process that requires additional dedication and effort, which yields incredible results. But what do we mean by that?

Properly assigned tasks push your employees, projects, and the overall company forward. Here’s how.

• They strengthen accountability and trust between managers and employees;
• They help teach new skills and perfect old ones;
• They allow employees to get familiar with other teams and avenues of work;
• It becomes easier to make project estimates;
• Makes for great bases for performance reviews, etc.

The list could go on, but we’ll stop there for now.

Of course, such long-term benefits don’t come without some proverbial blood and sweat in the planning stage. Let’s take a look at the general ideas on assigning employee tasks, and specific steps you can take.

Motivation comes from knowing the bigger picture

When we talk about the bigger picture in project management, we talk about each team member’s task affecting their peer’s down the line. Since all tasks are usually small pieces of the puzzle, it helps to remind employees how their work contributes. For example:

• A high-quality draft can make a great foundation for the final version, and it can be completed more quickly.
• A well-prepared presentation can shave time off unnecessary questions and additional email inquiries.

It comes as no surprise that people work better and are more productive, when they know that their work has an impact on the company level.

And so, when you assign tasks, try to emphasize how they fit in the bigger picture. Simply saying: “ You doing X will help with Y and Z ” and how it reflects on the project as a whole will let an employee know that the task they were assigned is important.

Get your employees excited to commit

Telling people about the bigger picture and showing them what’s possible can only get them so far. It’s enough to ignite the initial spark, but for them to fully commit to the task, you need to define what that task entails.

They should be able to picture how to go about the work, what skills to use, and how to reach the desired result. The clearer the instructions, the more motivated they will be to work.

Simply put, give directions on how the task should be done, and make sure they understand. You can’t read each other’s minds, so it’s important everyone is on the same page.

Ask for task transparency

One of the best practices a company can employ is transparency among coworkers.

This is achieved by having everyone input their tasks for the day in a timesheet. The purpose of timesheets is to get an accurate idea of what everyone is working on at any given time.

When people know who works on what tasks, it’s easier for them to know if a person is available or busy, how far along they are with a task, etc.

So, when you give assignments to employees, label them with deadlines. Alternatively, you can ask for employees’ assessments on how long the work would take them, and use those timeframes.

Source: Clockify team timesheet

Timesheets are a great way to keep an eye on tasks and the people doing them. You get to:

• see who struggles with what (helps assess people’s skill sets);
• who burns through their workload and is available for additional tasks;
• whether your time estimates need correction;
• identify any wasted time.

💡 If your employees are insecure about keeping public records of their tasks, here are a few resources that can help:

• How to create order in your daily work tasks
• How to be more efficient with your tasks

Keep a crystal clear timeframe

While we’re discussing timesheets and deadline transparency, it’s important to mention that the times you set for task completions need to be clear-cut.

As we’ve mentioned, the safest way to assign deadlines is to consult the employees. They are better at assessing how long it will take them due to the tasks’ difficulty, overall deadlines, the standards that need to be met, and the skill required to complete it.

When they get a say in how long they should be doing an assignment, people tend to feel more accountable for the whole process. They will do their best to finish in time, since they actively participated in setting the deadline.

Set very clear expectations

Assigning a task should always include your (the supervisor’s) expectations pointed out. For example:

• Does a logo pitch need as many drafts as possible, or just a few finished pieces?

If you ask a designer to make some drafts for a logo pitch, you must specify the kind of quality you’re looking for. Explain whether you are looking for some sketches and drafts for a brainstorming meeting, or if you want clean, presentable pieces to show.

Additionally:

• How many pieces should the designer do?
• Is there a specific color palette they need to follow?
• How important is the task? Is this the day they finally decide on a logo, or is it still in the brainstorming stage? (decides on the quality of the work itself)

Assigning the task using the above questions, you help the designer understand how much effort precisely they need to invest. They become more motivated with clear instructions, as they know what is expected of them. There’s no fear of having their work criticized for something that wasn’t communicated in the beginning. And on your end, it prevents breached deadlines or subpar results.

Avoid creating dependency by being less involved

It’s not unusual for employees to ask their supervisors for their opinion on a certain task, or their performance.

The problem arises when a supervisor makes themselves too involved with the process. When they feel like the project might fall apart if they don’t have their eyes on every moving part all of the time. And when you have, say, 20 people waiting for that person’s approval, advice, or consultation, the workflow runs into a gridlock.

And wait time is wasted time.

Plus, people lose motivation, patience, and grow frustrated, as they could be doing other things.

So, learn not to jump in every time people call for your aid. Assign reliable people who can address smaller issues, while you handle the big picture. Learn how to expend your own energy where it is needed more.

For example – making a pitch presentation for potential investors keeps getting put off because one person needs you to check a client email they want to send, another wants your signature on a form, and the third wants to ask something about employee feedback that’s coming up.

