Cut Through The Noise Of Complex Collaboration Tools

Get the best possible outcome with the least possible stress in the most time-efficient process.

We’ve all known that one person who does everything they can to complicate a task just to clock up more hours and make sure everyone knows they’re working hard. That person could even be you! But why do we do this when we know it’s not productive? Surely the goal in project management is to get the best possible outcome with the least possible stress in the most time-efficient process?

Unfortunately, much of this thought process is driven by the old-school mentality of having to be seen to be working. The guy at his desk doing overtime gets the gold star, but the guy who gets 2 days of work done in 8 hours is scrutinized. Thankfully this mentality is changing for the better with the rise of task management tools and remote work giving people more autonomy to organize their time, tasks, and schedules. By reframing how we look at the concept of “work” and what it actually means to be productive, we can change how we work for the better by putting processes in place that make our lives easier, not harder.

So what exactly should your project management process look like? Simply put, it’s the process of creating and managing a project with a specific start and end date and deliverable/s. You will utilize efficient planning and scheduling, task management, resource management, and reporting, to move the project from the start date to completion. Without this process in place, many projects will fail. In fact, a recent study by the Project Management Institute found that “ organizations that undervalue project management as a strategic competency for driving change report an average of 67 percent more of their projects failing outright.” And on top of that, 11% of companies reported poor project management efforts as a “wasted investment”. The reality is that many companies spend so much time on creating the “perfect” process that they end up getting no actual work done as a result. This is exactly why Buckets collaborative project management system is a no-brainer for an optimal outcome; it’s easy to use and ready to go.

Just because something has taken a lot of work or consumed a lot of time doesn’t make it productive or worthwhile. — Tim Ferriss.

When Buckets was first created, the idea was as basic as can be, and it worked for that very reason. These days, we have a few more features that have improved the workflow process for our users and our design has evolved, but we still believe in taking a simplified approach to task management without the bells and whistles attached that serve only as distractions to the user. At the most basic level, we wanted to translate your notebook to-do list into a digital workflow that enables users to progress from the start to the completion of each task. And then we added a number of custom features to make this even easier to manage. These enable you to set deadlines to prioritize tasks and ensure work is completed on time, assign team members to specific tasks, collaborate, and archive anything that’s completed.

Rather than constantly creating fancy new features to make you feel more productive, we have stripped away any unnecessary tools and focused solely on delivering the tools you need to get your work done.

The other issue that often arises in a task management platform packed to the brim with features is that it complicates the user experience in a team setting as much as in an autonomous capacity. To overcome the challenge of integrating 100s of different workflows within a company — and all of the information that can get lost in between the cracks — we have created a cohesive team task management experience by developing a consistent workflow for all users that continually evolves over time. As a result, it is much easier to collaborate and work alongside colleagues as everyone is working off the same basic foundation.

But work should also be fun! And it’s important when you’re working remotely to find ways to generate that office camaraderie that’s often missed out on. So that led us to add in some additional features such as Gamification to create some friendly competition and our awesome Avatar Builder to help you create your own online persona when working within the app. These features help to boost team morale, increase familiarity between employees, and boost productivity, all of which are essential when working together — especially remotely. Now, each time you log in to Buckets you go straight to your dashboard where you’ll see how many goals you’ve reached and what milestones you’ve achieved each week. Team-mates can see your successes and send you a thumbs up to spur you on. You don’t need to be the guy who does 4 hours overtime to simply get some recognition anymore.

With the right project management system in place, and the right project management platform, you can get your work done efficiently and get the recognition you deserve whether you’re in an office full of people or sitting at home alone at your desk. And we might be biased (totally biased), but Buckets is the platform where you can build that system right now. What are you waiting for?

Thanks For Reading!

Buckets helps to supercharge collaboration and organization needs across the world. If you enjoyed reading this post, please let us know by clicking and holding down the 👏 button!

To sign up for Buckets, just click here.

For regular updates from the Buckets team, you can also catch us on Twitter @bucketsdotco.