Task Management vs Project Management: What’s the Difference?
During planning, many companies face difficulties determining whether a specific step of work belongs to project management or task management. This is a common challenge, as both types share many similarities, and often go hand in hand.
On the flip side, when teams combine task management with project management haphazardly, they risk putting a workflow into total disorder. For those who don’t want their business to fall apart, we’ve put together a useful review.
The Essence of Task Management
Task Management can be defined as a separate stage within a workflow. It’s like a functional brick in the supporting wall of business activities, particularly projects.
The role of task management is to oversee short-term activities that follow strict deadlines.
If you neglect task management, you won’t get an appropriate result or may even fail the stage of a project.
For example, a programmer gets a task to fix a feedback form on your website. Without task management, there will be neither limits set for completion nor progress–checking procedure established. As a result, the work may take too long to finish; during this time, you will lose leads and opportunities. And as there is no checking, the issue may ultimately remain uncorrected.
Characteristics of Task Management
Basically, the forming element of task management is a task itself. Therefore, the core objectives of this process are to delegate and organize specific activities within a project or overall workflow to achieve a defined result within a set deadline.
With task management, you will be able to support seamless operation and control all stages of a task execution:
- work progress planning;
- choosing assignees;
- tracking activities;
- task assignee assistance;
- report preparation;
- verification of results.
Task management isn’t in charge of potential commercial risks. This approach doesn’t include diagnostic functions, so it can’t predict the best or worst scenarios for the overall business performance.
Task Manager’s Duties and Skills
In a broader sense, a task manager is a person who makes sure a specific task gets finished completely and on schedule.
According to the structure of the task lifecycle, this specialist is responsible for all stages described above.
Thus, a task manager must:
- Identify tasks. To achieve business objectives, it’s crucial to understand key needs and issues of the current workflow.
- Set priorities. From a vast list of current requirements, a true professional chooses the essential ones to start with.
- Manage resources. This includes both human and material resources that should be allocated properly.
- Monitor progress. The manager controls task tracking: milestones, deadlines, and results.
- Support assignees. This person is a main assistant if a team gets stuck in difficulties.
To fulfill fundamental requirements, check if your task manager is characterized by the following competencies:
- strong communication skills;
- organizational abilities;
- multitasking;
- knowledge of management tools, including digital ones, and strategies;
- analytical thinking.
In certain situations, you can involve a task manager in aspects of project management.To understand if both positions in your company are interchangeable, let’s see the essential characteristics of project management.
Defining Project Management
Project management is an extensive process that typically requires considerably more time to finish. It includes several assignments that proceed simultaneously or consecutively. But typically, all the steps go one by one, in a strict system of task dependencies.
For example, you have to promote a new product. There is no sense in launching the campaign unless you study the target audience.
Characteristics of Project Management
While task management is a relatively plain and straightforward process, project management is rather complicated. It oversees a set of operational activities from inception to completion. Here, the result is also highly significant, while the deadline can be changed under certain circumstances.
Main stages of project management include:
- global objective setting;
- planning a working structure;
- stakeholder coordination;
- resource allocation;
- assignment of each task owner;
- control of every step;
- analytics, closure, and reporting.
Keep in mind that every task within a project lifecycle has its own execution steps. Consequently, project management isn't responsible for ongoing operational objectives. It doesn’t track milestones, subtasks and overall nuances of a task's lifecycle, except for deadlines.
Project Manager Abilities and Responsibilities
This employee is in charge of managing overall project execution, so the list of his skills and duties is broader than the competencies of a task manager. The qualifications of a former may include more or fewer requirements — depending on the industry or technical peculiarities of project delivery.
Generally, a project manager has to:
- Define objectives. This specialist must clearly understand stakeholders’ goals and expected financial outcomes.
- Create a comprehensive structure of a project. Planning stages, tasks, deadlines, sources, and other parts of the workflow.
- Allocate resources. This includes deciding whom to assign and how much to spend.
- Foresee risks. A good project manager knows activities that are really worth undertaking.
- Motivate the team. This person acts as a leader who supports colleagues and implements the methods to boost productivity.
- Inspect progress. Monitoring project milestones, measuring and analyzing metrics of effectiveness for further improvements.
- Prepare reports. Forming documentation to reflect all successful and unsuccessful solutions.
Based on these competencies,a project manager is expected to use:
- rules of efficient communication;
- management and leadership techniques;
- project planning instruments;
- digital analytics tools;
- tools for data organization.
Task Management vs. Project Management: 4 Key Differences
Let’s take the principal aspects in stages so you can see clearly what makes task management unlike project management.
#1. Scope and Objectives
|
Task Management |
Project Management |
|
|
Scope |
Focuses on a single piece of work |
Manages a broader, more complex process |
|
Objectives |
One straightforward, specific goal |
A broader, overarching purpose that ties multiple goals together |
The task size is relatively small. It concerns a specific activity with a clear objective. Although tasks may include subtasks or be subdivided into separate stages, most commonly task management is a steady process with one quickly achievable aim.
As a rule, project scope includes several tasks. Project management covers complex steps within a working process. Every stage has its intermediate aims, which serve a united global goal.
#2. Timeframes and Complexity
|
Task Management |
Project Management |
|
|
Timeframes |
Short completion time with a strict deadline |
Longer timeframe; deadlines may shift depending on scope or resources |
|
Complexity |
One type of work; relatively simple |
Multiple operations and steps; more complex |
Most tasks can be completed within a week. There is usually only one type of work, so the process of task management is straightforward.
Project implementation is extended in time. It may take months or even years to achieve the necessary results. The difficulty lies in project complexity and its multistaged structure that typically combines entirely different types of work.
