Team task management requires flexibility in response to the progress of each team member. In addition, to save time and effort in such management, it is effective to utilize a “task management tool”.
However, many people may be concerned that it is difficult to choose the best tool for their team from a wide variety of task management tools.
In this issue, we will focus on task management tools that are useful for team management, also this article is for below people.
- Since I don’t have much time, I want to compare from carefully selected task management tools.
- I want to introduce a tool and manage tasks for the entire team efficiently
- I want to find a tool that allows us to manage tasks without burden, even if you are not an IT expert
This article will help you find the best task management tool for your team and reduce your management burden.
Contents
- 1 What is Task Management?
- 2 3 merits of sharing tasks in teams and departments
- 3 5 task management tools for teams and departments
- 4 Basic functions of task management tools
- 5 3 selection points for task management tool
- 6 3 tips for team/department task management
- 7 Summary of 5 best tools for team and department task management
What is Task Management?
This section provides an overview of task management. If you have not had a clear understanding of how it differs from project management and task management or why it is necessary, this is a must see.
Differences from project management
Task management and project management have different objects to manage. The specific differences are as follows.
- Project Management
- Task Management
The purpose of project management is to manage the “entire team” for the success of the project. The project leader must achieve the 3 goals of “quality,” “cost,” and “delivery date” through project management.
The purpose of task management is to manage the “tasks” necessary for the success of the project. Through task management, the project leader needs to monitor the overall progress of the project and make adjustments to ensure that the team is running efficiently.
In this way, project management and task management have different management objectives, but both have the same goal of “making the project successful”.
Why is task management important?
The reason why task management is important is because it allows teleworkers to proceed with their work without delay.
While the number of companies implementing telework has increased in recent years, there are cases where face-to-face communication has decreased, making it difficult to keep track of progress. In this way, “not knowing who has done what work and how far they have progressed” is fatal to the progress of a project.
This is why “task management tools,” which allow workers to check progress even while teleworking, are attracting attention. If the progress of the entire team is known in real time, it is possible to promptly report and respond to any delays in tasks.
3 merits of sharing tasks in teams and departments
Here are 3 merits of sharing tasks within a team or department. If you make the following known to your team members, you will not be in a situation where you cannot gain their understanding of task management.
(1) It will help you meet deadlines.
The first merit of sharing tasks is that you will be able to meet deadlines.
When tasks are shared within a team or department, there is a stronger sense of “being watched of tasks,” which creates a sense of tension and responsibility. However, in individual task management, it is not uncommon for a task to be put off until the very last minute, because nobody points out to you.
If tasks are shared among a team or department, a sense of urgency will help keep tasks on time and projects on schedule.
(2) Increased communication
The next merit of sharing tasks is to increase communication among team members.
For example, if a task is running behind schedule, the team can immediately become aware of it and can ask about problems or share their know-how. On the other hand, task management is left to individuals, communication will not occur unless each individual reports.
In other words, task sharing can help solve one of the challenges of telework: lack of communication.
(3) Progress of members becomes visible
Finally, there is the merit of making members’ progress visible.
If tasks are shared by the team, “who has done what and to what extent” can be seen at a glance, and there is no need to worry about excessive workloads being placed on certain members.
Sharing tasks not only makes it easier to manage the team, but it is also essential for assigning tasks according to each member’s abilities and situation.
5 task management tools for teams and departments
Below are 5 task management tools that can be used by teams and departments.
Using a task management tool has the merit of visualizing the progress of your team and facilitating communication. However, it is not recommended to select a tool based on judgments such as “it has various functions and seems convenient”.
This is because a multifunctional tool may not be used properly by team members who are not familiar with IT, resulting in omissions of tasks. A tool is meaningless if it cannot be used by everyone in the team, so be sure to check whether the tool is simple enough that anyone can operate it without burden.
In conclusion, the best tool to choose is Stock, which has all the necessary functions for task management and can be used intuitively by anyone.
Stock has a “Note” where you can leave all kinds of information, and “Task” linked to the Note allow you to easily set, share, and manage tasks. Also, “Message” are associated with Notes, there is no need to use different tools to communicate with your team.