In order to not be stretched thin, and have your time wasted on menial tasks, here’s where you can start:

How to mitigate the risk of being over-involved when assigning

• Remember that you match tasks to people

Which means that, by matching the right people with the right tasks, your involvement will be minimal. Take time to carefully choose who gets to do what. What is the point of assigning tasks if they can’t be done without you?

• Have a 10-point scale to judge the importance of items

How important are certain aspects of your leadership role? Are you absolutely necessary in every meeting, or during every call? Which tasks need your approval, and which ones can be approved by someone under you?

Rank these items on a scale of 0 to 10, based on their importance to you and the project. Top priority tasks should get your undivided attention. And what can be delegated, should be.

• Analyze your schedule

Your energy and time are needed on a much broader scale. The best way to spot if you’re wasting time being too involved is to look at your schedule. Identify how much time you’ve spent on low-priority items, and assess which issues could’ve been solved without you.

• Take into account priorities and deadlines

Step in only when absolutely necessary. You are in charge of things getting done on time, by people most qualified for assigned tasks. Determine what your priorities are for each project, and concern yourself only with those issues, unless there is a risk of breaching a deadline.

• Formulate a list of dependable people

If you know your employees (or team members) well enough, then you should be able to single out those who are more dependable and ready to take on a little more responsibilities. Write out the reasons how they could help by getting involved on low-priority items instead of you. When the time comes, rally them and present them with the idea, keeping in mind that this solution helps push the project forward. When authority is delegated to several people, there’s fewer chances of a hold-up in the workflow.

This also falls into the realm of task delegation , which we’ll get into later.

How do you decide what tasks to assign to which employees?

1. assign based on priority.

Naturally, some tasks will be more important than others. When you break down a project into tasks , spend some time assessing their priority level.

High-priority tasks should be the first on your list to allocate. Whether it’s because they’re time-sensitive, or require more effort and dedication.

Low priority tasks can be allocated as fillers to the first available person.

2. Assign based on employee availability

Another factor to consider when assigning tasks is who is available at the moment.

As the project moves along, new tasks will be added. You will have to allocate new work, but odds are you won’t always be able to pick who you want. Especially if a deadline is approaching, the person with the smallest workload should be your first choice.

Overloading an already busy individual just because they’re more skilled or you have faith in them the most puts an unnecessary strain on them. It’s cause for frustration, poorer results, and decreased productivity.

And as we’ve mentioned, if you have a timesheet with an overview of all the tasks and employees working on them, it’ll be much easier to spot who is free and who isn’t.

3. Assign based on employee skill level

High-priority tasks should go to employees with more experience in a given field or skill. However, you should occasionally give such tasks to other employees as well, to help them grow and become just as dependable. Giving people challenging tasks that can boost their experience is essential to productivity and morale.

Not to mention you get to have multiple high-skilled employees.

Low-priority tasks can be assigned to anyone, despite their experience level. They’re a good opportunity to practice, pick up new skills, or get smaller tasks out of the way to make room for more important ones.

4. Assign based on preference

Last, but not the least, preference can also play a big part in how you assign tasks.

It’s a given that some employees will prefer certain tasks over others. So it could be good to assign tasks at a meeting with the team. As you discuss priorities, deadlines, and availability, ask them which tasks they would like to work on.

If someone shows interest in a specific type of work, they should (with some consideration), be allowed to take it. After all, people are more productive when they’re assigned to something they find new or exciting.

Note: Apply this rule with caution. Letting people do only the tasks they want can stunt their career growth. Getting out of our comfort zones and occasionally doing tasks that we don’t like is how we develop and learn. So, don’t forget to document assignments as you hand them out, to spot these potential issues early on.

Allocating vs delegating tasks

While semantically similar words, delegation and allocation in terms of tasks are two different things.

When you allocate tasks , you are assigning tasks without giving the employees much authority, challenge, or room to grow. It includes you keeping all of the responsibility – writing out the tasks, making deadlines, providing resources, tools, etc. These are usually recurring tasks that can become repetitive.

When you delegate tasks , you allow for some of that responsibility to fizzle out from your fingers. All you think about are the objectives, while letting the employees figure out the details and means to get there.

However, that doesn’t mean delegation is right and the allocation is wrong.

Task allocation has its own place. It is just as important, as a lot of tasks come down to repeated processes that are still vital to the project progress. Task delegation is just a good opportunity for employees to learn, challenge themselves, and assess their skills and performance.

When should you allocate tasks?

Management and BizDev consultant Artem Albul shared his concept on task assignment, which he dubbed an “algorithm”. He emphasized how these criteria are useful only and only when you wish that employees perform the tasks based on your guidelines and instructions (aka allocation).

Here is how Albul broke down the algorithm:

Source: Artem Albul, TWA Consulting

As we can see, task allocation, while the more “controlling” of the two, also gives in-depth instructions and asks for confirmation on task clarity. A lot of it comes down to everyone being on the same page, leaving little to no room for misinterpretation (but also creative freedom).

