Task Tracker
Project Overview
Task Tracker
Task Tracker, a process operation platform designed to provide an efficient project management solution. Since the launch of its first version, user complaints have persisted, with many expressing frustration over inefficiencies that hinder productivity. This engagement aimed to enhance productivity, improve overall company efficiency, and reduce outsourcing costs.
As a product manager, I led user research, defined requirements, and prioritized features to enhance Task Tracker. I also introduced a team management module to improve oversight, streamline workflows, and boost efficiency.
Objectives
Improving project management efficiency through streamlined task allocation and automated tracking.
Enhancing team transparency by ensuring balanced task distribution and reducing manual inefficiencies.
Reducing costs by cutting outsourcing expenses by at least 20% through better internal workload management.
Problem Exists
Since its launch, the Task Tracker platform has faced ongoing complaints. Tasks now take twice as long to complete, and the lack of project visibility makes team management challenging for project managers.
Homing in on the user
User Pain Points
Collaborating with UX researchers, we conducted nine structured user interviews across three user segments: developers, team managers, and project managers.
Usability problems
The system’s workflow is fragmented, making task tracking inefficient. The interface design is not intuitive, requiring extra effort to navigate. Additionally, missing essential features limit users’ ability to complete tasks efficiently.
System Accessibility Constraints
The platform frequently logs users out, disrupting workflow. Slow loading times cause delays, reducing productivity. Poor browser compatibility leads to inconsistent experiences across different devices.
Project Management Challenges
Users misinterpret task value calculations, causing scoring inconsistencies. Frequent requirement changes further disrupt evaluations, leading to inaccurate performance assessments. Data discrepancies across modules weaken decision reliability.
Team Management Challenges
The team lacks visibility into workload distribution, forcing project managers to assign tasks based on intuition. This leads to imbalances, with some employees overloaded while others remain idle, reducing efficiency and complicating resource management.
Optimizing User Flow
After a week of daily discussions with stakeholders and core users, we identified workflow bottlenecks in the Task Tracker and explored feature improvements to enhance efficiency.
Discussions with team managers and leaders highlighted the need for a real-time team task board to optimize task allocation, prevent idle time, and ensure timely project delivery.
What Went Wrong
Initially, I thought the project was simply about rebuilding task assignment to improve efficiency and enable developers to automatically update project progress. However, through in-depth conversations with stakeholders, I realized that our ultimate goal was to reduce outsourcing costs.
How I sloved it
To reduce time spent on Task Tracker and let teams focus on the project, we redesigned workflows. Project managers can now bulk import and auto-assign tasks, while developers receive real-time progress updates and can batch-approve via mobile, flagging issues as needed. A new team management module enables real-time monitoring, allowing managers to reassign tasks proactively, ensuring optimal resource utilization.
We redesigned the user flow while retaining the core framework to preserve user familiarity and minimize learning costs. To enhance efficiency, we integrated automation and team management features, significantly reducing idle workforce and task completion time on the platform.
What to Built and Why
After in-depth discussions with project managers, engineers, and designers, and taking into account their insights on technical feasibility and the most critical functionalities, I applied the MoSCoW method to prioritize features. This approach clearly categorizes features, ensuring that essential functionalities (Must-have) are prioritized.
