If you’ve ever spent too long in a meeting that could’ve been an email—or worse, an email thread that should’ve been a quick chat—this guide’s for you. Meet project spaces promise to make working with others less painful and more productive. But just dropping your team into a new tool doesn’t magically fix bad habits. Here’s how to actually make Meet project spaces work for you and your team, without getting lost in the noise.
1. Know What Meet Project Spaces Are (and Aren’t)
First things first: Meet project spaces are persistent, chat-based rooms for your team to share files, discuss tasks, and keep projects moving. They’re not just another group chat, and they’re not a replacement for real project management tools if your work is complex. Think of them as a living workspace that sits somewhere between email and full-blown project management.
What they’re great for: - Quick coordination and questions - Sharing files and links in one spot - Tracking discussions around a specific project
What they’re not great for: - Deep task management (you’ll hit limits fast) - Sensitive discussions (unless your org has tight controls) - Anything that needs heavy customization
Pro tip: If you need Gantt charts, dependencies, or approval workflows, Meet project spaces will frustrate you. Use them for collaboration, not for running your entire business.
2. Set Up Project Spaces with Intent
Don’t just create a project space for everything. Too many spaces, and people stop checking them. Too few, and you’re drowning in off-topic chatter.
Best practices: - Create spaces for actual projects or working groups, not just for fun. Avoid “random” or “watercooler” unless your team is small and likes that sort of thing. - Name spaces clearly. “Q2 Marketing Campaign” beats “#marketing” every time. - Limit who can create spaces. If everyone can create a new space, you’ll end up with duplicates and confusion. Have a process, even if it’s just “ask before you make a new one.”
What to skip: Don’t make a space for every micro-topic. Use threads or side conversations for small stuff.
3. Make Ground Rules (and Actually Write Them Down)
It sounds boring, but a little structure saves a lot of headaches. Set a few rules early, and pin them in the space description or as a pinned message.
Things to cover: - What belongs in this space? (and what doesn’t) - How quickly should people reply? - Should files be uploaded here, or somewhere else? - What’s the naming convention for threads or files? - Who’s responsible for keeping the space clean?
Example:
“Use this space for project updates, quick questions, and sharing relevant docs. For anything urgent, tag @project-lead. Personal updates go elsewhere.”
Pro tip: Don’t make a 10-page manual. A few sentences everyone agrees on is enough.
4. Keep Conversations Organized (Or They’ll Get Messy, Fast)
Meet project spaces get cluttered when people treat them like a group text. Use threads for specific topics, and don’t be afraid to redirect off-topic chats to the right place.
How to keep things tidy: - Start a new thread for each new topic or question. Don’t hijack someone else’s thread. - Use clear subject lines for threads. “Budget update: May” is better than “FYI.” - Pin important messages or files. Otherwise, that critical doc is gone by next week. - Archive old threads. If a discussion is done, close it or mark it as resolved so others know it’s finished.
What doesn’t work: Relying on everyone’s memory or hoping people will just “know” where to put things.
5. Share Files and Links—But Don’t Hoard or Overwhelm
One of the perks of Meet project spaces is sharing files in context. But if you just dump everything in, no one finds what they need.
Best practices: - Upload files relevant to the current discussion, not everything you have. - Link to documents stored elsewhere (Drive, Dropbox, etc.) when possible. That way, people always get the latest version. - Use clear file names and add a quick note. “Q2_Plan_v3.pdf — final version for review.”
What to avoid: Multiple versions of the same file floating around. If you need to update something, edit the original or clearly mark the new one.
6. Use Notifications Wisely (Don’t Be That Person)
Notifications are a double-edged sword. If you tag everyone for every update, people will mute the space. If you never use tags, urgent stuff gets missed.
How to strike a balance: - Tag people only when you need their attention. Don’t use @everyone unless it’s truly for everyone. - Set expectations for response times. Not every message needs an immediate reply. - Mute or customize notifications for less important spaces. Encourage your team to do the same.
Pro tip: If you’re not sure, err on the side of less noise. People pay more attention when you only ping them as needed.
7. Keep Meetings in the Space—But Don’t Replace Real Conversation
Most Meet project spaces support quick video calls or huddles. Use them for fast check-ins or to clear up confusion, but don’t think this replaces real meetings when you need them.
Good use cases: - Quick syncs to unblock someone - Brainstorming sessions - Demos or walkthroughs
Not-so-great use cases: - Lengthy weekly meetings (just schedule a real meeting) - Performance reviews or tough conversations
What to skip: Don’t default to “let’s jump on a call” for every small thing. Use chat when it works.
8. Review and Clean Up Regularly
Project spaces can get stale, or worse, full of outdated info. Every so often, take five minutes to clean up.
How to stay on top of it: - Archive spaces you’re not using. Don’t let old projects linger. - Update pinned messages or docs. - Clear out old files or links that are no longer needed.
Pro tip: Assign someone as the “space maintainer” for each project. It doesn’t have to be the team lead—just someone who’ll keep things tidy.
9. Don’t Try to Force Every Workflow Into Meet
This is the big one: Meet project spaces are a tool, not the answer to all your problems. If you’re trying to track every task, approval, or process in chat, you’ll end up frustrated. Use Meet for what it’s good at—quick coordination, sharing context, and keeping everyone in the loop.
When to look elsewhere: - Complex project timelines - Task dependencies or assignments - Anything that needs an audit trail
It’s fine to use other tools alongside Meet. Don’t feel guilty about it.
Keep It Simple—And Iterate
You don’t need a 20-step process or a pile of rules to get real value from Meet project spaces. Start with a few clear spaces, keep things organized, and tweak as you go. Check in with your team—ask what’s working, what’s annoying, and what can be dropped. Tools don’t fix bad habits, but the right habits make any tool better.
If you keep things simple and focus on what actually helps your team, you’ll get more done with less noise. And that’s the whole point.