How should you allocate tasks?

With all that we’ve mentioned in the previous section, here’s how your task allotment could look like, step by step.

• Break down your project

Detail out the goals, objectives, and some individual tasks (not all, be careful not to start micromanaging). Place the most important deadlines.

• Prioritize tasks and sort them

It’s important to know what tasks need to be done faster/better, to properly allocate your resources and manpower from the start.

• Make a list of teams and team members

Assign team leaders (if you don’t have them), and alternatively, ask for their input on individual employees skills, for a more informed decision on who gets what.

• Schedule a meeting

Make a meeting with the team leads and go through the points above. Assign tasks according to each team’s availability, interest, and skill required to successfully push the project forward.

• As team leads – assign tasks further down the pipeline
• Track task completion and make necessary changes along the way

Whether it’s pushing deadlines, reassigning tasks, or shifting around resources. This is perfectly fine and expected, so long as it doesn’t happen on every task you’ve assigned. Then, it is an indicator of poor pre-planning.

• Offer feedback and write performances

Don’t forget to track the progress and make notes of important details that might help the next task allocation/delegation process. It’s also a useful piece of information for the employees on what they need to improve on.

Allocating tasks is somewhat more complicated than we want it to be. But, this kind of thorough research and preparation will make projects run more smoothly. Employees will also be more satisfied with their work, and there will be less hurdles as deadlines approach.

When should you delegate tasks?

Delegation is a great practice in trust for both the employer/supervisor and the employee. The employer learns how to give away some of their control over the process, while the employee learns how to take more accountability for their work.

This lets you focus on big-picture aspects of your job, since you deal less with assignments that are low-priority for you. You save time and energy, while helping others move up in their careers.

How do you effectively delegate tasks as a leader?

As we’ve mentioned, delegating includes more employee independence. There are some additional components which make this type of task assignment more appealing than allocation, with great opportunities for growth.

Focus on delegating objectives instead of actual tasks

When you delegate, you focus on the objective that needs to be done. You shouldn’t give employees a “color by numbers” instruction on how to complete a task.

Communicate clearly what the end result should be and what expectations you (or the higher-ups) have. Leave the means for reaching that end goal to the employees themselves. Because how you solve a task may be completely different to how they will. And that is perfectly fine, so long as the result is the one you are looking for.

Keep the objectives challenging

When the objectives you’re delegating are too easy, chances are the person will either procrastinate, or feel like you don’t trust them enough. And if they’re too difficult, they get frustrated, anxious, and begin to panic.

It’s a good idea to be aware of an employee’s skill level, so you can gauge how much challenge and responsibility they can take on. For them to be the most productive and achieve great results, they need to enter “the state of Flow”.

Source: Optimal Experience , M. Csikszentmihalyi

💡 We’ve discussed the state of Flow in more detail in an article on time organization.

Encourage discussion and feedback

Let employees voice their opinions on the topic.

They should ask anything about the task, the goals, or the overall impact their work will have on the later stages or others’ workflow. It means they are interested in the task, and getting involved.

And if they aren’t asking questions themselves, you can always nudge them into proactivity.

• Is there something you’d like me to clarify?
• Do you already have any ideas on how to go about the task?
• Is the time we agreed upon enough for you?
• Will you need other resources, tools, or support?
• Do you see any problems or risks?

Questions like these help them feel valued, their efforts acknowledged, and let them know you care about the task and how well they perform. Just be careful not to overdo it, or you’ll start to look like a micromanager.

Give employees free rein, but offer support

Speaking of micromanaging, delegation means you let people problem-solve their way out on their own. There should be no reason for a manager to step in and control or supervise any step of the process, unless absolutely necessary.

However, what you should do is let them know you’re available for any advice should they feel stuck. Just because employees get authority on a certain task, and are left to their own devices, doesn’t mean the project has to suffer until they pull themselves up.

From time to time, ask them if they need anything from you, and make sure they know you’re there for any kind of support, consultation, or mediation. ANother good practice is to also give them additional learning opportunities – such as training, conferences, courses, etc.

Delegate objectives that move people forward

Choose assignments that boost the skills and employ all of their experiences, instead of something that simply needs to be done. For example:

• Tasks that require they brush up on their team communication skills;
• Learning how to allocate smaller tasks;
• Supervising others’ work and doing quality control;
• Learning to work with a new tool;
• Holding a meeting (or more), etc.

Find out which skills your employees may want or need to develop, and then plan your delegations accordingly. You want them to complete the task while having learned something new at the same time.

How to choose who to delegate to

Paul Beesley, senior director and consultant at Beyond Theory proposed a nifty checklist for when you’re choosing an employee to delegate to. It’s meant to simplify and speed up the process.

