What is a Task in Project Management? An Ultimate Guide

It is an activity that we do every day to complete a specific kind of work. It could be an activity that you are required to complete in your school/college; it is a task that Apollo asked Hercules to perform according to Greek mythology. However, a task in project management is different than the usual tasks. Project managers handle hundreds of tasks which helps them stay proactive and organized and take their respective projects to the pinnacle of success. You must also note that project task management is different from project management.

Task management is about the right person doing the right thing at the right time. Tasks can be core tasks or subtasks, simple or complex, big or small, and team or individual tasks. So, let us delve in and understand what a task in project management is and how to create an agenda to complete it effectively.

What is a Project Task? 

A task in project management is its building block, something that needs to be processed in order so that the overall project is completed. Each project is bifurcated into several deliverables, and each deliverable can be achieved by following certain tasks.

If you are looking for a definition, then project tasks are a series of actions that are required to successfully complete a project. Project tasks comprise individual activities like creating content, reducing costs, maintaining quality, etc. which can be further categorized into sub-tasks which are small yet manageable actions.

You can also create a task in project management list which is more like a checklist, which is created at the beginning of the project, and specifies each task clearly. Just by checking off each activity as it is completed, project managers can keep productivity as effective as possible. There are several online Project Management courses that revolve around understanding project tasks.

What is the Purpose of Tasks in Project Management? 

Imagine you are the project manager, who is responsible for carrying out a project like social media marketing, which has no structure or outline. Looking for ways to start, process, and culminate the project could be burdensome or stressful. Thus, there are various types of tasks in project management that serve the purpose of dividing work and categorizing it according to expertise, experience, and knowledge. The core purposes of establishing project management tasks and activities are:

• Task identification in project management helps to differentiate various components of a project.
• Helps to identify the work that is required to be completed by a deadline.
• Implements a best-practice workflow.
• Creates a series of interactive steps.
• Uses a project task tracker to track progress on a day-to-day basis.

How to Break Down a Project into Tasks? 

Breaking down a project into tasks has no specific formula to follow, but it can be done by someone who has the skill, experience, education, and expertise as a project manager. PMP training can help you with the relevant information about breaking down a project into tasks. You can follow these tips that will help you categorize your project deliverables into tasks:

1. Go visual, create a process flow chart, mapping, and other graphics, and have a brainstorming session with your team where you can understand how each one can contribute to specific tasks.
2. Bifurcate a project into tasks based on the timeline or deadline assigned for completion
3. Understand the relevance of each task by conducting a thorough risk assessment and planning back-ups
4. Align tasks according to project milestones
5. Ensure that all tasks are comprehensive, transparent, and well-defined so that every person understands his job well

What are Tasks in Different Project Management Stages? 

Let us look at different kinds of task management methods in different stages of project management:

1. Project Initiation Tasks

Some of the setup tasks include getting necessary approvals from stakeholders and validating the project outline. Every project should have a scope, budget, and timeline, and your tasks will revolve around supporting objectives. This includes:

• Setting up your project management tool and file folders.
• Creating an updated project brief and getting it approved.
• Securing the team and communicating with them.
• Define a timeline and budget for the project outline.
• And finally, officially giving a starting point to the project.

2. Ongoing Project Management Tasks

Once your project is on the go, you would need to create and assign tasks to align the execution of the project. It is important to create a balance between daily tasks, periodic tasks, and long-term tasks. This stage is all about proactive, predictive, and protective, rather than reactive, especially in case of obstacles

3. Daily Project Management Tasks

As the name suggests, these are tasks that need to be managed every day. Some project management tasks examples are:

• Monitoring your team and communicating with them.
• Checking In with The Project Team.
• Maintaining transparency and accountability.
• Holding meetings with team members.
• Checking on various tools related to a task in project management.
• Monitoring progress which can include reviewing the Gantt chart or sprint illustrations to see if you are going the right path.
• Communicating with the stakeholders/consumers and updating them about the progress.
• Creating task briefs in a Kanban-style workflow and addressing issues.
• Documenting decisions and sharing them with the teams.