[Stock] The easiest tool to manage tasks in your company
The simplest tool to stock information "Stock"
https://www.stock-app.info/en/
Stock is the simplest tool to stock information. Stock solves the problem, "there is no easy way to stock information within the company".
With Stock, anyone can easily store all kinds of information, including text information such as requirements, images, and files, using the Note feature.
In addition, by using the "Task" and "Message" functions, you can communicate with each topic described in the Note, so that information is not dispersed here and there and work can always be carried out in an organized manner.
＜Why do we recommend Stock?＞
- A tool for companies that are not familiar with ITYou don't need to have any IT expertise to get started.
- Simple and usable by anyoneStock is so simple that anyone can use it without any unnecessary features.
- Amazingly easy information storing and task managementIt is amazingly easy to store information such as shared information within a company, and intuitive task management is also possible.
＜Stock's pricing＞
- Free plan ：Free
- Business plan ：$5 / User / Month
- Enterprise plan ：$10 / User / Month
[Trello] A tool to manage tasks like posting sticky notes
＜Features of Trello＞
- You can use the Kanban system
- Measuring work productivity
Trello allows users to manage tasks using the kanban method, where tasks are re-posted repeatedly like sticky notes to keep track of their progress.
Using the extended functionality, anyone can add a timer to each task to measure the amount of time spent on it, allowing them to monitor their productivity.
＜Notes of Trello＞
- Some functions are not available on smartphones
Some functions are not available from the smartphone version of Trello, checking before operating on a company smartphone.
＜Price of Trello＞
- FREE: $0
- STANDARD：$6 USD/user/month (monthly payment)
- PREMIUM: $12.50 USD/user/month (monthly payment)
- ENTERPRISE: $17.50 USD or less per user per month (annually payment)
[Todoist] A tool to manage tasks with a to-do list
＜Features of Todoist＞
- Tasks can be managed in the form of a to-do list
- Can be linked to other tools
You can manage tasks in the form of a to-do list, in which tasks are displayed in a list. You can also use the kanban method of managing tasks on a board.
You can integrate Todoist with tools in a variety of fields, such as calendars, communication, and voice assistants.
＜Notes of Todoist＞
- Task information cannot be stocked
- Business use is difficult with the free plan
Since the amount of information that can be stored in Todoist is limited, so you cannot manage tasks and information together.
Free plan of Todoist does not have a reminder function to prevent tasks from being left undone, so it may not be suitable for projects with a set deadline.
Todoist Fee Structure
- Beginner plan(for individual): Free of charge
- Pro plan(for individual): $4/month
- Starter plan(for team): Free of charge
- Business plan(for team): $6/month
[Notion] A tool to manage tasks in a database
＜Features of Notion＞
- Notion is tool of database type
- Detailed access privileges
Notion is a database tool, and you can create your own task management charts by customizing the functions from information in Notion.
Notion has five access privileges: “Full Access,” “Edit,” “Comment,” “Read,” and “Access Denied,” so you can choose which one to use depending on the information.
＜Note of Notion＞
- Difficult to master due to its multiple functions.
- Sharing is difficult with the free plan
Although Notion has a database and a variety of other functions, it is complicated to use and may not stick with those who are not digitally savvy.
Since the number of people who can share
information in free plan of Notion is limited, it is difficult to operate with a large team.
＜Price of Notion＞
- Free: Free
- Plus: $10/month (monthly payment)
- Business: $18/user/month (monthly payment)
- Enterprise: You need inquiry.
[Wrike] Task management tool with rich functions
＜Features of Wrike＞
- Template function available
- You can switch the display format of tasks
All tasks required for a project can be registered in a template, so you can eliminate unnecessary work when starting a similar project.
Tasks can be displayed in a variety of ways, including “List,” “Board,” “Table,” and “Gantt Chart.
＜Notes of Wrike＞
- It is difficult to master because of its multifunctionality
- Costly to operate
Although Wrike has a wide variety of functions, it can be difficult for people who are not good with IT to master it, and it may not take root in your team.
To get the most out of Wrike, a paid plan is the way to go, but be aware that there is an operating cost of $9.80/user/month.
