If you’ve ever watched a project slip off the rails because nobody knew who was doing what, this one’s for you. Managing team tasks shouldn’t require a PhD in project management or endless meetings. Derrickapp claims to make it easy, but as with any tool, it’s only as good as the habits and setup behind it. This guide walks you through the nuts and bolts of getting organized and actually staying that way—using Derrickapp as a practical tool, not a magic fix.
1. First, Get the Basics Right
Before you start assigning tasks left and right, make sure you’ve got your Derrickapp account set up and your team invited. Don’t overthink it, but don’t skip these steps either:
- Set up your workspace: Name it after your team or project so people know where they are.
- Invite your team: Send invites to actual team members, not just random emails. If someone doesn’t need to see the tasks, don’t add them—less noise for everyone.
- Decide on roles: Derrickapp lets you assign admins and members. Use these wisely—too many admins, and you’ll get chaos.
Pro tip: Skip inviting the whole company “just in case.” Only add people who’ll actually work on or need visibility into the project.
2. Organize Work with Projects and Lists
Derrickapp is built around “projects” (or sometimes called spaces or boards, depending on the app version). Here’s how to make sense of it:
- Create a new project for each real initiative: Don’t cram everything into one board. If you’re running Marketing and Product, those should be separate.
- Use task lists for structure: Within each project, break things down by phase, department, or workflow—whatever makes sense for your team. Typical lists: “To Do,” “In Progress,” “Review,” “Done.”
- Don’t overcomplicate: More lists ≠ more control. Too many, and people won’t know where to look.
What works: Simple, logical lists that map to how your team actually works.
What doesn’t: Getting fancy with 15 columns because you saw it on a productivity blog.
3. Create Clear, Actionable Tasks
Here’s where most teams trip up: vague tasks. “Update docs” or “Fix issues” doesn’t cut it. Derrickapp gives you some options to get specific:
- Task title: Make it an action, not a riddle. Example: “Write Q2 project update email.”
- Description: Add details—links, expectations, requirements. Don’t assume people know what you mean.
- Attachments: If there’s a doc or file, attach it. Saves everyone time.
- Due dates: Use them. No due date means “whenever,” which usually means “never.”
Pro tip: If you can’t explain what needs to happen in a sentence or two, break the task down further.
4. Assign Tasks to the Right People
This is the heart of Derrickapp’s task management. Assigning tasks isn’t just about picking a name from a dropdown—it’s about clarity and accountability.
- Assign one owner per task: Multiple owners = nobody owns it. If more than one person needs to work on it, break it into subtasks.
- Set clear deadlines: Don’t be afraid to set a date, even if it’s a rough target. It beats “ASAP.”
- Use tags or labels (if available): Mark priority, type of work, or department. But don’t go overboard—three or four tags tops.
What works: One responsible person per task, with a clear deadline.
What doesn’t: “Team” tasks with no owner or “urgent” labels on everything.
5. Communicate—But Not Too Much
Derrickapp has built-in comments and notifications, which can be useful or just add to the noise, depending on how you use them.
- Comment in context: Use task comments to keep discussion focused. Ask questions, share updates, but don’t turn it into a chat room.
- Tag people when you need them: Use @mentions to get someone’s attention. Don’t @everyone unless it’s genuinely urgent.
- Avoid notification overload: Most people mute email alerts after a day. Use notifications sparingly—just for assignments, completions, or blockers.
Honest take: Don’t expect Derrickapp to replace every conversation. Sometimes stuff still needs a quick call or in-person chat.
6. Track Progress Without Micromanaging
Once tasks are assigned, your job isn’t done. But you also don’t need to become a task cop.
- Use the board/kanban view: Move tasks across lists as work progresses. This gives everyone a quick visual of where things stand.
- Check in on blockers, not busywork: Focus on what’s stuck or overdue, not hovering over every small update.
- Review completed tasks regularly: A quick scan at the end of the week helps spot patterns—like who’s overloaded or which tasks always get stuck.
What works: Consistent, honest updates—no fake “done” clicks just to clear the board.
What doesn’t: Hovering over your team or demanding a status update every hour.
7. Use Templates and Recurring Tasks (If You Must)
Derrickapp lets you create templates for common workflows, and set up recurring tasks for things like weekly reports. Just don’t template your way into rigidity.
- Templates: Great for onboarding, checklists, or repeatable processes. Don’t template every task—use your brain, not just a button.
- Recurring tasks: Useful for actual repeats (e.g., “Send monthly billing report”). Avoid for things that change often.
Pro tip: Review your templates every few months. If nobody uses them, scrap them.
8. Skip the Fancy Stuff (Unless You Need It)
Derrickapp probably has features like integrations, automation, or analytics. Here’s the honest truth: most teams don’t need these until the basics actually work.
- Integrations: Connect tools (Slack, Google Drive, etc.) if it genuinely saves you time. Otherwise, ignore.
- Automation: Only set up automations when you’ve outgrown manual tracking and actually know what you want automated.
- Reports and analytics: Useful if you’re managing a large team. For smaller groups, a weekly board review is usually enough.
What works: Using just enough tools to help, not distract.
What doesn’t: Spending hours wiring up integrations nobody uses.
9. Keep Your System Alive (and Pruned)
The best setup is the one you actually use. Here’s how to keep Derrickapp from turning into a digital graveyard:
- Archive old projects and tasks: Out of sight, out of mind. Keeps boards clean.
- Regularly review who has access: Remove people who’ve left the team, or projects they no longer need.
- Evolve your lists and workflows: As your team changes, so should your setup. Don’t cling to an old process because “that’s how we started.”
Pro tip: Once a month, spend 10 minutes cleaning up your boards. It’s worth it.
Bottom line: Derrickapp can make managing team tasks a lot smoother, but it won’t fix unclear goals or disorganized teams by itself. Start simple, keep your lists and assignments crystal clear, and focus on what actually helps your team work—not what looks impressive in a screenshot. Iterate as you go, and don’t be afraid to prune what isn’t working. The best system is the one your team keeps using, not the one with the most features.