When using task management tools, one typically relies on some form of SaaS, but it may not suffice for some teams or individuals. In such cases, one may opt to customize the SaaS or even develop their own tool.
Knowing these task attributes can be handy. In this article, I will cover them comprehensively.
(Descriptive Attributes)
Name
- Task name
- Single line
Details
- Detailed task information
- Supplemental information not covered by the name is described in sentences
- Multiple lines
(Status Attributes)
Status
- "Task status" such as start, end, cancel, in progress
- At least a binary of "Incomplete" and "Complete" is necessary, but you can design the options as you see fit
- However, it is preferable to keep it within 4 to avoid a complex and high cognitive load
(Identification Attributes)
ID
- Task identifier
- Mechanical numbering is fine
- It is recommended to have this internally as "Name" can sometimes not be used as an identifier
- It is common to have multiple tasks with the same name
(Date Attributes)
Execution Date
- The day the task is to be executed
- For instance, if today is 2025-11-28 and you want to execute Task A on 2025-12-01, set A's execution date to 2025-12-01
Creation Date
- The day the task was created
- Helps to intuitively grasp the "age" of a task but is optional
- Must be auto-input. Manually entering the creation date is overly cumbersome
Due Date
- The final day for task completion
- Frequently used, but it's a waterfall-type metric and doesn't always align with the agile approach nowadays, so it's optional
- It's better to set deadlines on a bundled unit like a sprint, project, or milestone rather than individual tasks
Completion Date
- The day the task was completed
- Combined with the Execution Date, you can calculate whether it was completed as planned or how many days it was delayed
(Time Attributes)
These are more flexible and convenient compared to Date Attributes, but at a team level, they lead to micromanagement. It is preferable to use time attributes only for personal task management purposes.
Section
- The time slot when the task is to be executed
- Execution Date was "day," but this is "time slot." Morning, afternoon, morning, daytime, evening, etc.
Start Time
- The time the task started
- For instance, hh:mm
- It tends to be more on the time tracking side
- If daily management is sufficient, it's unnecessary
End Time
- The time the task ended
- Combined with Start Time, you can derive the time spent on the task
- However, it's weak against interruptions and multitasking, assuming tasks progress with single-tasking only
Estimated Time
- Estimated time for task completion
- You can derive the "actual time spent" from Start Time and End Time, allowing you to perform budget vs. actual management by comparing it with this estimated time
(Periodic Attributes)
Recurrence Frequency
- Frequency at which a task appears
- Specify in the form "x times every n days"
- Daily (Once per day)
- Every three days
- Once a week (Every Wednesday, every Friday, etc.)
- Twice a day (Create two tasks with daily frequency)
Recurrence Conditions
- The conditions under which a task appears
- Specify particularly fine-tuned conditions not covered by recurrence frequency
- For example:
- Every Monday and working day
- First Monday of the month
- Last Friday of the month
(Classification Attributes)
Category
- Classification item assigned only one per task
- A type of tag, and deleting the category does not delete the tasks within it
Tag
- Classification items that can be assigned multiple per task
- Primarily used for filtering
Label
- Classification items that can be assigned multiple per task with color information
- There is a label name and a label color
- Primarily used for "visibility when viewed at a glance"
Star
- A non-customizable classification item that can only be assigned once per task
- Internally, it's a single flag that can be either on or off. The default is off
- Primarily used as a bookmark
Priority
- A classification item assigned only once per task
- Exists separately from tags and indicates task priority
- It can be customizable by the user, but ideally, it should be fixed by the tool (the tool should present a priority system as its concept)
Trigger Context
- Classification items that can be assigned multiple per task
- Trigger context refers to the situation in which that task can be executed
- For example, "while commuting," "requires deep focus," "company," "home," etc.
- Mainly used for filtering, particularly for extracting tasks that can be handled under the current circumstances
(Subjective Attributes)
These express subjective impressions regarding tasks.
Though subjective, ensure they are quantified (0-100 scale, selecting from n steps, etc.)
Importance
- Task importance
- While meaningfully similar to the priority attribute, the importance attribute enables more intuitive operations
Difficulty
- Task difficulty
- Often manageable with trigger context
- The reason being, simple tasks don't choose a location or timing, whereas complex tasks often require selection
(Collaboration Attributes)
These attributes handle people linked to a task. Unnecessary for personal task management.
Assignee
- Person executing the task
- Also establishes the person responsible for execution, hence a mandatory attribute
- However, as a challenging concept, there are management approaches where the concept of an assignee doesn't exist. In such cases, use the issuer and contributor described below
Issuer
- The person who issued the task
- Adopt it when information on "who" created the task is important
- Usually, auto-recording by the tool is sufficient, but it's noisy and better left hidden if not important
Contributor
- Persons involved in the task
- It's straightforward with tools like GitHub Issues or ticket-based systems, indicating everyone who took any action on the task's page
- Primarily used for two purposes:
- Visually displaying who is involved in that task (showing avatars, etc.)
- Using it later when measuring achievements
Subscriber
- Individuals who are focusing on that task
- Mainly used for update notifications; notifications are sent to subscribers when information related to a task is updated
Conclusion
While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for implementing task management, these basic attributes should be comprehensive. This ensures you can implement your system without unnecessary detours. Until next time.
(References)
- English Version
- Japanese Version
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