#3. Collaboration and Stakeholders
|
Task Management |
Project Management |
|
|
Collaboration |
Several employees, small teams |
Specialists from various departments, large teams |
|
Stakeholder |
Usually the employer, team lead, or an internal team |
Internal teams, employer, customers/clients, and sometimes external partners |
As a task is a small unit of work, 1–3 workers is often enough to complete it. There is no need for deep team collaboration. That’s why a task manager typically supervises a single person’s activities. Generally, the employer is the stakeholder.
Project management coordinates a variety of specialists: managers, department directors, programmers, data analysts, designers, copywriters — just to name a few. Most frequently, the stakeholder is a customer.
#4. Resources and Dependency Management
|
Task Management |
Project Management |
|
|
Resources |
Requires only a few resources |
Involves a wide variety of resources |
|
Dependency Management |
Minimal and simple dependencies |
A wide network of interactions and interdependent activities |
While tools, software, or equipment are optional, the main resource of task management is labor. There are interdependencies within the stages of the task lifecycle, such as subtasks, sequences, or approvals. But in general, task management doesn’t cooperate with other management areas to complete a certain assignment.
In contrast, project dependencies are complex and multilayered. The process of management incorporates a lot of resources, such as human labor, finances, equipment, facilities, and so on. Therefore, a project manager is always in close connection with different departments: Marketing, Sales, Finance, Human Resources, etc.
Use Both Approaches Together to Get the Benefits
People often mix these two processes because, indeed, they have a lot in common. In small companies, the two may be interchangeable because they:
- Constitute an essential part of business planning and development.
- Work on task prioritization.
- Provide comprehensive workflow management.
- Require strong organization, communication, and leadership skills.
- Break operational processes into smaller pieces.
- Are responsible for resource allocation.
- Determine potentially significant issues for the company.
When you apply both approaches correctly, all business processes run smoothly. Teams work effectively on customers’ projects: they solve essential issues in a shorter time, achieve strong results and fully satisfy stakeholders’ needs. Positive feedback brings new opportunities and boosts overall company profit.
Task Manager vs Project Manager: Are They Opposites?
Actually not. They’re as interconnected as the two approaches they rely on. Both positions work together.
A project manager always collaborates with a task manager and delegates assignments to different departments’ task managers. All of them work toward the same objective within a project. A task manager focuses on specific steps and oversees all stages to be completed by certain assignees on time. He is also in charge of results, and ultimately reports to a project manager.
Examples of Task and Project Management
To see the difference more clearly, let’s look at an example.
Imagine we are going to prepare a recreation room for our colleagues.
Project management may include the following steps:
- Choosing a space.
- Planning preparation costs.
- Searching for an interior designer.
- Selecting an architectural company.
- Engineering consulting.
- Recruiting a group of construction workers.
- Acceptance procedures.
Each point includes a large amount of work that will be subdivided into smaller pieces.
Thus, we get down to task management.
E.g., in the task “choosing a space”, the manager should check the completion of the following steps:
- Examine all rooms in the office.
- Choose those with certain parameters: square footage, the number of windows, doors, etc.
- Prepare a list of suitable options.
It’s clear that a specific task completed within a project serves an overarching objective. But at the same time, both have their unique stages and sub-goals. While the project manager oversees the global vision, the task manager is responsible for specific steps. Working together, they create a comprehensive “construction”.
What Approach is Right for Your Team
Use a Task Management Only
If you're self-employed or run a small team. In that case, you need no multi-staging and complication — they may only confuse the workflow. The scope of task management is enough to structure daily issues and control every step of implementation within a little group of workers.
Implement Both Task and Project Management
A correct choice for middle and large companies. The essential thing here is to separate but not mix both approaches. Make them interact, not interchangeable. Be sure that a project manager oversees the whole process, while the task manager is in charge of separate stages within workflow.
Whichever approach you stick to, the next step is to choose the most suited tool and software.
Choosing Correct Tools and Software
The digital market is full of convenient solutions to make your task and project management more efficient. Modern software makes work processes easier through automation.
Some digital tools specialize in task management only, forming a group of so-called task trackers.
Examples include Trello or Microsoft To Do. Set up a basic kit of task management digital tools as a task creation, contribution and control, timetracker, Kanban, communication, and keylogger optionally. In addition to those instruments, many companies use spreadsheets as a proven method of task management.
Such tools work better for small teams and those who run a one-person business.
Most modern solutions are complex software products that offer both task– and project management tools. For example, Flowlu has developed functionality to manage any part of your workflow. You may choose what to work on: track separate tasks, or control all the steps of large projects.
Corporations managing multiple projects should also take a closer look at risk management tools.
Integrated solutions are suitable for middle and large companies.
Final Thoughts
Always keep in mind that tasks and projects are parts of a single process, while their management requires separate approaches.
Sometimes there is nothing wrong with interchanging both types, but for large companies such mixing can be confusing.
Choose task management for specific pieces of work and project management for complicated issues with lasting implementation.
Without a correct system of management, companies encounter:
- Wrong estimation of work scope. This may lead to skipping some essential stages of workflow.
- Misunderstanding of goals. This leads to incorrect results and loss of the whole project.
- Poor communication. This becomes a reason for misunderstanding and incorrect completion of objectives.
- Absence of roles and responsibilities. Separate tasks lose their lifecycle control.
- Bad selection of tools. The workflow becomes confusing.
We're sure it does! If you ever try digital tools to automate routine tasks, you’ll never return to old management methods.
If you’re working alone or in a small team, digital software will serve you just as well as a real assistant. In large companies, special tools work efficiently only in cooperation with real managers.
