#task-management

System for integrated project management and setting / controlling tasks with a calendar and notifications about basic changes — this is how a typical task-management system looks like.

As a rule, most of these platforms allow us to reduce all operations to sending and receiving e-mails with tasks, as well as working through native applications on mobile and desktop operating systems. There is also a version of the web-based interface with a responsive design which allows you to access this system via any modern browser.

If you want to take a look at the most popular examples of such systems as well as their good and bad sides, you should read detailed research from Siliconrus about TMS (task-management systems).

If we talk about integrated software products which are easy to use for developers (not just for the sales department or marketers and journalists), it’s worth mentioning Asana, Worksection, Basecamp, JIRA, Redmine, «Bitriks24», Wrike, Youtrack, Trello and "Megaplan."

In iur work for almost a year we use Trello, where individual "boards" have separated the problem for developers, designers, testers, marketing and sales. Previously we were using Redmine (mainly because of the possibility of uploading data on time spent from different time-trackers, and the ability to draw a Gantt chart, which was important as a number of studio employees working on an hourly basis, with payment for time spent). But let’s go back to Trello and talk about it.

This system is based on the principle of Japanese management called "kanban". Its essence: every stage of production is monitored and implemented consistently.

In Trello all projects look like separate virtual "boards" with vertical lists inside them. Each list shows the smaller tasks, which represent stages. Cards with the tasks are stored in lists. Each task on the card can be supplemented according to its implementation. You can also attach a description, comments, files (including links and files from document’s cloud storage), deadline and other information about the project (including checklists).

After performing the task card can be moved to a list of completed tasks or to archive.

There are plugins to help Trello in integrating with other systems and time tracking solutions. There is also a mobile application to work with the cards, lists and boards using a smartphone or tablet (which is important for us as a mobile development studio).

There are several reasons why we chose Trello and actively use it every day:

easy operations which don’t require a long learning process or customization;

it’s free to use and has all necessary functionality with zero cost;

it has no strict binding to a specific desktop software or browser version;

possibility of separating access rights to the various boards (developers do not see the board for marketing, marketing "will not go into" projects of the developers etc.);

support for integration with Google Apps;

native mobile applications for iOS and Android (the company employs people who use both);

interface in English.

Nine months of working with Trello showed that it manages perfectly with all of its tasks and the basic requirements for control of time and projects .