Project To-Do Lists are Magic!

In today’s project focused world, just having the technical ability to write good software won’t cut it alone. If the end result is missing requirements, or the project exceeds the timeline and budget constraints because you are consistently needing to re-do parts to meet requirements, then the project will ultimately be a failure. A well maintained to-do list helps ensure that no detail gets lost or left behind, and that all available resources are working as effectively as possible.

Here are some simple tips and rules that can help you create and maintain a useful project to-do list. 1. Clear action and outcome oriented tasks Many people will either focus on action oriented tasks, or outcome oriented tasks. While both approaches will work and have their own pros and cons, there is no reason you can’t define your tasks by both action and outcome. For example, an action oriented task might be stated as “repair cars main coolant line”. It’s an action that you need to take, though just by itself it doesn’t tell you why or to what end you are repairing your car, nor does it clearly outline what a successful completion of the task might look like. Meanwhile the outcome oriented counter-part of the same task might be “work on car so it isn’t leaking fluids”. This gives us more clues about the “why”, but it might lack important context, methods, or tools that are crucial to the task. A more well rounded task might be something like “Use new car lift to raise vehicle and replace main coolant line so the car stops leaking.” Not only is this more clear for your own benefit, but if this task needed to be handed off to someone else less familiar with the situation it would require much less explanation. 2. Break Down Large Tasks Into Specific Items (Milestones vs. Tasks). Remember that Milestones are not tasks, and you shouldn’t be assigning entire milestones as a single task. Using the car analogy again, let’s say there are instead multiple coolant lines that need replacement instead of just one. In this case, the Milestone might be “replace the coolant line and ensure the car no longer leaks.” But the tasks might include each individual line that needs to be replaced, or perhaps a few groups of lines that need to be replaced together if they make more sense to do all at the same time. Not only does this make your tasks more specific and clear, but it also makes it easier to delegate the work to multiple technicians who can all be working on the same project at the same time. For example: Technician a. Take tasks 1-3, technician b. Take tasks 4-7. 3. Prioritize Your List With Goal Dates. Arrange your to-do list in order of priority and dependency. If there are tasks that need to be completed before others can be started or completed, then obviously those tasks should be ranked higher. If there are emergency level tasks that need to be completed immediately, you may even consider giving them some extra indication of their urgency. Mark them in red, or with a star, or something that will make them stand out. In all cases though you should have some goal date or timeline to completion to indicate if the project is falling behind or is ahead of schedule. These goal dates don’t necessarily need to be set in stone, if there are changes to the project, or if unforeseen challenges and circumstances arise then timelines may need to be adjusted accordingly, but ensure there always is one to help keep you and your team accountable. 4. Utilize “Punch Lists”. Some of the tasks that are the hardest to manage can be the tiny detail ones that crop up throughout the project. They’re often 30 second adjustments that really take more effort to remember to do them then they actually do to just get them done. For tasks of this size and scope I recommend keeping a separate “Punch List” of tasks. This punch list should include absolutely everything that comes up throughout the duration of the project for example: “Make sure mirrors are polished”, “Print out second copy of recipe for customer”, “Top off gas”, Etc. You may even want to have a task on your main to-do list that reminds you to come back and review the punch list near the end of the project.

Maintaining a well-organized and effective project to-do list is crucial for the successful completion of any project, regardless of its size or industry. Remember, a well-maintained to-do list is not just a checklist of tasks, but a valuable tool that helps keep projects on track, reduces the risk of errors, and ultimately leads to successful outcomes.