＜Price of Wrike＞
- Free: $0
- Team: $9.80/user/month
- Business: $24.80/user/month
- Enterprise: You need inquiry.
- Pinnacle: You need inquiry.
Basic functions of task management tools
The following seven basic features of task management tools are useful for team management.
| Basic Functions for tasks | Details of Functions |
|---|---|
Registration | Create individual tasks. |
Delete | Delete a task that was registered by mistake. |
Set deadline | Set a deadline for a task. You can prevent forgetting to do a task. |
Status | Record and track the status (progress) of tasks. |
Search | Search for a Task you wish to check. |
Request | Assign a Task to a subordinate. |
Share | Share individually assigned tasks with your team. |
If a tool does not have too much or not enough of the above functions, you do not need to add functions or learn how to use them later.
3 selection points for task management tool
Here are 3 points to consider when selecting a task management tool. If you want to find the best tool for your company, this is a must.
(1) Does it have a note function?
First, check if a note function is included.
A point that is often overlooked in task management is “whether or not related information can also be organized together”. If the tool cannot manage related information, you will have to search for necessary documents and data from other places.
For example, a team that is good at task management has a centralized management system that links tasks and related information together.
If there is a “note function” associated with a task, there is no need to worry about the information getting mixed up, and the task can be handled more smoothly.
(2) Is a message function included?
Next, it is also important to have a message function.
For example, if a member’s progress is lagging behind, a message function can be used to quickly find out what the problem is. Also, since there is no need to use another chat tool at the same time, operating costs can be significantly reduced.
In this way, by utilizing a task management tool with a message function, task-related communication can be completed on a single tool.
(3) Is it easy to request and confirm tasks?
Finally, it is also important to make sure that task requests and confirmations are easy to perform.
If a tool does not make it easy to request and confirm tasks, team members will be reluctant to use it. Furthermore, there is a possibility that the assigned tasks will not be confirmed and progress will be delayed.
It is necessary to choose a tool with simple operation, such as Stock, which allows even non-IT company members to search and request tasks instantly.
3 tips for team/department task management
Here are 3 tips for successful team/department task management. To get the most out of your task management, keep the following points in mind.
Tip 1｜Subdivide tasks into smaller tasks
One of the most important tips for task management is to subdivide all tasks into smaller pieces.
If tasks are highly abstract, you will get confused when executing a task, saying “I don’t know where to start”. For example, in the task “process file data,” it is not clear which data should be processed, so you should set a task for each specific data.
In this way, if the tasks are subdivided, it is possible to clearly determine “what should be done and how to proceed”.
Tip 2｜Appropriately distribute tasks
Next, distribute tasks appropriately. Specifically, it is effective to keep the following 3 points in mind.
- Understand the skill level of each member
- Set appropriate deadlines for tasks
- Prioritize tasks
It is especially important to set priorities for tasks. Since the same resources cannot be allocated to all tasks, the tasks that are prioritized must be clearly identified.
Tip 3｜Use task management tools
Finally, to successfully manage your team’s tasks, utilize a “task management tool.
Unlike spreadsheets such as Excel or spreadsheets, task management tools allow you to set and request tasks smoothly. Also, there is no need to use e-mail or chat tools to share information.
However, be aware that a multifunctional tool may not be used if members are not familiar with IT. On the other hand, a Stock that is simple and not overloaded with necessary functions will not incur training costs, unlike complex tools.
Summary of 5 best tools for team and department task management
We have focused on 5 best task management tools and selection points for team and departmental task management. The 3 specific selection points are as follows
- Does it have a “note function” to link tasks and information?
- Does it have a “message function” for speedy communication?
- Does it have a “task function” that allows users to search for tasks and make requests instantly?
If the tool has all of the above functions, it will improve the efficiency of task management for your team. However, since multifunctional tools are often complicated to use, “easy to use even if you are not an IT expert” is a prerequisite.
In conclusion, the best choice is “Stock,” which is equipped with “Note,” “Message,” “Task” and can be used intuitively even by members at non-IT companies.
It only takes 1 minute to register for free, so we urge to use Stock to streamline your team’s task management and ensure the success of your project.
