Web Company Back On Track

Wholesale online retailer Doba didn't want to hire an outside project manager. But the fast-growing technology company lacked a single methodology for tracking work and resources. Each team used its own approach to project and task management with Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Project and e-mail. "I knew from my past experience that this was going to be a problem. We needed a solution that would bring things together," says Keith Hester, director of engineering at Doba.

The company implemented @task last December and transferred its bug-tracking system into the project planning and scheduling program. The software allowed the queuing of projects and centralized project and task management.

It also reduced the time Doba spent creating projects from scratch by dividing them into three categories: "five-minute " projects, small projects lasting less that two weeks and requiring a project leader, and medium-sized projects spanning from one to six months. "With the templates, we can launch repeat projects that fall into these three buckets and really create value and efficiency," Mr. Hester says.

The Doba team is reporting operational improvements, too. "Now our organization is aligned on the same views, and we're all talking about the same information," Mr. Hester says. "With @task, we picked up rhythm."

Doba, Orem, Utah, USA

Challenge: Align project tracking methodologies across the organization
Project: Implement a standardized project management system
Solution: @task, AtTask Inc., Orem, Utah, USA. www.attask.com
ROI: Operational improvements, time savings, and better project visibility.