Execute agile programs, projects, or products. Learn how to get to the most out of the task module.
Waymaker Tasks is a powerful module to execute projects, products, or programs. It is built for agile management by business users.
Key terms & functions
These are the key terms & functions to understand the Tasks module in Waymaker.
- Task board
- Task Board Members
- Layers
- Dynamic Layers
- Status Section
- Task
- Task Estimates
- Task Checklist
- Dynamic Tasks
- Task Scheduling
- Task Automation
- Task Board Templates
- Task Visualizations
Task board
A task board is a collection of tasks to manage a product, program, or project.
Tasks can be viewed in board view or list view.
Board view is the kanban view (determined by the sections created) and the list view organized in parent / child structure.
A task will always be in a specific task board. Every user has a default task board that is named after them and is created automatically on user creation.
Any user can create one or many task boards.
There are two types of task boards. This is done for the specific treatment of the automated Gantt chart.
1. Simple (Perpetual)
There is no start or end date defined. A good use case for this is a department meeting board where there is not a defined beginning or end of work. As long as the department exists tasks will be created and executed.
The Gantt chart for the simple board will not show the table of Parent & Child Tasks on the left hand side.
2. Project Management (Specific)
There is a defined end date of the board (although that can always be extended). A good use is a product roadmap (digital or physical) or a construction project.
The Gantt chart for the project management board will show the table of Parent & Child Tasks on the left hand side.
Each task board has it's own:
- Name
- Layers
- Due date
- Simple or project management Gantt
- Check automation (Tasks viewed in list view can be 'checked'. The Check automation allows the definition of done to be customized to a custom section.)
- Members.
Task board members
A task board member is a Waymaker user who has been invited to the task board to work on, or view, tasks, and project information.
Users of Waymaker only see task boards in their task module if they are a member of that task board. If a user can see the task board in their task module they are permission to work on tasks in that task board.
Task board members can be invited as a single user (individual), a team (as defined in admin settings), or as a partner (If you have a Waymaker partner working with you they can be invited without needing to a licensed user in your organization.)
Layers
A task board layer is a container of tasks for a specific stage, epic, or even a sprint. It can be flexible to adapt to your organization or project methodology of execution.
We recognize the method of project execution can be different in different parts of the organization.
For example, the software team in Burke & Wills Electric Vehicles are using layers as epics in their OS development, but the dealership fit-out team are using layers as construction stages.
You could think of a task board like a spreadsheet and then each sheet would be a layer.
A good use case for a layer is an epic in agile development or a stage in more traditional or physical development.
A task board can have one or many layers. However, a task can only be in one layer. Tasks can be moved from layer to layer in bulk. A good use case is moving a large number of tasks from the backlog of one layer to another.
Each layer has it's own:
- Start & finish date
- Owner
- Status (Defined by a section)
- Progress %
- Tags
- Description
- Feed
Each layer can be visually presented on the prebuilt visualizations of the board view, list view, Gantt chart, dashboard, or calendar.
In addition, each layer can be viewed on the section status (e.g., backlog, in progress, blocked.. etc).
By default a task board is created with 1 layer and all tasks are automatically created within this layer until more layers are added.
Dynamic Layers
Dynamic layers use the parent & child hierarchy to organize groups of layers within a task board.
Layers can be organized by parent and child. A parent can have many children, however, a child can only ever have one parent. A good application of a parent and child layer would be the use of an Epic with 1 or more sprints.
The task board layers would be organized as follows.
- Parent layer: Epic
- Child layer 1: Sprint #1
- Child layer 2: Sprint #2 (etc)
Status Section
A status defines the workflow of a task through a task board and layer.
Sections are fixed for the board which means each layer will have the same sections and each layer can be assigned a section status when viewing only layers as a context.
A status is defined by a section within the board view of a task board. Think of a section as the columns on the sheet, if the task board is a spreadsheet, a layer is a sheet, a section is a column.
A task board by default will have five status sections.
- Backlog
- Roadblock
- Committed
- In Progress
- Complete
A section can be renamed, which changes the names of the status on the status drop down list in both the task and layer editor.
Task
A task is an item of work. As task can be viewed as a card on a board or a list item in list view.
All tasks must have an owner and be on a task board to exist.
The default experience is whomever creates the task starts as the owner until reassigned. If a task is created outside of task board environment it will be assigned to the users default (personal) task board.
A user can view a list of all tasks owned by them across all task boards by going to Tasks > My Tasks.
A task can have the following attributes.
