What is task scheduling?

Task scheduling means identifying what tasks need to be done, and organizing the order in which tasks are to be done based on the due date of each task. The goal is to ensure that the work is completed by the deadline set for each task. By scheduling tasks in your daily work, you will be able to use your time more efficiently, which will lead to increased productivity and operational efficiency. On the other hand, in business, there are cases where there are multiple people involved in a task that an individual performs, so the lack of management of an individual's tasks can create a stack in the progress of work not only for oneself but also for those involved in the team.

The following section explains why scheduling cannot be managed and the problems that can result from the inability to do so.

What are the causes of task scheduling failure?

In this chapter, we will explain the causes of the inability to manage schedules and the problems that arise from the inability to manage them.

1) Causes of failure of task scheduling

One possible cause of the inability to manage the schedule is the lack of prioritization. If you tackle your work sensibly, you will deviate from the schedule. For example, you may start with the least important tasks even though there are tasks of high importance, you may start with the tasks you are good at, or you may put urgent tasks first even though they are not important.

In addition, there are many cases where a schedule has been established but the time estimates are not accurate. For example, a task that was estimated to take 30 minutes to complete actually takes 1 hour and 30 minutes, causing delays in the schedule.

On the other hand, there are not only cases in which schedules are not managed on an individual basis, but also cases in which a system for managing schedules as a team is not in place. For example, the team leader has the overall schedule, and the schedule changes are not shared with the team members in real time.

2) Troubles that occur as a result of the inability to manage task schedules

Lack of schedule management can cause delays in the progress of the entire team's work. In addition, the jam-packed schedule will cause the team to be overwhelmed with work, and they will lose physical and mental leeway. Furthermore, working under such conditions can lead to a lack of concentration, which can lower work efficiency and lead to mistakes. Mistakes can lead to loss of trust from business partners.

Thus, there is no possibility that a lack of schedule management will lead to a major problem, so care must be taken.

Next, we will explain the benefits to a company when it has perfect schedule management.

Three Advantages of Task Scheduling

There are a variety of benefits that proper schedule management can bring to a company. Here are three specific benefits.

(1) You can proceed with your work efficiently.

By scheduling tasks, the current status of work can be accurately assessed, making it easier to identify members to whom tasks should be assigned. In addition, being in a prioritized state will allow you to work more efficiently without wasting time on unnecessary tasks.

(2) Prevent omissions in handling tasks

Schedule management also helps prevent tasks from being omitted from being handled. Some people may manage tasks in their minds, but sometimes they forget to do so, which may lead to omissions. If you manage tasks within a team, you can visualize what needs to be done and reduce the risk of omissions.

(3) Easier to respond to sudden changes in circumstances

In the course of work, there are cases in which schedules are suddenly changed due to the convenience of clients or within the team. If you are not able to manage your schedule at such times, you may lose track of what you need to do next.

On the other hand, if you have a schedule management system in place, you will be able to adjust your schedule smoothly even if a sudden change in circumstances occurs, because you will know the due date of each task. Also, if tasks can be shared within the team, even if someone suddenly becomes unavailable, it is possible to immediately identify the members who can respond to the sudden change in situation based on the task and availability status, and work instructions can be smoothly issued to compensate for the loss.

Because of these advantages, it is advisable to manage task schedules. However, it is not easy to actually manage the schedule. Therefore, we will now explain the key points of task scheduling that you should keep in mind as a team.

Points of schedule management that you should keep in mind as a team

Here are some points of schedule management that can be used in team projects.

(1) Usually determine task priorities by importance and urgency

In scheduling tasks, it is important to create a matrix based on the level of importance and urgency, apply the tasks, and consider the order of priority. This is not something that can be done out of the blue, so it is important to become proficient at it and make it a habit so that you can do it unconsciously by continuing to be aware of priorities based on importance and urgency on a regular basis.

(2) Check the status and consistency of tasks for the entire team

Since delays in an individual's schedule can lead to delays for the entire team, it is important to share and be able to check tasks for the entire team on a regular basis. If you know and share who has what tasks and who is free at the moment, you can provide support for tasks that are about to become due. If different people are working on different tasks, it is also important to frequently check the consistency of each task and manage them so that there are no discrepancies.

