By Rachel Waite (opens in new tab)
Photo credit: Unsplash
Remote work changed a lot of things, all within a matter of months. The loss of physical buildings et communal campuses; the introduction of in-home office set-ups; the challenges of juggling work et life; et workdays that are less predictable.
Unfortunately, many reliable workflows et communication channels also changed during this swift to digital transition—one being how employees manage their in-progress work.
As part of the XC Planning and Research team, we’ve conducted unmoderated user sessions and held workshops to help us understand the tools that employees are using to organize and act on their work. The findings will help us build tools which put people in control of their work.
What is “in–progress” work?
“In–progress” work varies by employee and organization, but many tasks are universal. They include things like composing an email, reviewing documents, making a list, or scheduling a meeting. All these responsibilities are folded into an employee’s daily “to-dos” and help them remain connected to larger team goals and productivity.
However, the scope of in–progress work doesn’t end 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–progress work.
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 impact opportunity, and the time they have available. This ‘altitude’ is something that can change or shift, when various factors are considered.
How it’s generated
Before COVID-19, co-workers would often discuss and organize their on-going “to do” lists with one another. Often this would happen during the informal chats—causal conversations around someone’s desk or in a hallway. These brief, transitional moments served as important channels to daily productivity as employees would download information to one other and communicate what needed to get accomplished. Lists were generated, notes were taken, et deadlines were assigned. A sense of control was created, established.
We’ve learned that these conversations are hard, if not impossible, to replace in the virtual space. (Something we’ve written about here, in this article (opens in new tab)). However, whether someone is working virtually or from an office, in-progress work is something employees still do, every day.
The tools: One size does not fit all
Digital or tactile, there are many tools people use to keep track of what they’re working on. Tools range from freeform lists on sticky notes or pieces of paper to structured digital organizers like Microsoft Planner (opens in new tab). Our research showed that employees use a combination tools, depending on their needs for speed/simplicity, structure/collaboration and influenced by the tools available to them.
There’s also the consideration of additional bells and whistles, or none at all, that help decide which tool to use. For instance, some employees prefer blank canvases (like a Microsoft Word document or a notebook) where they can write down, then cross off, an item on their own. Others report the benefits of deploying notifications and reminders of certain tool; these may help them return to work or notify a co-worker when they’re finished.
Digital calendars and spreadsheets were also named as tools people use to stay on top of various tasks.
Several key factors
As we continue to iterate in this space, there are several key factors that users have come to expect from their in-progress work:
- Tools that are easy to manage and simple to understand
- Actions that allow them to modify the task like add new items or notes, and mark when complete
- Accessible from any device, integrated within communication, coordination and scheduling tools, et free or work provided
- A sense of calm, rather than stress or anxiety—this works helps them feel ‘on top of it’
Looking ahead: Unmet needs
Even with so many tools at their disposal, employees still have unmet expectations. For a new tool to be successful, it must:
- Compile all content and be accessible from any device
- Provide timely notifications and reminders
- Track progress; e.g. percentages, time remaining, look back & celebrate success
- Be customizable so user can make it their own
- Provide a bird’s eye view of what needs to be done
We must keep in mind that there are a multitude of diverse tools available to our users. And while some of them expressed an interest in consolidating to a single tool, there are practical reasons for people to use multiple tools. While users may shift more tasks to consolidated and collaborative digital tools with time, but it is unlikely the physical sticky note will ever fully be replaced. If it is, you can be sure that user research will be at the forefront of gathering users’ input on what will work for them.
What do you think? What tools do you value most in keeping yourself and your work organized? How has remote work changed the way you’re approaching tasks? Let us know! Tweet us @MicrosoftRI (opens in new tab) or like us on Facebook (opens in new tab) and join the conversation.
Acknowledgements from the author: Thank you to Michele McDanel and Ryan MacDonald for help crafting this post; to researchers Laura Schlenke, Tiffany Smith, Sara Al Mughairy, Therese Okraku and Penny Collisson, whose past work influenced these insights; and to Jokko Korhonen, Salil Das, Malia Douglas, Aliza Jensen, Divyanka Pillai and Ilya Grey for your active participation in this focused project.
Rachel Waite is a Senior Design Research Manager in Office Planning and Research. She appreciates that Microsoft has given her space to learn, inspiration to grow and opportunities to impact across roles in Devices and Software. Rachel thanks all the passionate and authentic people who have been with her along the way and who make work worthwhile each day. Rachel’s Microsoft journey has been an exploration of humans, aligning our business and product decisions to the needs of others. User Research techniques help us understand perceptions, uncover nuances in behavior and inspire innovation. Now Rachel’s energy has turned to the people whose influence is rare in product making and she believes that we must amplify the voices of underrepresented races and people of lower socio-economic status to find creative solutions to the challenges of our world.