If you’re wrangling projects with a small team and tired of chasing updates across Slack, email, and sticky notes, this one’s for you. Getting everyone on the same page (and keeping them there) is half the battle with any project. Arrows promises to fix that, but only if you use it well. Here’s a straight-shooting guide to actually assigning and managing team tasks in Arrows—so your projects don’t fall apart halfway through.
1. Set Up Your Project the Right Way
Before you can assign tasks, you need to give your project a fighting chance:
- Create a Clear Project Template: Don’t just start from scratch every time. Use templates for repeatable work—onboarding, client launches, whatever. Arrows lets you build these out, so use them.
- Define Milestones Upfront: If you don’t know where you’re going, your team won’t either. List out the big milestones first. Don’t overthink it—just get the main steps down.
Pro tip: Skip the urge to cram every possible step into your template. It’ll just overwhelm people. Start lean and add details as you go.
2. Break Work Into Real Tasks (Not Just To-Do Lists)
A task isn’t “Do stuff for Project X.” It’s a specific, actionable chunk of work, with a real owner and a deadline. In Arrows, each task can have:
- A clear title (“Draft user welcome email” beats “Emails”)
- A detailed description (But don’t write a novel—just enough so the assignee knows what “done” looks like)
- Attachments, links, or context if needed
- A due date (don’t skip this; deadlines force prioritization)
What to skip: Assigning vague or generic tasks. If you can’t explain what “done” means, the task isn’t ready yet.
3. Assign Tasks—For Real Accountability
This is where things usually fall apart. In Arrows, you can assign tasks to team members so there’s no confusion about who’s on the hook. Here’s how to do it so it actually works:
- Assign ONE owner per task. More than that, and everyone assumes “someone else” will do it.
- Tag in collaborators (if needed). If two people need to work together, list one as the owner and tag the other in comments or as a follower.
- Set realistic deadlines. If everything’s “ASAP,” nothing is.
Pro tip: Ask people to accept or acknowledge their tasks in Arrows. That way, you know they’ve seen it and there’s less “I didn’t know” later.
4. Use Task Status and Comments—Not Email Ping-Pong
Arrows lets you update task status (not started, in progress, blocked, done). Use these honestly. If something’s stuck, mark it as blocked and say why in the comments. Don’t just let things languish in silence.
- Comment directly on tasks instead of spinning up another email thread.
- Use status changes as signals, not just busywork. If a task moves to “blocked,” someone needs to help.
- Don’t micromanage. If you’re updating task status every hour, you’re doing too much.
What to ignore: Fancy integrations or automations you’re not ready for. Start with the basics before you try to automate everything.
5. Keep the Workflow Tight—Review, Adjust, Repeat
One of the best things about Arrows is the ability to see where every task stands. But if you set it and forget it, you’ll still end up lost.
- Have a weekly (or biweekly) review. Walk through open tasks as a team. What’s done, what’s stuck, what needs to shift?
- Update tasks and deadlines as things change. Projects never go exactly as planned, so don’t pretend otherwise.
- Archive or close out finished tasks—don’t let your dashboard turn into a graveyard.
Pro tip: Use filters and views in Arrows to focus on what matters—like all overdue tasks or everything assigned to a specific person.
6. Communicate in Context (and Kill the Status Meetings)
Arrows is built for async communication. Use it:
- Post updates and questions in task comments instead of Slack DMs or meetings.
- Mention teammates with @ so they’re looped in only when relevant.
- Share project links with stakeholders instead of sending them a 10-paragraph update.
What works: This cuts down on interruptions and keeps all info in one place.
What doesn’t: If your team ignores Arrows and keeps using email or chat, you’ll be back where you started. Make Arrows the go-to spot for project talk.
7. Use Notifications—But Don’t Overdo It
Notifications are a double-edged sword. In Arrows, you can get alerts for task assignments, comments, due dates, and more. But too many, and they’ll get ignored.
- Set notification preferences so you only get what matters.
- Encourage your team to do the same. There’s no prize for inbox zero if you missed the one critical update.
- Use reminders selectively. Save them for tasks that really need a nudge.
Pro tip: If someone consistently misses notifications, have a quick chat. Sometimes the problem is just too much noise.
8. Track Progress—But Don’t Obsess Over Metrics
Arrows offers dashboards and reporting, but don’t get sucked into chasing numbers for their own sake.
- Look for trends, not just stats. Are tasks consistently late? Is one person overloaded?
- Share progress openly. Use the dashboard in meetings or async updates so everyone sees the same thing.
- Don’t let green dashboards fool you. Ask your team how it’s going; numbers don’t always tell the whole story.
What to ignore: Vanity metrics (like “tasks created”) that don’t help you deliver projects faster or better.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Assigning tasks without context
- Letting tasks drift without follow-up
- Overcomplicating workflows with too many steps
- Relying on Arrows to “fix” cultural issues. Tools help, but people need to buy in.
If you catch yourself dreading opening Arrows, your process is probably too heavy. Simplify.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
No tool will magically make your team organized. But with a little discipline, Arrows can keep everyone on the same page—without endless status meetings or lost tasks. Start simple, focus on clear ownership and communication, and tweak your setup as you go. You’ll spend less time herding cats, and more time actually getting work done.