To successfully complete the delegated task, your chosen employee needs:

S – the skill to perform and complete a task

T – the time to complete the task, and if needed, learn the required skill

A – the authority to handle everything concerning the task

R – the necessary level of responsibility

R – the recognition for successfully completing the task

This list is a set of important criteria that should be covered when you consider who to assign to a specific task. However, depending on your niche, type of service, company size and the project at hand, the criteria are likely to change. And it should accommodate your needs, not the other way around.

Common task delegation mistakes to avoid

With all being said, there are some common mistakes managers and employers make, sometimes without even realizing it.

• Being too vague concerning deadlines (using: as soon as possible, when you get to it, I need it by yesterday). It creates unnecessary pressure.
• Being unavailable for questions and concerns. While you shouldn’t micromanage, you should still be present for support if an employee feels stuck. Ignoring them or handing them over to someone else could cause distrust. However, if you are usually swamped with work, set consultation hours each day or week.
• Having unclear directions. Specifying the allotted time for task completion and expectations should be the bare minimum when delegating tasks.
• Not providing feedback. No feedback is worse than bad feedback. Employees need to be aware when they’re doing good work, as well. In one company I worked for, the mantra was: “If no one is complaining about your work, that means you’re doing good”. And while it sounds like sound logic, it actually caused a lot of frustration. We were left directionless, and simply “floating” from task to task, never knowing if any of them had a positive impact on our performance.
• Not listening to employees. Take into account how they feel about a task or the objective. Let them give you feedback and if there are potential problems from the get-go.
• Assigning other people to the same task. If you notice a person struggling, the first instinct should be to ask them how they’re faring, and if they need any help. Some managers tend to assign other employees to help them without consultation, which leaves a sore taste. The employee will feel even more incompetent and will be less likely to take on a similar task in the future.
• Assuming people will know what you mean. This is one of the biggest problems. When you’re formulating a task, be as clear as possible about the goals and expectations. Oftentimes managers think that these things are implied, but the truth is – no one is a mind reader. To avoid having information misconstrued or misunderstood, communicate clearly and directly.

There could be more mistakes, especially for every different field and industry. If at all possible, identify the most common ones, made either by you or your peers. Note down all the instances where certain tasks weren’t up to par, and see what you could have changed in your assignment process to fix it. Maybe there wasn’t enough time or resources, you were unclear, or the employee wasn’t ready for such responsibility. Use the same procedure in all future task delegations. It’s the only way to learn and make the process quicker.

Use Clockify to assign tasks with ease

Now you’re a master of task delegation — congrats!

But there’s more to it than meets the eye.

In fact, what if you used a digital tool like Clockify to increase the likelihood that each job would be completed on time and on point?

In Clockify, you can easily create highly descriptive assignments that contain information like:

• Start time,
• Billability status,
• Name of the employee,
• Period for getting the assignment done,
• Hours per day to spend on the assignment, and more.

That way, you can plan who works on what, how long, and when.

Similarly, Clockify allows you to create project milestones to achieve results faster.

With the Milestones option, you can select dates for deadlines, allowing you to pin down important events in your projects.

For example, if your client expects you to keep them in the loop about developments, you can inform them promptly on whether your team has reached the agreed-upon milestones.

Refocus on your company’s big picture with a project and time tracking tool.

Marijana Stojanovic is a writer and researcher who specializes in the topics of productivity and time management.

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Managing Tasks As A Project Manager: 3 Key Strategies For 2024

Learn about the value of systems thinking for project management, and get three key strategies for managing tasks using systems thinking.

Managing tasks as a project manager often feels like chasing the tail of the proverbial dragon. At the heart of good project management is keeping up with change on all fronts.

From goals, tools, and priorities that shift like quicksand, nothing has embodied change more than this past year. 58% of organizations reported the COVID-19 pandemic impacted operations and task management, as well as forced projects into delay or cancellation.

Yet beneath the magnifying glass of maddening uncertainty, other things come into (or out of, if your webcam can’t get it together in Zoom meetings) focus. Not just our task management strategies, but the way we fundamentally look at projects and deliver work.

For a lot of project managers feeling like the rug’s been pulled out from under us, it’s time to go back to basics. No, not a SWOT analysis, I mean you . How do you view your organization, your team?

One of the surprising takeaways from this past year is how few project managers employ systems thinking in their project management tools , despite how they provide measurable benefits in framing and solving problems that arise from multiple perspectives and relationships—like, say, a global pandemic. Current research on managing complex projects suggests project managers would benefit from systems thinking.

Okay, Why Systems Thinking And Why Now?

Because according to the APM, many project managers think deterministically and use task management tools like Gantt charts reflecting that. And, last year highlighted an ongoing surge in searches for new project management methodologies. Since 2017, google searches for Agile methodologies are up 28% .

Many projects DPMs are involved with have a degree of high complexity and high interaction, a concept we’ll cover in more detail shortly, and need a framework to directly address that.

Alright, But Why Does Neuroscience Matter To DPMs?

