You will not succeed in your project management without an appropriate task management system. You may argue that, but the statistics do not lie. Companies tracking tasks are more efficient, and therefore profitable than those that do not do so. It is also confirmed by the number of businesses using Jira to organize and manage projects. This popular task management software is commonly chosen by enterprises of all sizes due to the many useful features the software offers. The basic task management process requires Jira task tracking according to various aspects. Today's article will take you through the task tracking essence and best practices regarding task management in Jira.
What is Task Management?
The idea behind task tracking is straightforward, however, it does not mean that the execution is simple. Why? Because the complexity occurs when you start having many projects and users. Multiple Jira projects, tasks, issues, or tickets mean plenty of information and details to stay on top of.
Thanks to task management in Jira, you can organize and track team projects and their progress. You can do so by creating tasks with specific information, assigning them to team members, and setting due dates. Better visibility can also be achieved by linking the tasks and issues together.
There are a few crucial areas of proper task tracking in Jira:
tracking duties execution according to the assigned responsibility;
identification of potential issues before they become real problems;
ensuring meeting deadlines and high-quality work.
What is the Key to Efficient Task Management in Project Execution?
Prioritizing is the backbone of successful project execution. There will always be many tasks and issues you must take care of, regardless of whether you manage small business teams or a large-scale enterprise. What counts is managing tasks in a way that enables you to achieve objectives timely, within budget, and with high-quality results. That can only be done with appropriate prioritization based on the importance and urgency of tasks in relation to project progress. It is reflected in addressing crucial tasks first, and therefore reducing the risk of delays and bottlenecks.
Task Management in Jira
Now that we know the idea behind successful task tracking and management, it is time to move on to its execution in Jira. Processing tasks from their creation to execution is called flow. Below, we describe how to move tasks from the 'Open' to 'Done' status.
How do Tasks work Jira?
In general, we could define 'tasks' are specific pieces of work that need to be completed. In Jira, tasks (called issues) can have different types. It helps to identify the work that needs to be completed for every user requirement. The types of tasks in Jira task management systems are:
tasks- pieces of work that do not relate to user requirements yet still need to be done;
subtasks- pieces of work that result from splitting up a parent issue into several tasks; subtasks can be then assigned to different team members and tracked separately;
bugs- any problems in an app or software which you wish to fix as soon as possible;
epics- large pieces of work that can be broken down into several smaller stories;
stories- short requirements or demands that have been described from the end user’s point of view and must be implemented;
The way you use Jira and the types of tasks is dependent on your and your organization's needs. The issues (and consequently subtasks, epics, stories, etc.) may correspond to helpdesk tickets, request forms, customer tickets, and so on.
Tasks Workflow in Jira
Tasks in Jira go through a life cycle called workflow. The workflow consists of several parts: status, transition, assignee, and resolution.
Status gives you the idea about the current state of a project or task; task statuses can differ from one another; common statuses include 'open', 'in progress', 'pending approval', 'done', etc.;
Transition- describes the process that an issue undergoes while moving from one status to another;
Assignee- a person responsible for the issue resolution or the person who takes the next action;
Resolution- gives the reason why an issue/task is closed
How Do You Track Task Progress?
Effective task tracking can, among others, be achieved thanks to specific tools. All of these tools have different pros and cons. However, they all offer sound solutions to better task organization and keeping track of progress. See below a few ways that can help you achieve good task management
To-do lists- they emphasize completing specific tasks. Preparing daily to-do lists helps in finishing small, uncomplicated tasks not requiring advanced planning or preparation.
Timelines- timelines are certain views or boards that use visual cues for better organization and streamlining of workflow. They are especially helpful, for example, to project managers who must manage multiple tasks across multiple teams, prioritize tasks, create due dates, and monitor project, and task timelines.
Kanban boards- you use them to create tasks and track their progress according to the tasks that need to be done, the ones that are in progress now, and the ready ones. This type of task management is also great for collaboration and creating checklists.
Common Problems with Task Management
We mentioned how Jira task management works. Now it is time to discover what problems can it help with in detail.
Insufficient Task Visualization
An overwhelming number of tasks is one of the most common problems faced in many organizations. It is usually not the case of dozens of tasks but hundreds or, in some complex projects, even thousands. And all of them need to be resolved simultaneously. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to have the overall picture of the volume of tasks to keep track of completing them all timely.
Improper Task Prioritization
Task prioritization only makes sense if the right tasks get prioritized. Otherwise, the team can experience delays and missed deadlines. It requires good management to asses correctly which tasks need more attention and are critical for the project's progress.
Unclear Communication
Lack or insufficient communication between team members can cause misunderstandings, duplicated work, or a lack of transparency regarding task requirements and progress.
Inadequate Time Management
Project execution is nearly impossible without proper time management. If the time is not managed effectively, it can cause delays and project overruns.
Careful Resource Planning and Allocation
Efficient and productive work requires the allocation of the right resources to the right tasks. To do this efficiently, managers need a full list of available resources, along with their capacity. They also need to know all the tasks, and projects.
Effective Task Management in Jira - Best Practices
Jira software has been on the market for years and project managers along with the Agile teams have managed to develop certain practices that help them stay organized and make the most of what Jira offers. Today, we have gathered the most useful tips on how to manage business tasks most efficiently.
