{"id":697201,"date":"2020-10-20T10:13:46","date_gmt":"2020-10-20T17:13:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newed.any0.dpdns.org\/en-us\/research\/?post_type=msr-blog-post&p=697201"},"modified":"2020-10-20T10:13:47","modified_gmt":"2020-10-20T17:13:47","slug":"trouble-with-to-dos-how-employees-manage-in-progress-tasks","status":"publish","type":"msr-blog-post","link":"https:\/\/newed.any0.dpdns.org\/en-us\/research\/articles\/trouble-with-to-dos-how-employees-manage-in-progress-tasks\/","title":{"rendered":"Trouble with to-do’s: How employees manage in-progress tasks"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Rachel Waite (opens in new tab)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Photo credit: Unsplash<\/p>\n

Remote work\u00a0<\/span>changed<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>a lot of<\/span>\u00a0things<\/span>, all within a matter of months.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>The loss of<\/span>\u00a0physical<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>buildings\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0communal campuses<\/span>;\u00a0<\/span>the introduction of\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>-home office<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>set-ups<\/span>; the\u00a0<\/span>challenges of<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>juggling<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>work<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>life<\/span>;<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>workdays<\/span>\u00a0that\u00a0<\/span>are<\/span>\u00a0less predictable<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, m<\/span>any<\/span>\u00a0reliable<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>workflow<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>communication channels<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>also\u00a0<\/span>changed\u00a0<\/span>during<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>this<\/span>\u00a0swift<\/span>\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0digital transition<\/span>\u2014o<\/span>ne\u00a0<\/span>being<\/span>\u00a0how employees\u00a0<\/span>manage<\/span>\u00a0their<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in-progress<\/span>\u00a0work<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As<\/span>\u00a0part of the XC\u00a0<\/span>Planning and R<\/span>esearch<\/span>\u00a0team,\u00a0<\/span>we\u2019ve<\/span>\u00a0conducted\u00a0<\/span>unmoderated user\u00a0<\/span>sessions\u00a0<\/span>and held workshops to help us understand the tools that employees are using to organize and\u00a0<\/span>act\u00a0<\/span>on<\/span>\u00a0their<\/span>\u00a0work. The findings will help\u00a0<\/span>us build<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>tools<\/span>\u00a0which put people in control of their\u00a0<\/span>work.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is \u201cin<\/span><\/i>–<\/span><\/i>progress\u201d work?<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn<\/span>–<\/span>progress\u201d work varies by employee and organization, but many tasks\u00a0<\/span>are<\/span>\u00a0universal. They include things like composing\u00a0an email, reviewing documents, making a list, or scheduling a meeting.\u00a0<\/span>All<\/span>\u00a0these responsibilities are folded into an employee\u2019s daily \u201cto-dos\u201d and help them remain connected to larger team goals and productivity.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the scope of in<\/span>–<\/span>progress work\u00a0<\/span>doesn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0end with micro-tasks. Larger projects are also included in this category. Things like conducting extensive research, writing applications or essays, regularly updating a website, or developing internal plans for the company or team, which all take on more time and resources, are also viewed as in<\/span>–<\/span>progress work.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Most employees see this work as individualized duties, though sometimes they share or delegate it to others. Once identified, tasks are usually ranked according to their urgency or deadline, visibility or\u00a0<\/span>impact<\/span>\u00a0opportunity, and the time they have available. This \u2018altitude\u2019 is something that can change or\u00a0<\/span>shift, when<\/span>\u00a0various factors are considered.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How\u00a0<\/span><\/i>it\u2019s<\/span><\/i>\u00a0generated<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Before COVID-19, co-workers would often discuss\u00a0<\/span>and organize\u00a0<\/span>their<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>on-going \u201cto do\u201d lists<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>with\u00a0<\/span>one<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>an<\/span>other. Often this would happen\u00a0<\/span>during\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>informal chat<\/span>s<\/span>\u2014<\/span>causal\u00a0<\/span>conversation<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>around\u00a0<\/span>someone\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0desk or in a hallway.\u00a0<\/span>These brief, transitional moments served as\u00a0<\/span>important channels to daily productivity as<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>employees\u00a0<\/span>would download information to one other and communicate what needed to get accomplished.\u00a0<\/span>L<\/span>ists were generated, notes were taken,<\/span>\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>deadlines<\/span>\u00a0were\u00a0<\/span>assigned<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>A sense of control was created, established.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve<\/span>\u00a0learned that<\/span>\u00a0these conversations are hard<\/span>, if not impossible,<\/span>\u00a0to replace in\u00a0<\/span>the virtual<\/span>\u00a0space. (Something\u00a0<\/span>we\u2019ve<\/span>\u00a0written about here, in\u00a0<\/span>this article<\/span><\/a>)<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>However,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>whether someone is working virtually or from an office, in-progress work is something employees\u00a0<\/span>still\u00a0<\/span>do,\u00a0<\/span>every day<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The tools:\u00a0<\/span><\/i>One size does not fit\u00a0all<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Digital or tactile, t<\/span>here are many\u00a0<\/span>tools<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>people<\/span>\u00a0use to<\/span>\u00a0keep track of what\u00a0<\/span>they\u2019re<\/span>\u00a0working on<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Tools<\/span>\u00a0range from freeform lists on sticky notes<\/span>\u00a0or pieces of paper<\/span>\u00a0to structured digital\u00a0<\/span>organizers<\/span>\u00a0like\u00a0<\/span>Microsoft\u00a0<\/span>Planner<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>Our research showed that\u00a0<\/span>employees<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0use<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>a combination<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>tools<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>depending on<\/span>\u00a0their<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>needs for\u00a0<\/span>speed<\/span>\/<\/span>simplicity<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0structure\/<\/span>collaboration and\u00a0<\/span>influenced by the\u00a0<\/span>tools\u00a0<\/span>available to them.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0also the consideration of\u00a0<\/span>additional<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>bells and whistles<\/span>, or\u00a0none at all,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that\u00a0<\/span>help\u00a0<\/span>decide which tool to use<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0For instance, s<\/span>ome\u00a0<\/span>employees\u00a0<\/span>prefer<\/span>\u00a0blank canvas<\/span>es (like<\/span>\u00a0a<\/span>\u00a0Microsoft Word document or a notebook)<\/span>\u00a0where they can\u00a0<\/span>write down, then cross off<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0an<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>it<\/span>em<\/span>\u00a0on their own<\/span>. O<\/span>thers\u00a0<\/span>report\u00a0<\/span>the benefits of deploying<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>notifications and reminders\u00a0<\/span>of<\/span>\u00a0certain\u00a0tool<\/span>; these\u00a0<\/span>may<\/span>\u00a0help them return to<\/span>\u00a0work\u00a0<\/span>or notify<\/span>\u00a0a<\/span>\u00a0co-worker<\/span>\u00a0when\u00a0<\/span>they<\/span>\u2019re<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>finished<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Digital c<\/span>alendars and spreadsheets\u00a0<\/span>were<\/span>\u00a0also<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>named<\/span>\u00a0as\u00a0<\/span>tools people use<\/span>\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span>stay on top of various tasks.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Several key factors<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As we continue to iterate in this space,\u00a0<\/span>there are\u00a0<\/span>several<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>key\u00a0<\/span>factors\u00a0<\/span>that<\/span>\u00a0users have come to expect<\/span>\u00a0from their in-progress work:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n