Good project managers are the executive functioning system of organizations. We’re responsible for a lot—organization, planning, problem-solving, motivation, managing actions and time management. That probably sounds familiar.

Project managers function similarly to the prefrontal cortex.

Now, apply this to projects and a pattern emerges. Projects themselves are also systems.

The structure of a system uses a sequence of events—a process—to perform the desired function. This is the same as all project management that is built around structures and processes. Here’s where the axis of interaction and complexity I promised comes in.

There is plenty of overlap between systems thinking and project management methods.

Through the lens of systems thinking, we can compare how projects as systems pair with an equivalent project management system . Simple tasks and projects, defined by a low number of interactions and a low number of components function within a linear or waterfall-style project management system and so on.

A project’s original boundaries change as scope changes. Likewise, systems take input from their environment. Complex projects, characterized by boundaries that change in response to a changing environment like unstable remote work, require management with an understanding of systems thinking.

Related Read: We’ve Got The Power: How DPMs Influence Ways Of Working

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3 Key Task Management Strategies

Without further ado, let’s deep dive into what managing tasks as a project manager in 2024 could look like, how to make systems thinking work for you as a DPM, and three key task management strategies to hang on to into the next year. We’ll cover:

• Why you should consider redefining roles
• Why project planning is still important in 2024
• How to build a proactive communication plan

1. Defining Roles

Role definition (and redefinition) is a crucial first step to developing your task management strategy. Each of your project team members should have a defined role and responsibility. It’s up to project managers to keep the vision clear. Without clear role definition and prioritization, all task management strategies fall apart.

There’s a reason the word “think tank” describes a precise, coordinated (however controversial it may be) project effort. Successful, structured organizations on some level, mirror the brain.

Think about it for a moment—organizations are well-defined information systems, communication systems, decision-making systems, and more. All these complex systems interconnect their disparate functions to collaborate, forming a constant free-flow of ideas and operations.

A philosopher by the name of Daniel Dennett, who I made the mistake of arguing with twice in my undergraduate philosophy of mind studies, once again explains it better than me: “competing parallel activities can make complementary and competing contributions into a coherent pattern.” Say that three times fast.

To put it simply: multiple ideas working at once can come together into a clear, focused project. Organizations are like brains in that brains are a highly attuned output process of hundreds of systems. The key, however, is to ensure each role is performing a single or focused function. Multitasking tanks productivity by 40% .

Systems Thinking Tool: Decision Matrix

Okay, that was a lot to take in. Defining what requires delegation—and where—begins with decision making. Dwight Eisenhower’s infamous decision matrix is, in fact, none other than an application of systems thinking.

Eisenhower’s decision-making matrix.

The classic decision matrix is a simple four quadrant chart designed to take guesswork out of prioritizing. It follows a handy alliteration: do, decide, delegate, delete. These boxes further intersect with a label of either urgent or important and their negative counterparts. “Do” being urgent and important, “delete” being not urgent and not important, and so on.

Our current collective environment feels like a roulette wheel of natural disasters, pandemic fear, and more. Likewise, it’s important to keep in mind how external stress impacts the decision-making process .

Chronic stress biases human decision-making towards habits instead of goals. Adjacent to being adaptable with roles is mitigating workplace stress, which affects decision making.

Key task management strategies going forward into 2024 are those that assist us with decision making and prioritization while keeping the system and environment in mind—and the decision matrix is a great place to start.

2. Developing Project Plans

The next step in tuning your executive functioning as a DPM is goal setting. Stay with me, project plans for complex projects aren’t a waste of time in an agile-centric era.

Effective projects require a project plan. Remember, the point of this is to re-examine and possibly redefine how we develop project plans .

A wise man once said the tree that bends doesn’t break. Instead of moulding the home to fit the work, we need to look at how the work fits the home. Adaptation is the brain’s biggest evolutionary achievement. The more we understand how the brain deals with complex change , the more we learn about managing projects effectively .

Think of your brain and your organization, as your home—perhaps one of your biggest work-related challenges this year. In 1923, Swiss architect Le Corbusier called homes: “a machine for living in.” From the grid of electrification to city architecture and the internet, home is not simply a place. It’s the nexus of human interaction and connection.

Take it from Christopher Bolick, faculty lead in the Northeastern University’s project management program, “you wouldn’t [start] to build a house without having a detailed blueprint showing the contractor how to begin.” Task management that works is all about deconstructing the big deliverables within a project into smaller, manageable tasks. AKA: making a plan.

Well-defined plans and templates are essential to task and time management. One of the key processes in a project plan is evaluating your resource load. Every DPM knows time is the only crucial non-renewable resource you have.

Systems Thinking Tool: Resource Breakdown Structure

You can’t build your literal or figurative house without knowing what you have and what you need. Using a resource breakdown structure is more than a list, it employs systems thinking by examining how resource costs are interrelated.

A good RBS will help you with managing tasks as a project manager by looking at all variables affecting your plan towards each step as they connect. The power of functional perspective granted by RBS is also an excellent complement to an existing WBS.