Create Clear Tasks and Straightforward Requirements
Usually, when we create a Jira task, we understand it as simply setting it up and we consider it done. However, creating a task should also consist of a few more details, such as:
clearly defined requirements;
expectations regarding the time frame and due date.
Thanks to the above, every detail is clear and team members involved in the completion know exactly what the desired outcome is.
When there are any changes to the original plan, you should also ensure the team is informed of them as soon as it is possible.
Leave Out Unnecessary Details
Much as a simple task creation is insufficient, giving too many unnecessary details is not good either. However, such overcomplication happens to some managers quite frequently. It tends to cause confusion and delays instead of better understanding. That is why Jira tasks should only include relevant information necessary for the task completion. It will keep team members focused on what is important. You will also save more time by creating concise and precise tasks.
Organize Your Tasks
The organization is key in business but also Jira task tracking. Organize tasks into categories, and label them appropriately, and you will notice how quickly you can sort through issues and assign the right people to work on the right tasks.
The following features will help in keeping tasks organized and your team members on top of their responsibilities:
Setting up various task boards;
Creating issue types and labeling;
Filtering tasks (by label, assignee, or due date);
Grouping tasks into sprints;
Using the ‘quick filters’ to have full visibility into what is assigned to team members.
Divide Large Tasks into Subtasks
Manageable and small pieces are better to organize and track. It also helps the team achieve small victories and not get overwhelmed by the size of tasks. However, perhaps the most important is the ability to identify possible blockers or problematic areas and fix them early in the process of completing the project. Moreover, you can prepare small tasks based on the qualifications and skills and assign them respectively to your team members.
Set Timelines and Deadlines
Every Jira task or subtask can have a due date set. Apart from using this option, make sure your team knows about the deadlines and timelines. It will ensure a prompt completion of tasks and high commitment.
Additionally, such actions help in better progress monitoring and ensure that tasks are being completed on time. By setting due dates, you also ensure that deadlines are not missed.
Categorize Tasks
Task categorization is the most effective when you use labels. It makes all the difference to a project manager who can track progress easier. Labels serve as indications of the status of a task, assignment of priority levels, or denotation of who is responsible for the completion. Tasks categorization lets project managers identify the tasks that need attention and that can be completed quickly.
Prioritize Essential Issues
As mentioned above, proper prioritization is the key to the timely completion of tasks. However, it does not mean starting working on the most complex task. Instead, choose the essential tasks and issues to handle them first. It will eliminate the chances of delays in project completion because of, for example, insufficient resources.
Check Progress
Frequent progress monitoring ensures that your team progresses at the right speed stays on top of the task completion, and catches potential hurdles before they become real problems. Regular checks also ensure that you monitor the deadlines and allow their adjustment if necessary.
In Jira, you can assign due dates for every task, as well as set reminders, and check-ins, and monitor the progress of tasks in real-time.
Communicate Clearly
Communication is the key to efficient collaboration. It is essential for it to be clear and regular to save you and your team members precious time. Therefore, any changes, updates, deadlines, or expectations should be communicated promptly to avoid delays.
Ensure Flexibility
Changes are a part of every project and making necessary adjustments results in delivering better projects. That is why the task-tracking process should be flexible enough to allow for necessary changes. During the project execution, it might be necessary to add or remove tasks from the to-do list. Flexibility will help ensure that your team members will never get stuck with tasks they are not comfortable with or cannot complete in time.
Document Effectively
Documenting tasks helps everyone involved stay updated and accountable. Jira offers plenty of features that help create easy task documentation. You can attach files and comments to the tasks, use labels and tags, and perform many more actions that will make the identification of tasks quicker and easier for your team members.
Customize Your Team's Workflow
Unification is a great thing to provide certain standards of performance within an organization. However, certain things require customization to achieve better results. One such thing is the creation of customized workflow for different teams. It is the only good way of ensuring the efficient progress of tasks. Thanks to that, the teams can manage the tasks and workflows themselves.
Do Not Create Many States And Transitions
Task processing should be straightforward. That is why creating too many transitions and statuses only overcomplicates the procedures and workflow. Furthermore, team members might find it hard to understand the tasks or the process. After all, they should focus on understanding the project and completing it, not trying to figure out the workflow. Therefore, try limiting the number of available states and make sure they are clearly defined and understandable.
Task Tracking in Jira with TimeCamp
One of the absolute best things you can do to enhance your task-tracking experience is to integrate with third-party tools to extend Jira functionalities. Such tools enhance the optimization of the project management process and increase consistency within various teams. One excellent example of tools enhancing productivity is TimeCamp. This software not only offers time-tracking functionality but also simplifies many other processes. Thanks to integrating such tools as TimeCamp, you can get:
Automatic timesheets and timesheet approval process
Time tracking for unlimited users and projects
Browser Plugin
Time Clock Kiosk
Geofencing
Automatic time tracking with keywords
Personal activity timeline and idle time tracking
You can get basic functions with our free forever plan or many more functionalities with one of our premium plans. Try our 14-day trial to discover all the possibilities that TimeCamp gives!
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