Tools for Success : Task Tracking

As I mentioned briefly in other posts, being able to keep track of what you are (and should be!) doing is very important.  On any given day dozens of individual tasks get thrown at me, and there is simply no way I will remember what I have to do and what steps are required.  There are some things, like resetting a password, or putting paper in the printer, that I don't bother writing down since they're "small", but almost everything else gets put into form of tracking tool or another.

GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out) applies to task tracking systems.  Systems are only as strong as their users discipline in maintaining them.  It is better to have a simple system that you maintain iron-clad regularity with than a complex one that you never look at.  Ensuring accurate information is input into the correct areas is paramount as the last thing you want is to look at it later and not know what it is talking about.

Ticketing Systems - Includes AutoTask, IssueTrak, etc.

Ticketing systems are basically databases that get filled up with various tasks.  Information you'll typically find includes who the ticket is assigned to, when it was made, who made it, contact information and a brief description of the problem.  These systems are generally only used in environments with larger numbers of individuals (i.e. companies).  One of the downsides is that individuals must invest time in maintaining the system (adding notes, updating information, routing tickets.  Many places have a single employee dedicated to managing tickets).  This time investment, however, will pay off as other individuals will be able to quickly and easily find and track information.  Metrics may also be generated, which are a great tool to help the team know where they're at (and to justify its existence to high powers!).

That was easy.

To Do Lists - Includes pen and paper, Astrid etc.

These are simply lists of things you need to get done.  To me, they are the simplest way to track tasks.  They rarely contain information other than the name of the task and (for me anyway) are either quickly handled or are passed off into a more robust system.  The main advantage of them is that they are easy to create (just grab paper and write) and can be made on an ad-hoc basis.  This is, of course, also a liability, since you'll soon end up with dozens of random lists floating around unless you maintain a strict process of managing them.

Custom Setups - Includes spreadsheets, bulletin boards, etc.

This is one of my more favorite methods.  I use a rather simple Excel spreadsheet to keep track of incoming tasks.  In addition to what i have to do, I also assign it a priority, start date, target end date and contacts.  I have found that providing myself with metrics on how long it takes to complete tasks of various severities helps me tweak the system in the future.

In the end it doesn't matter what you use, as long as you are consistent in it's application.  In addition to helping you keep track of what needs to be done, having a disciplined tracking system will allow someone to fill in for you if you are unavailable or on vacation.  It is also a valuable way to show your boss that you are actually working and not just beating the high score at mine sweeper.