Here is how to set up your system to manage issues and tasks —in seven steps.

1. Understand how issues and tasks are everywhere

—And view a way of managing them centrally.

What is this about?

This presentation tells the story.

2. Understand the life cycle of an issue or task.

The issue and task life cycle

flow chart - life cycle of an issue

Status Description
New Reporter has entered the issue or task.
Assigned Reporter (or the issue tracker, automatically) has assigned the issue or task to the Problem Solver.
Resolved Problem Solver has resolved the issue or task.
Closed Reporter has reviewed the resolution and closed the issue or task
Reopened The issue or task was resolved or closed, but someone has reopened it.

 

3. Identify the areas of your business where there are issues and tasks.

You could use this system for—

  • Issues and assigned tasks
    • Customer complaints
    • Internal quality rejections
    • Audit findings
    • Action items from meetings
    • Human resources grievances
    • Safety issues
    • Maintenance requests
  • Orders
    • Internal orders between departments
    • Orders to regular suppliers
  • Records of events
    • Meeting minutes
    • Audit reports
    • Documentation reviews

We are happy to discuss these potentials wth you.

4. Consider the ways of managing tasks and issues and which would be best for each type in your business

Issue and task tracking methods

In order of scale:

  1. Whiteboard
  2. Paper forms
  3. Tables in Word documents
  4. Spreadsheet
  5. Issue tracking software

The method you select depends on the scale of your business.

We can help you develop your issue and task system.

5. Set up the resources for issue and task management.

Setting up your system

If you are opting for Mantis Bug Tracker, the free issue tracking software then we are the prople to help you set it up. Our service includes:

  • Our Issue Management Kit:
    • Written instructions and training in installation, configuration and use
    • Configuration files
    • Training presentations for you to adjust and use with your team
    • A paper issue report form
    • Our issue management spreadsheet template, for business areas not yet included in the issue tracker
    • A banner image for your issue tracker web page, customised with your business logo
  • Our help with setting up your system and training team members, as required

Contact us for more information!

6. Introduce the first issue management project and train team members.

Introducing your Issue Tracker

Start with one or two areas. Here is a sample training presentation that we supply to our clients.

Ask us to help you plan, configure and deliver your Issue Tracker.

7. Expand your issue and task management system to other areas.

What else can we manage with Issue Tracker?

Review and refine your first Issue Tracker project.

If your first issue tracker project was successful, see what other systems in your business would work with it— Step 3 above for a list of possible areas.

We can help you introduce other business areas into your Issue Tracker.

More about our task and issue tracking systems

For more about our issue and task management services:

We mainly use these issue trackers, but we can also extend your existing one to manage more of your issues and tasks. We already use:

  • MantisBT (simple and straightforward)
  • Jira (for more complex issue management)

You can use as much or as little of our help as you need. For a free consultation about your business system needs, contact us.

More about issue tracking systems: Wikipedia article