RBS also requires team collaboration to delegate tasks, streamline workflows , and prevent bottlenecks.

Ever heard of self-managing teams? If you're wondering what that could mean for you, check this out: Project Teams Without Project Managers: Exploring The PM Dilemma (with Julia Ryzhkova from Railsware)

Don’t Get Stuck In The Productivity Software Rabbit Hole

Productivity software is certainly a powerful and essential tool for DPMs. Being able to track tasks, project progress, due dates, and more are essential to excel in the current landscape.

From the humble to-do list to more ambitious stuff like OmniFocus, it features a central design principle: automation. Automation is the result of creating a (you guessed it) system that automates and streamlines a series of processes. Offloading executive tasks and employing time tracking frees your most precious resource: time.

Project management software in general is a big subject, and you’ll notice we tend to go back to this well a lot. For good reason! Only 22% of organizations use project management software, but 77% of high-performing projects use project management software. It makes sense for DPMs to be sort of obsessed with the topic.

With more organizations transitioning to permanent hybrid or remote models, things like IoT, communication, and task management software are fundamentally altering the executive functioning of project management. Those that capitalize on this shift will be able to deliver and complete projects faster than those that don’t adapt.

That said, when trying to stay on top of managing tasks as a project manager, it’s easy to get stuck in the bottomless pit of productivity software. I’ll be the first to admit I’m guilty of trying dozens of different programs at once . The best productivity software is the one that works for you . Knowing what you need out of productivity software relies on understanding the scope, roles, and environment of the systems you’re working within.

Basically, you need to know what needs automation in your project and pair it with an equivalent system to do so.

Related Read: What Is Project Management Software Used For?

3. Good Communication

We use systems thinking in everyday language without (ironically) thinking about it. “Domino effect,” “circular logic,” and “a downward spiral” all express the main concepts behind systems thinking.

The majority of what we do as DPMs is communicating— it’s 90% of a project manager’s job . We can’t properly delegate roles, plan, or build a good RBS without excellent communication at every level. The first step to drafting your next communication plan should be determining what kind of communication your stakeholders need.

If you take anything away from this, I hope it’s the idea that organizations are not islands. You’ve probably caught on by now to how each aspect of managing tasks as a project manager interconnects. As DPMs, we’re running an information system. Information doesn’t become communication until it’s interpreted.

Everything we do within our organization occurs within a social system. The most important skill for project managers, not just for the coming year, is communication. A full quarter of project managers report that they don’t have access to project communication software.

A key for managing tasks as a project manager in 2024 is shaping a proactive communication environment that works for you .

A good way to stay communicated is by getting your team members to create content whether it’s about their specialization, the work culture, or the kind of ideas they have for your organization. Find out how you can make content creation part of your culture, here .

Check This Out: Workshop: Don’t Just Manage Your Team, Manage Your Client

Systems Thinking Tool: Rich Picture Diagram

When developing your communication plans for complex projects, consider how using rich pictures can improve the way you see them as systems. Rich picture diagrams are free-flowing drawings that illustrate the relationship between multiple elements and factors. Rich pictures help create a mental model that opens communication, opens relations of stakeholders to each other, and provides additional context you may have been missing.

A scenario: the DPM delivers a project for a web launch built according to well-defined requirements—the system satisfies them. On launch, it’s condemned by users. How’d we get here? Likely, by not seeing how the requirements were unrelated to (or are interfering with) what the users actually perform. It’s a breakdown in communication.

Looking visually at dynamics such as communication and processes, as well as structures like resources and framework, helps us see new dependencies and how they all fit together, something that will prove essential for the coming year.

Final Thoughts

Regardless of whether you’re a DPM veteran or just starting out, having good task management strategies is essential to project success. Companies using task management techniques that work spend 28 times less compared to those delivering without any at all.

The Digital Project Manager newsletter is an integrative community at the forefront of innovation in DPM. Connect with other PMs and find more resources by subscribing to the DPM newsletter . Let us know what your projections for managing tasks as a project manager in 2024 are below!

Also Worth Checking Out:

• ClickUp Review: In-Depth Look At How It Works [+Video]
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Publish task lists to define and track work in your organization

As an operations manager or similar business leader, you can centrally create a list of tasks for many teams in your org and monitor for completion of work. This feature is designed to make task management easier for organizations with frontline workers distributed across many different geographic locations.

This capability is available to you in the Planner app in Microsoft Teams if your organization  enabled task publishing for you and your team.  

In this article

Before you get started

Create a publishable task list

Make changes to a list that hasn't been published yet

Publish a task list

Make changes to a published task list

View reporting for published tasks

With task publishing, your organization can centrally define tasks and distribute them to the teams who must perform the work. If enabled for you by your organization , you’ll find this functionality in the Planner app in Microsoft Teams.

