How does everyone go about keeping on track with their projects?
I get so many messages/emails/phone calls a day I often lose track of things and forget about projects. I try and get everything typed or written out but I still forget things. I’ve tried many different means, but I always end up getting behind in the end.
What Im doing now is typing out everything Ill need to know about a project in a text file and making a print out. I keep the print outs in one of three files: To-Do, In Progress, and Complete. But still, I often get so caught up with other designs that Ill neglect doing this.
35 Comments
Joey said about 1 month ago
we use the old version of activecollab (when it was free). it costs money now, but it looks way better. i like it.
i think they have the free version on their site floating around somewhere.
forloveofOCTOBER said about 1 month ago
how does that program work?
Joey said about 1 month ago
you can check it all out at http://www.activecollab.com/
Tender Branson said about 1 month ago
Many sticky notes can be found floating around my desk.
forloveofOCTOBER said about 1 month ago
thank you!
Kevin Doom said about 1 month ago
We also use Highrise to keep track of any communications with clients/prospects. It’s really handy. I’d be lost without it.
Joey said about 1 month ago
that too!
downrodeo said about 1 month ago
... or, you could use the old fashion way and write things down. I have this whiteboard hanging in my office room and I write down stuff that I need to get done. For stuff that comes in right away, I put it on a piece of paper first or fire up notepad.
justinryan said about 1 month ago
I need to check out highrise and acvitecollab. I have far to many stickies and notebooks.
jayeMOSH said about 1 month ago
I have a design moleskin that I have the left side of the page as a to-do list, the right side is for notes and sketches.
Like you, I have a text document open at all times with a general to-do list. I make one daily and refer back to it.
I think anything too fancy is just simply overbearing. I think feeling like you have control of your projects rather than them controlling you is important.
Joey said about 1 month ago
we also have a giant white board from a classroom. so cool
popculturetees said about 1 month ago
Lighthouse App is kind of cool for me right now.
But in all reality, I use the star system from GMail Labs to organize tasks. Orange arrow = need to do, Yellow ! = waiting for follow up, Green check = done.
It’s relatively low tech, but since email is generally where all my tasks originate from, it works for me.
forloveofOCTOBER said about 1 month ago
i found a group that took activecollabs old free source code and expanded upon and is offering it for free:
http://www.projectpier.org
Joey said about 1 month ago
whoa! i’m gonna have to check that out! thanks! exclamation!
justinryan said about 1 month ago
oh neato - i like free things
edit: looks cool. i wish it were a little less butt-ugly, though.
forloveofOCTOBER said about 1 month ago
still free though!
im installing it on my server now
justinryan said about 1 month ago
free indeed! i’m uploading the files to my server right now. definitely interested in testing it. function over fashion, no? haha. probably not hard at all to reskin.
forloveofOCTOBER said about 1 month ago
shouldnt be too hard no!
but ill have to learn how to use it and get into the swing of doing so if i like it. ill be happy if this solves my management/organization needs
kenny g said about 1 month ago
i just got mac freelance and thus far it’s been good to me.
forloveofOCTOBER said about 1 month ago
im a PC
explodingtoes said about 1 month ago
can’t live without basecamp & high-rise
<3 37signals
curiouserandcuriouser said about 1 month ago
that looks awesome... someone give me a user review on it when you get it uploaded!
forloveofOCTOBER said about 1 month ago
its been a bitch to install.
im sitting through a live chat with my hosts tech support right now...
forloveofOCTOBER said about 1 month ago
and wouldnt you know their server type isnt up to date enough to run it.
scratch that idea..
justinryan said about 1 month ago
i tried installing but
"InnoDB storage engine is not supported" on my server.
oh well!
edit: just switched it to run off of myisam instead. super easy swap - we’ll see if it bites me in the long run!
i came from nothing said about 1 month ago
2 black note pads - for ins and outs plus 2 folders on the pc for ins and outs. and keeping all emails in there right folder, not just in the in box
forloveofOCTOBER said about 1 month ago
bump.
still looking for suggestions
mikejahn said about 1 month ago
I would highly recommend BaseCamp.
http://www.basecamphq.com
also check out, 37signals.com
great company.
a killer wombat said about 1 month ago
brian dawson and myself have been working on something for a while now and its going to "hatch" next spring. I have a feeling you guys are going to love it!
The site splash page should be going up by the end of the week.
FalseOne said about 1 month ago
Try Collabtive. It’s open source and looks incredible!
Matthew88 said about 1 month ago
i’m on the mailing list for that dude.
It sounds AMAZING!!
Matthew88 said about 1 month ago
What about ones that don’t have to be installed on a server and can just work on my pc?
justinryan said about 1 month ago
I’ve tried so many of these, but always see myself going back to post its on my desk and a weekly updated whiteboard.
I use Billings for invoicing and statements and iCal to schedule my day and stuff.
forloveofOCTOBER said about 1 month ago
so ive started doing this and its working well for now:
i typed up a "project sheet" with headings like client name, due date, project info, amount due, paid?, complete?, etc..
i left room under those headings to write the info in.
when i get a new client/project, i print it out and fill in the info.
Cole said about 1 month ago
i just write shit down on post its.
and star shit in gmail.