Yeah that is a nice routine. Keeping both the paper notes and the Excel file synced gives you a clean picture of everything. The only thing I found tricky with that setup was the amount of manual updating it needs, especially when several projects are moving at the same time.
At some point I started looking for something that could track tasks and deadlines for me in one place without needing so much double checking. That is when I tried a few project management platforms. The one that stuck for me was Celoxis because it let me keep timelines, tasks, and updates together and I did not have to rewrite things in different places anymore.
Do you think you would ever move to a tool that handles the tracking for you, or do you prefer keeping it manual with paper and Excel?
It depends on how many clients do you have or even if you are working as a freelancer or an Agency. For example very small clients (5 clients) then paper and excel file, with a big set of clients like 10, 40 or more then a project management platform (this allow you to reduce the use of paper and to have everything organize and tidy). The thing is to be updated with technology because this make you not spent such quantity of paper (that’s what project management tools do for you).
Yeah that is true. Once the number of clients grows, doing everything with paper and Excel starts slowing you down. A proper platform really helps keep things tidy and saves a lot of time.
That is exactly why I ended up staying with Celoxis. It handled the jump from a few clients to many without me needing to rebuild my whole process. It kept everything in one place and reduced all the small manual steps I used to do.
Since you already think in terms of scaling based on client load, do you see yourself moving to a full platform if your work volume increases, or do you prefer to keep things simple for now?
Yes off course, every time there are changes in current jobs (and there would be changes in the future), for example right now most of companies are using AI, if you don’t began to learn AI then someone may get that job than you. The same thing is with the platform, if many people is using the same tools and the same platform, aren’t you going to be using the same tools like any other ? (if you don’t do what your boss do or he ask you to learn the new tools aren’t you going to be using the new tools ?, if you don’t do it then you will get a dismissal !).
In terms of managing projects, I’ve found Toggl useful for tracking time, and Trello useful for tracking projects and deadlines. Also, it sounds obvious, but I always stay away from naming files like “final version” cos you always end up with files like “New Artwork Final Amended (OLD) Update” or some such nonsense. Version numbers on files every time. Even if it reaches “Artwork v15” or whatever.
Yeah you are right about that. The industry moves fast and staying updated with new tools and AI is part of staying relevant in any creative or project based job. If the company or the boss wants the team to learn new platforms then it becomes part of the workflow and you have to adapt. It is the same with project management systems. Once everyone uses one platform it becomes the standard and you benefit from learning it early.
Do you enjoy testing new tools and tech or do you prefer sticking to a setup you already know well?
Yeah I agree with you on the version naming thing. I learned the hard way that anything with the word final in it is never really final. Version numbers save a lot of confusion especially when several people are touching the same files.
Toggl and Trello are really solid for simple setups. I used both for a while but once the number of projects grew it got harder to keep everything connected. That is when I moved to a more complete system. I ended up using Celoxis because it brought time tracking, project timelines, and file updates into one space and it felt easier to keep things consistent.
Do you keep Toggl and Trello separate or do you combine them with anything else when the workload gets heavier?
Nice, that is a great mindset to have. Testing new tools keeps your workflow fresh and you usually find little tricks that make the day go smoother. Innovation moves fast and the people who stay curious end up adapting the quickest.
What kind of tools do you enjoy trying the most, creative ones or more on the project management side?
I think both of them are important there’s not preference when you need to learn and use tools that are important for your work or job. Working as a Designer Creative tools but what happens if you become as a Manager ? then time, quality and others things are important too that means that the management tool will be important, all of this depend on what kind of job are you doing.
Yeah that is true. The tools you need really shift depending on the role you are in. When you are focused on design the creative software is the priority, but once you start taking on more responsibility the planning side becomes just as important. Time, quality, tracking, and organizing people all become part of the job.
It is interesting how the tools kind of grow with you as your role changes. Do you see yourself moving more toward management in the future or do you prefer staying on the creative side?
If you are good on what are you doing then you will need to progress and that is something you can not avoid never ever, being creative then being a manager yes off course!, more experience you get then you become as a Senior Creative and after a Manager!
Yeah that is a natural path. As you build experience your responsibilities grow and you end up guiding projects and people as much as creating the work itself. It is a nice progression because you get to use everything you learned on the creative side while shaping how the team works.
Do you enjoy the idea of leading projects and teams or do you think you will always want to keep one foot in the creative work too?
That is a really balanced way to look at it. Keeping one foot in the creative side helps you stay connected to the work, and having the management side makes sure things run smoothly. Most of the best leaders I have worked with were still hands on creatively.
It feels like that mix gives you a better understanding of both the people doing the work and the bigger picture of deadlines and priorities.
Yes always balanced, but sometimes we can make mistakes if we don’t take care what we are doing then you will fail. One of the best way to do things is, observe and practice but more important than observe and practice is to ask question to people who know things deeply or they have more experience than you (like so many people in this forum) then practice and one day then you will master ! (You will become a senior or a manager this like being creative and then senior creative or something similar)
Absolutely agree with that. Observing and practicing are important, but asking questions and learning from people who’ve already been through it really accelerates growth. Forums like this are great for that because you get perspectives you would not see just working on your own.
Mistakes are kind of part of the process too, as long as you reflect and adjust. Over time that mix of learning, practice, and feedback naturally pushes you toward that senior or manager role without forcing it.
Just a joke … (Just watch YouTube for this … LOL) if you need and app that manage are your task then get Monday dot com ! (Just watch the advertisement when you can) it is an app for this kind of things !
Haha yeah, their ads are everywhere Monday is definitely catchy and works fine for simple task tracking. I tried it for a bit too.
Once things got more complex for me with timelines, dependencies, and multiple projects running at the same time, I needed something a bit more structured. That is when I switched to Celoxis since it handled planning and tracking in one place without relying so much on separate boards.
At the end of the day it really comes down to how complex the work gets and what fits your style best.
Monday is definitely catchy and works fine for simple task tracking. I tried it for a bit too.