ICM501 Blog

By: Jack Weiman

For deciding which project management application I was going to use, first I had to test out a few. The first one that I tried was Asana. Asana was nice, but there was something about it as a whole that felt off. It seemed that it didn’t necessarily have enough functionalities or tools to choose from in general. However, I did really like the way that finished Asana project management boards looked. I think that they looked professional while still seeming ‘fun’ enough.

The second project management application that I tried was Trello. As you can see now, this is the application that I decided to go with. Right as I clicked on it I instantly fell in love with the overall feel of it. For me, Trello shares an aspect that Asana has, which I previously praised. Trello looks professional while still keeping a pleasant and enjoyable feel. I think that to me, Trello looked like the easiest to navigate through and edit, and just seemed like an application that would fit me.

The third and final application that I tried was Podio. Podio is definitely my least favorite application of the three for a few reasons. I wouldn’t say that I got that into depth when trying out this app, but it was almost instantly that I knew it wasn’t for me. While the other two applications, Asana and Trello, flourished when it came to overall design and layout, I feel that Podio did not. This application looked far too boring and complicated. Sure, it looked very professional, but I could tell that I wasn’t going to enjoy using it like I would with my other two options.

I chose Trello because I think that it has the best features of all of the applications that I have tried out. My process of creating my project management board started when I picked a template to use. After that I created a copy of the template and began archiving/deleting some of the lists that were already there. I did keep three of the lists that were included in the template because they were perfect for my project management board. The ones that I chose to keep were the “To-Do, Doing, and Done” lists. After that, I just added cards to them and labeled them all. I also went into each module/assignment and added the due dates. For those that I had already finished, they went in the “done” list and I was able to check off the box, turning it from red to green. For those that are still red, it means that the due date has already passed and that they are overdue.

I also added a “Tools and Materials” list that I put in the beginning just in case I need reminders of the syllabus and other materials for the class. I like adding image attachments when necessary because it helps me visualize which assignments were in which module. Another list that I added to my project management board was “readings”. I added this onto the board because the course’s blackboard page has a lot of different links to click through. By adding screenshots of each module’s reading and video assignments, I am able to know just look at the project management board and quickly see what I have to read. By doing this, I am saving time that I would be typically opening a new tab and clicking through our course’s blackboard page.

The overall process of using Trello really was not that difficult. Sure, at first I struggled a little, but I quickly got the hang of it. I didn’t know how to mark assignments as completed and I didn’t know how to edit any of the cards or lists, but it was similar as most applications, if not easier.

Whenever I have used agendas in the past, they never lasted long. Usually I would use them for a week or two and then just never touch them again because I felt like I didn’t need to and got lazy. However, project management boards are different than agendas and I feel like I will utilize this much more. It helps a lot that I really like the application I chose. I am sure that the more I use Trello, I am going to learn and start understanding more of the functions that are included in it. I like this as kind of a substitute for blackboard (not fully) because I have never really liked blackboard in the first place. Using project management applications like Trello make for much easier management of time and organization.