What's in a task: What a Good Task Entails

Tasks are the bread and butter of any task management tool—and they're essential for staying productive and getting things done. You can choose to manage your tasks on paper, or let a task management tool handle the heavy lifting for you. If you opt for a task management tool, you'll likely want one that's easy to use yet packed with powerful features to get the job done. The simpler and clearer the task management tool is, the easier it is to stay on top of things without feeling overwhelmed. But keep in mind, using task management software that's too simple can strip its power.

One of the most crucial aspects of a task management tool is the task itself! Its design matters a lot—how it looks, how it functions, what attributes you can add, and the overall user experience.

Let’s take a closer look at what makes a well-designed task:

How a task modal looks in Complex.so

When you open a task, it should be clean and uncluttered, drawing your attention to the most important details right away.

Here’s what a well-structured task should include: the essentials like a clear title, key attributes, and space for a detailed description. The description field should be as versatile as a document. It should allow you to add images, headers, files, and more to ensure every task contains all the details you need in one place.

Task attributes are the backbone of a task, making it much easier to manage and stay organized. Some of the most important attributes to include are:

• Status: What’s the current progress—on hold, in progress, or completed (or any custom status)?

• Due Date: When does the task need to be finished?

• Urgency: How important is it? This is crucial for prioritization.

• Assignee: For shared tasks, it’s important to know who’s responsible.

• Reminder: Need a nudge? Set a reminder to stay on track.

• Labels: Organize tasks by categories within a project or space.

• Estimate: Add a time estimate to set expectations and plan effectively.

• Subtasks: Break larger tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces.

These attributes help ensure each task is actionable, clear, and easy to track.

Another key feature of a task, especially for teamwork, is the ability to leave comments. This lets you have context-specific discussions, keeping things organized and avoiding the chaos of general chats not tied to a task.

Pro Tip: Flying solo? Use the comment section to jot down notes for yourself!