- Task name
- Start & finish dates
- Owner
- Status (Section)
- Task Type
- Layer
- Child Layer
- Board
- Tags
- Progress %
- Estimates (This can be story points or numerical hours)
- Description (This can be a long form, rich text, multi-media environment).
- Checklist
- Dynamic tasks
- Feed
Task Type
The task type field enables the user to set a custom type status to the task. As a default, the task type field includes the drop down options of:
- Task
- Defect.
However, users can customize the task type field drop down options for each board. For example, add other task type options such as 'hot fix, bug... etc'.
Task Estimates
Task estimates enables the user of the board to estimate effort on a task and track that effort on each task.
Estimates need to be enabled in the task board settings. By default estimates will be turned off.
Enabling estimates on a task boar will turn on the ability to do the following.
- Estimate using agile story points (T-Shirt Sizes or Numbers).
- Estimate using hours (time).
- Track actual hours/time completed on a task.
- See a burn down chart when hours is used as the time estimation.
Enable estimates
To enable estimates go to the task board settings and turn on "Enable Estimates".
Then, choose the type of estimation.
Waymaker task boards can be set to use the following.
- Story points - users can choose between 'Numbers' or 'T-Shirt Sizes'.
- Hours - users can estimate time.
By enabling estimates a user will then seen an 'Estimates' section appear on the task editor.
Within the Estimates section a user can set the estimate and then track actual hours.
Task Checklist
A task checklist is a collection of items that can be checked or unchecked to signify a done or not done set of actions.
A good use case for a check list would the following task example.
Example task: Design mock up UX
Example checklist items:
- Create wireframes for each user story.
- Design high-fidelity mockups.
- Review and get feedback on designs from stakeholders.
- Finalize UX designs based on feedback.
Users can use checklists as descriptive steps to complete a task.
Dynamic tasks
Dynamic tasks use the parent & child task hierarchy to organize groups of tasks within a section.
Tasks can be organized by parent and child. A parent can have many children, however, a child can only ever have one parent.
Task scheduling (Time boxing)
Any task can be scheduled one or many times into a calendar. This is a practice known as time-boxing which moves a task from a project to an individual's calendar.
Task automation
Any task can be automated based on two automation types; Checklist of the task or a trigger on a task. A trigger can be status or time.
An example of each is as follows.
Checklist: Move the task status to complete when the checklist if fully checked. A good use case is an employee on boarding sequence where a task is to read a set of operating procedures and mark these as complete. On completion the task is moved to complete (or status defined as complete).
Trigger Task Status: On a 'task a' marked as complete, move 'task b' from Committed to In Progress. A good use case is during the onboarding sequence mentioned above on completion of one task, the next is moved to In Progress for specific action.
Trigger Time Status: Update a task status to <status> XY days after trigger status is <status>. A good use case for this is update a backlog status of task "90 day review" to in-progress 90 days after task 'Onboarding Day 1' is completed.
Task board templates
A task board template is a saved board of tasks that can be used one or many times to create a new task board with that template set of tasks, task content, task ownership, task automations, and section status.
Task board templates are organized in the Templates folders of the Task module. A user needs to be a member of the task board saved as a template in order to see the template in the template library.
Examples of task board template as use cases.
- Employee onboarding program (by role or team).
- Month end close of accounts for a finance team.
- A marketing campaign.
- An event.
- A product launch.
- A finance audit process.
- A quality control process.
- A standard procedure.
- A website development program.
- A video production process.
- A recruitment & hiring process.
Task visualizations
Tasks can be visualized in the following ways.
My tasks
See all tasks owned by yourself. Click 'My Tasks' on home page of the task module.
Board view
View tasks in a board on a traditional Kanban view, organized by sections.
List view
View tasks in a board organized in a list view, organized by parent and child.
Dashboard view
Automated pre-defined dashboard of the task board.
Calendar view
Calendar view will render a month, week, or day view of tasks with dates.
Gantt chart view
Gantt chart view will render a simple (perpetual) Gantt or a project management (specific) Gantt chart of programs, products, or projects.
Layer View
The Layer view will render layers (epics/sprints, stages/sub-stages) according to status-section of the layer.
Layers are represented as cards on the board.
Layer Gantt chart (roadmap) view
Layers can be viewed as a Gantt chart in simple or project management view in order to see a Roadmap of the project, product, or program.
Layer calendar view
A layer can be viewed as a calendar view. Consider using child layers and viewing on calendar to see sprint schedules.
Layer list view
Layer list view enables the user to see the list of all layers in the product, program, or project.
Burn down chart
When time estimates are enabled a user will be able to access a burn down chart for the project (task board), layer or child layer being viewed.