In the task publishing experience, you start with a task list, which you can add tasks to. You have control over the details for each task in a list so you can add notes, set the priority, attach documents and photos, or apply requirements for completion. When you add at least one task to a task list, you can publish that list to the teams (locations) that you choose. After publishing a list, you’ll see a reporting view that reflects completion status of the work across locations, and:  

Frontline workers can see all tasks assigned to them in the Planner app in Teams on mobile, desktop, and web.

Frontline managers can use Planner to track task progress and completion for their locations.

Organization leaders can use Planner to see task progress across all locations.

Frontline workers and managers won’t be able to delete the tasks published to their team. The title, notes field, and checklist item fields are also protected for published tasks, so frontline employees can't change the details of the work.

Important:  You'll only see the Publishing page if your organization enabled task publishing by uploading a hierarchy and you're a member of a team in that hierarchy. If publishing is available for you, the Publishing page allows you to broadly publish to teams you're not a member of. The My Tasks & Plans page shows your individual tasks for yourself and the tasks you're working on directly with teammates (in your teams and channels). Plans in My Tasks & Plans can't be published.

Before you get started 

Learn about the types of lists you can create and publish .

There are two types of task lists in task publishing. You can create lists with tasks for each team  (known as standard task lists) and lists with tasks  for each team member . Here’s more information about each type of list and when to use them.

Get familiar with the Publishing page

Note:   Some users will also see a Received section where they see lists published to their team by teams higher up in the hierarchy. Most publishing users won’t see this section.

Create a new task list

For each team .   Use for tasks that need to be completed once per team, also referred to as a standard task list.

For each team member . Use for tasks that everyone on the team must complete, such as training or policy acknowledgement tasks.

Important:  After you create a list with tasks for each team , you can’t change it to a list for each team member and vice versa. You’ll need to create a new list.

Name your list.

If you belong to more than one team that can publish, select the team to publish from. The teams that receive the task list publication will be able to see which team the task list was published from.

Select  Create . The new list appears under  Drafts .

Under  Task title , give the first task a title, and select Enter .

Select the task title to open the task and add or edit any of the following.   

Bucket. Use to categorize tasks. For example,  Warehouse  or  Sales Desk  buckets could be used to identify the work group who will perform the task.

Priority. Options are Urgent, Important, Medium, and Low.

Start date or due date

A checklist of up to 20 items. You control the items, order, and whether the  checklist is required for task completion . Task recipients control marking each item complete. 

An attachment 

Requirements for task completion. Task recipients must complete the requirements before they can mark the task complete. To learn more, see Set requirements for task completion in a task list . 

Required form : Link up to two forms that task recipients must fill out. You can create a new form or use an existing form.

Required approval : Add an approval requirement for task recipients to request and receive approval from a manager. This is only available for tasks lists created using the For each team option (also known as standard task lists). 

To add another task, enter a task name in the  New task  field.

Tip:  After you create tasks, you can bulk edit the priority, due date, or bucket for all the selected tasks. 

 If you created your list using the For each team option (also known as a standard task list), you can make it recurring so that it automatically publishes on a repeating schedule. To do so, select Does not repeat , choose the recurrence settings for the list, and then select Save . To learn more about working with recurring task lists, see Use recurring task lists . 

Duplicate a task list

You can create a copy of any task list using the Duplicate action. This action creates a new list with a copy of the tasks in the original list. You can choose the name of the new list and which team it should be created for. Then, you can edit the tasks in the new list to prepare it for publishing.

Name the list and select the Publish from team. If you belong to more than one team in your organization’s hierarchy, you'll see multiple choices. The teams that receive the task list publication will be able to see which team the task list was published from.

Select Duplicate . After the list is duplicated, it appears under Drafts . You can interact with the list just like other draft lists.  

Make changes to a task list that hasn't been published yet 

Edit tasks in a draft or scheduled list.

Under  Drafts or Scheduled , select the task list you want to edit. 

To change a task, select its title to open the task, and then do one of the following:

To change any of the task's fields, select the field and edit as needed. You can also add or remove attachments and requirements.  

Rename a list

You can rename a draft list before you publish it. 

Enter the new name in the Title box, and then select Save .

Delete a task list from Drafts or Unpublished

Important:  You can't delete a list in the Published state or a recurring list series in the Scheduled state. You must first unpublish the list or cancel the list series and then unpublish it, which deletes all tasks in the list or lists from all recipient teams. After unpublishing the list or list series, it appears under  Unpublished.

You can delete any task list under Drafts  or  Unpublished .

Under Drafts or Unpublished , go to the task list you want to delete.

Publish a task list 

Publish a task list .

When your task list is ready to go, publish it to the teams whose members will do the work. 

Note:  After you publish a list, you can  make changes to the tasks but you can't make changes to the teams selected to receive those tasks.

Under  Drafts , select a task list, and then in the upper-right corner, select  Publish  or Publish series (if it's a recurring task list ). 