4. Weekly Project Management Tasks

These are tasks that are required to be completed every week. These include:

• Automating workflows and creating reports and documentation.
• Assessing budget and timeline progress.
• Re-planning if required.
• Analyzing and approving timesheets from the previous week.
• Using the task in project management software to check for areas of error or inefficiency and taking corrective measures accordingly.
• Planning resources for the following weeks.

5. Long-term Project Management Tasks 

Long-term tasks include:

• Communicating with stakeholders, consumers, security teams, compliance teams, and regulatory bodies.
• Ensuring compliance through collaborative conversations with the project team.
• Organizing the financial administration, which includes budgeting and invoicing.

6. Project Closure Tasks 

When it comes to closing a project, you must look into tasks like creating reports on how well your project performed. It is required to create a final reconciliation of the timeline and budget. This is also the stage when you must get relevant feedback and learn lessons to leverage insights. Finally, it is critical to celebrate with your team, as completing a project successfully is pure hard work!

Tips to Manage Your Project Management Tasks 

The list can be long; however, for now, you must focus on these key tips to manage your project management tasks:

1. Organize your day based on desired outcomes.
2. Set the right expectations with your team so they know when you’re most available to support.
3. Prioritize based on necessity and compliance.
4. Invest time in learning.
5. Try proven productivity hacks.

Common Task Management Tools 

Task in project management software or tools help project management teams to manage, prioritize, and complete their tasks. Get your Prince2 Foundation and Practitioner course online to be adept at using such tools. These tools can revolve around

1. Task scheduling, customization, and assignment. 
2. Some tools remind teams about upcoming task list in project management and deadlines.
3. Tools help standardize task dependencies in project management, and repetitive steps help with sub-tasks, track time, report progress, and create to-do lists for easy task visualization.

Some of the examples of common task management in project management tools are

• Using a simple linear progression which signifies the end of a task and the start of a new one.
• Using a Kanban board, which is an agile project management tool to visualize overall work.
• Using the waterfall method, which divides the project into a sequential array of tasks.
• Using Gantt charts to visualize the timelines and dependencies of a project.

Some of the common task management tools are Asana, Trello, Microsoft Planner, Todoist, Smartsheet, ClickUp among many others. 

Task Management vs Project Management 

Both task management and project management are different terms. Let us look at the key differences:

Parameter	Task Management (TM)	Project Management (PM)
Size	Task management process is best suited for smaller projects or for daily/weekly tasks	Project Management is best suited for larger projects that require communication, coordination, planning, and organization
Scope	Much smaller in scope, and may sometimes involve only one person or two	It is a set of activities and involves multiple stakeholders, the management of which can take months.
Timeframes	Task duration in project management varies and TM is done daily. It is a continuous process	It is temporary and is simply used to define initiatives and timeframes
Usage	Task management process requires a detailed workflow	PM requires a more organizational approach t manage the project from beginning to end.
Software	It keeps all notes, requirements, and achievements in one place	It has more features that allow you to check the progress of the project as a whole
Meaning	The Task management process is all about tracking task completion and evaluating task owners'	PM is all about tracking multiple teams, timelines, budgets, and/or multiple tasks

Conclusion 

So; this was all about what tasks are! By now, you must understand how successfully completing each task is imperative to meet the final project objective. Projects are divided into various tasks, and a checklist is prepared based on daily/weekly/long-term activities, which helps you assess the completed range and verify what’s left to achieve.

As a project manager, you should have the expertise and knowledge to balance tasks besides aiming to meet deliverables. It is highly recommended to get KnowledgeHut best Project Management certification online to gain expertise and knowledge about the concept. The key is constant communication, stringent monitoring, meeting timelines, and running a risk check. To process all big and small tasks related to a project, it is substantial that you follow industry trends, conduct thorough research, and study what your competitors are and aren’t doing.