3) Create a schedule that can be shared and understood by everyone

It is also effective to create a schedule to manage and share tasks for the entire team. Since there are many people involved when it comes to managing the schedule of the entire team, it is important to make it as simple as possible. This will make it easier to share and understand the schedule. It also allows anyone to easily check the schedule and handle tasks, even in situations where immediate action is required.

In addition, if the schedule is managed only by individuals, if the people involved are not aware of the due dates and flow of tasks before and after them, they may not know when tasks are coming around and end up responding to urgent requests, or they may push the schedule back without thinking about what comes next, resulting in a tight schedule. Or, they may push back the schedule without considering the subsequent schedule, resulting in a tight schedule, which may lead to delays in tasks. To avoid such a situation, it is important to create a schedule that can be shared with all parties concerned.

So how do companies manage tasks? The following section describes actual common task management methods.

4 common task and schedule management methods

Here are four common ways to manage tasks.

(1) Analog management using paper and pen

The easiest and most immediate way to manage tasks is analog management using paper, pens, whiteboards, sticky notes, etc. Although this method may be less convenient than the management tools described below, it is very easy to use because it uses tools that are available in all companies. Also, since there are no special operating procedures, it can be said that anyone can use this method of management.

Incidentally, there are various ways of thinking about analog management, as follows.

Create a matrix based on urgency and importance to sort tasks
・GTD (Getting Things Done: organizing tasks)
・Based on essential thinking, consider whether the task is worth doing
etc.

Please refer to these ideas and methods as well.

(2) Excel-based management

Excel is another tool that is used by many companies, making it easy to manage schedules. Excel also provides templates so that you can create a scheduler by simply entering information according to the content.

(3) Management with Google Spreadsheet and Excel Online

Google Spreadsheet and Excel Online are free tools that allow you to update and check information in real time as long as you have an Internet connection. Since data is always synchronized, there is no risk of data loss. These tools also have templates that can be used for schedule management.

④Management with management tools

The use of specialized tools developed for the purpose of managing tasks and schedules is also effective. Some of these tools are intuitive to use, making them easy to disseminate within the company, even when newly introduced. Specific tools include the following

Backlog
・Wrike
・e Sales Manager
・Project Board
etc.

As you can see, there are many different ways to manage tasks and schedules, but some may not know which method is right for their team. In the next section, we will explain what criteria should be used to choose the best method for your team.
 

To choose a task management method that fits your team

What should we pay attention to in order to choose a task management method that is right for us? Here are some specific points to consider.

(1) Choose one that can be used without stress

Since task scheduling is something we do frequently, we should choose one that we can handle without stress. On the other hand, you will not know if you will feel stress or not until you try using it, so first try introducing something you are interested in to your project. It is then important to check whether it is easy to use and whether you feel stress or not, and then choose the best one.

(2) Match the content and scale of the task

In choosing a task management method, it is important to check whether it matches the content and scale of the project. For example, if the size of the task is small or the number of people involved is small, analog management may be more efficient. On the other hand, if the tasks are large in scale and involve a large number of people, we recommend the use of a dedicated tool.

Summary

By properly managing task schedules, you can enjoy the benefits of efficient work, preventing omissions of tasks, and being able to respond easily to sudden changes in the situation. On the other hand, without proper task scheduling, mistakes are more likely to occur, you will be overwhelmed with work, and your work efficiency will decrease.

In order to manage task scheduling, it is important to be conscious of determining the priority of tasks on a regular basis and to be able to share the schedules of not only individuals but also the entire team. In addition, implementing a scheduler that is easy for anyone to handle is also essential for task management.

For those who are looking for a tool to solve the problems of project and task progress management and facilitate projects, we recommend Works Applications' Project Board. It reduces the burden of man-hour and resource management by visualizing tasks and progress. It is easy to operate and intuitive to use, as you can register tasks as if you were using a spreadsheet. Visualization of task status also supports project management operations. When a project is delayed, analysis can identify bottlenecks.

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