Task Management Software Focuses on the Tasks Involved in Our Assignments

We can see tasks as the small activities that go to make up larger assignments. Task management software facilitates listing of tasks and the managing each in a systematic manner. And brick by brick (task by task) we get the brick wall (assignment) completed.

How Do We Manage Tasks?

In everyday life, organized people makes lists of things to do, and then review it to take necessary actions. Task management software helps us do this for large projects, by listing tasks in a hierarchical fashion. Major tasks are identified and listed at the top. For example, constructing a building involves the major tasks of earth excavation, foundation, walls, doors and windows, roofing, electrical, water supply and sanitation fittings, etc.

Under each major task there would be smaller tasks. The earth excavation task can involve hiring excavator equipment, engaging laborers, removing the excavated earth and so on. Each of these can be divided up into even more detailed tasks, such as locating excavator equipment hirers, negotiating with them, entering into formal agreements, taking delivery of the excavators, etc. It is at this detailed stage that we get actionable task lists.

Creating such actionable tasks list is the first step. In practice, this step is performed in a hierarchical manner. Top managers entrust major tasks to senior managers, who divide it up suitably and assign tasks to junior managers, who create the to-do lists and assigns specific activities to workers. The lists, from top major tasks down to detailed to-do lists, will have target dates for the completion of each.

As the work gets under way, managers check their progress against target dates, assess the quality of work, identify and resolve any issues that arise and report progress to their own managers. Monitoring tasks is the key to ensuring their achievement at acceptable quality levels.

Task management becomes complex in practice because there are many interdependencies among the tasks. Certain tasks cannot be started until other tasks have been completed in full or in part. Roofing cannot start until the walls have been erected.

Interdependencies among tasks mean that people have to work collarboratively to achieve their goals in a timely manner. Unless you are doing every single task yourself, you need to depend on others to complete your task. Task management thus involves collaboration.

How Does Task Management Software Help?

Task management software helps you create the hierarchical task lists, bring out the interdependencies, develop "critical path" sequences of core tasks, set target dates, monitor progress and work collaboratively.

Managers can get an overview and work more effectively to identify and list tasks. There might be standard checklists for standardized project assignments and these can help avoid accidental omissions of minor, but essential, tasks.

The task management software will also have facilities to look at the interdependencies using easily comprehensible graphic portrayals, and to identify the critical path, i.e., the sequence of essential tasks that determine the shortest time for completing a project.

Setting target dates and allocating tasks to specific managers and workers are other essential features of task management software. We do not look at the resource requirements and their management here. In practice, tasks can proceed only if required resources are available.

Task management software facilitates recording the progress of work, and generates progress reports that highlight any shortfalls in achieving targets.

As work proceeds, issues will inevitably arise that hinder progress. The task management software will incorporate facilities for quick resolution of the issues through issue tracking and resolution tools, such as trouble ticketing facilities.

Collaboration involves excellent communication, and efficient communication facilities would be an integral part of task management software. For example, the trouble-ticketing tool will incorporate facilities to bring each ticket to the attention of the right persons involved in resolving the concerned issue.

Without task management software that works in the background, so many things can go wrong that you would be taking an unacceptably high risk if you don't use one.