How to Choose a Task Manager for Creative Teams: The Complete Guide

Adilla
Jul 4
5 min read

Updated: Jul 11

A background illustration with the caption on the left that says, “Manage Your Task Better With The Right Tool”. On the right, a photo of a wall with sticky notes separated into three sections, “To do”, “Work” and “Done”. — Source: Canva Collection

When you think of task management and task manager software, you visualise a to-do list where you tick boxes of tasks that you’ve done. Pretty straightforward, right? Then, why is it a struggle when some creatives can’t seem to use a task manager or even list out their tasks for a project?

Creative work isn’t meant to be rigidly structured like a typical ‘corporate work task.’ They go through phases of review, rejection, and redo and eventually reach finalisation (that is, if something doesn’t come up in the middle of the process).

So, how else would our fellow creatives track and manage their tasks without fear of losing the phases of their creative work?

Why Creative Teams Need a Different Kind of Task Manager?

Technically, creative projects aren’t linear; they evolve constantly. When an idea is executed after a brainstorming session, sudden changes might happen while executing the tasks. While not changing the entire idea as a whole, the direction might change.

This is a normal process in creative workflows, which might not fit with most task manager tools that are not catered for the flexibility that a creative project needs. There has to be a balance of listing out ideas while taking note of the delivery, which might or might not change as the project progresses.

Is there a task management app out there that can solve these common frustrations that creatives go through?

What to Look for in a Task Manager for Creative Teams?

A background illustration with the caption on the left that says, “Sort Tasks Better With A Little Help.” On the right, a photo of a pen and a notebook, with “Task List” and a numbered list. — Source: Canva Collection

The need for a creative project is varied according to what a creative project manager would prioritise. Here are our suggestions when you are trying to find software for task management for creatives:

Visual Task Boards with Time Tracking

Your creative team might get overwhelmed or confused if the task manager is too wordy and not visually pleasing to the eye. Plus, a visual representation of their tasks can help better identify any challenges that could come up.

Integrated Collaboration and Feedback

The loops of feedback and review are a familiar process for our creative teams, so a task manager that comes with this feature will better track the comments. Therefore, it’s wiser to choose an online task manager that can be accessed from anywhere. Even better if it comes with the ability to give contextual comments or visual annotations directly. (Psst, TESSR has this feature and more useful features for creatives!)

Customisable Workflows

With the complex nature of creative processes, your task manager should have a customisable workflow that you could match to your team’s needs and adapt to the unpredictable changes that come in a creative project.

Reporting and Analytics

A required feature for creative project managers to better track the performance of their team. By having these insights, they can pinpoint areas to improve task efficiency.

4 Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing a Task Manager

With suggestions on what not to do when picking task manager software or an online task manager for your creative teams.

1. Complex Interface

While it’s good to have a task manager that comes with multiple features, is it user-friendly? Does your team need to learn the tool first? You will know when the interface of a tool affects your team when they spend more time trying to figure out where their task is than performing their task.

2. Ignoring Prioritisation

A task manager that comes with a prioritisation feature will help your team from overlooking a high-impact task. Without this feature, when there are too many tasks, it will overwhelm your team from trying to find a task to prioritise.

3. Micromanaging

With a task manager, creative project managers are less likely to micromanage, which could impact your team’s performance. Ensure that when you delegate tasks, they come with clear instructions and are based on your team’s skills. So that the task would be done efficiently.

4. Prioritise Cost Over Function

It is understandable when cost is a concern when getting a task manager. Plus, who wouldn’t be interested when “task management tools free” shows up on a website? However, consider the long-term benefits if a task manager is properly utilised, preventing future headaches, miscommunications, and delays.

How to Get Your Creative Teams to Actually Use the Tools?

A background illustration with the caption on the left that says, “A Creative Needs A Task Manager That Fits Their Needs.” A photo on the right shows a top view of a group of people sitting on the floor with sticky notes and papers gathered at the centre. — Source: Canva Collection

Trying to get your team onboard with a new tool can be a struggle, especially if it means changing their daily routine. Here are some ways to make the process of change easier:

#1 Let Them Know the Benefits

Before adopting the tool to help with task management for creatives into your team’s daily routine, communicate the benefits of utilising it. Relate to problems that they have to emphasise their value and impact.

#2 Provide Training and Support

Once the software is introduced, take the time to give your team training and the resources to get familiar with the tool. With that, give them ample time to slowly integrate it into their routine, such as managing tasks online.

#3 Recognise Their Efforts

When your team manages to implement the task manager into their daily schedule, recognise their efforts and acknowledge their improvements in their task efficiency. By doing this, you would positively reinforce their behaviour and boost their motivation.

#4 Monitor and Improve

Once the tool is properly implemented and the team has been using it for a period of time that you feel is right, monitor their overall performance. Then, see if it has impacted the team positively or if there are areas that need attention.

Resources and Reading Recommendations

1. How Creative Workflow Management Could Help Boost Your Team’s Efficiency

2. Creatives Perform Better With Creative Productivity Tools: The Whys and Hows

3. Time Management for Artists: A Guide to Help Your Creative Juice Flow

Conclusion

Task management doesn’t seem to be the right approach to mix with creative projects because of the creative chaos that comes with it. However, with a clear outline of a creative's day-to-day tasks, it can improve work efficiency and lessen the likelihood of them getting overwhelmed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The project management software that I use comes with a task manager, but I prefer the features of another task manager. What should I do?

Take the time to level out the pros and cons of each software. Plus, check in with your team as well to see if they are comfortable with switching to a different task manager and their opinions on it.

I need help in breaking down my art project into a task manager.

We have a guide on creating a project timeline that can help you do just that!

I feel like I am overworking myself. Will task management help me with this?

Yes, by having a clear view of your workload, you can make a more informed decision when accepting tasks or projects.

Author Bio

With a background in Arts English, Adilla has been a casual writer for various hobbies like parodies of animated shows and plots for board games. She loves to read anything and everything from fantasy stories to articles on tips and tricks. Now an advocate for mental health and effective project management for the creative industry. Currently, Adilla resides in Malaysia and is a creative writer at TESSR. To know more about her, check out her LinkedIn.