Choose how to select the recipient teams. You can select the teams from a hierarchy or upload a custom list of teams. Learn more about these options . The following steps show selection from a hierarchy.

To select all the teams within a branch of the hierarchy, select the check box next to it. For example, selecting "North America" selects all the locations in that region. 

To publish to only locations with certain attributes, select a filter. For example, to select all locations with a large layout, select the "Large" filter. In the example image, the task list will be published to all large stores in North America.

Choose whether to notify recipient teams.

Select  Next , and then review your publication plan. To make changes, select  Back .  

Select the  Ready, everything looks good here check box, and then choose  Publish . 

As soon as the publishing process begins, the task list moves from Drafts to Published to indicate that tasks are being sent and becoming visible to recipients. 

Task publishing can take a little while if there are a large number of tasks in your task list or if you select a large number of recipient teams. It’s okay to leave the publishing screen and come back later— the tasks will continue publishing in the background. 

When publishing is done, you'll see a message at the top of the  Publishing page indicating your tasks were successfully delivered.

Important:  If alert icons appear, select  View details  to help resolve the issues.

Edit tasks in a published list

You can edit tasks in a published list by putting the list into edit mode. When the list is in edit mode, you can update tasks in the list, delete tasks from the list, or add new tasks to the list. Changes aren't published to recipient teams until you select the  Publish changes  and confirm the summary. 

When you publish changes to a task in a published list, the values in the task fields in the updated task will overwrite the values of those task fields in each recipient team, with the exception that the status of the task isn’t reset. For this reason, we recommend editing a task in a published list when you want to clarify what needs to be done. If there's a correction that requires the task to be completed again even if it was completed per the previous task details, we recommend deleting the original task and creating a new one.

Under  Published , select the list you want to edit, and then choose Edit list .

When you're ready to publish the changes, select Publish changes in the upper-right corner to publish the changes to all the original recipient teams.   Alternatively, you can choose to cancel the edits you made, and the list will revert back to its previously published state.

Unpublish a list 

Caution:  Unpublishing a task list removes all tasks in the list from all teams that received them. They will lose all comments and any attachments they added.

If you need to unpublish a task list, it's best to do so as soon as possible to reduce the assignment and completion of tasks that are wiped out. An unpublished list moves to the Unpublished  section and can be duplicated but can't itself be republished.   

Confirm you want to unpublish the list, and then choose Unpublis h.

After the list appears under  Unpublished , you can delete it or duplicate it, edit the copy, and publish the edited copy.

 View reporting for published tasks

Track assignment and completion of published tasks.

After you publish a task list, you'll likely want to track teams' progress in assigning and/or completing the tasks you sent them. Select a list in the Published section. From here, you can view details for the published tasks in a few different ways. 

Note:  Users in your organization can view reporting for any team they're a part of. For example, a user who is part of the Store 100 team can view reporting for that location. A user who is part of Region 1 can see reporting for all locations reporting up to Region 1 in the hierarchy.

In either view, you can select any branch of the hierarchy to expand it or select any team to see the status for that specific team. To return to a high-level view after looking at the details, select the task list name that appears above the team name.

Note:  Everyone to complete lists (lists created using the For each team member option) show the reports in a slightly different presentation. These tasks are automatically assigned at creation time, so the report focuses on completion status. 

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• Administering Payroll Flows

How Do I Edit a Flow Pattern and Create Multiple Owners

In this example, you copy a QuickPay flow pattern and change the task owners and assign tasks to multiple individuals within a group.

You can also claim a task within the flow, review notifications, and set the status of the flow task as 'Completed', so that the flow continues.

Consider these key decisions for this scenario.

Before You Start

Use the Payroll Flow Pattern task and create a QuickPay flow pattern by copying the predefined QuickPay flow pattern. Enter a name for the copied flow pattern and enter the legislative data group (LDG), to restrict this flow to a single LDG. Use the Owner Type and Owner fields to specify the group or person who can have access to the tasks.

Use the Data Roles and Security Profiles task and create a data role for Payroll Supervisor and Payroll Clerk.

Set up the right privileges for the data roles you create.

Specify a Task Owner

Select the Payroll Flow Patterns task under Payroll in My Client Groups on the Home page.

Search for the QuickPay flow that you created, and click Edit .

On the Tasks tab, select the Verify Payroll Results task, and click Edit Task .

On the Edit Task Details: Owner and Checklist page, complete these fields.

Similarly, select the View Prepayment Results task and select Payroll Supervisor as the task owner.

Next, select the Verify Payment task and select Payroll Supervisor as the task owner.

On the Tasks tab, select the Calculate QuickPay Prepayments task, and click Edit Task .

Similarly, select the Make External Payment task and select Payroll Supervisor as the task owner.

In the Notifications region, select the Flow Task Start Notification option for each task.

Click Submit , and return to the Payroll Flow Patterns page.

On the Payroll Flow Patterns page, click Submit .