Asana is a tool that allows businesses to manage their workflows and projects. We, at The Virtual Hub, have been using Asana since 2015, and we've seen tremendous growth in our company since then!
In this article, we'll share our journey with Asana, and how it has helped us save time and money, while also improving our services. We'll also be providing tips on how you can use Asana to manage your own projects. So, let's get started!
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How Asana Has Changed the Way We Work--for the Better
Introduction
Asana is a cloud-based project management software that helps teams track their work and stay organized. It offers a variety of features, including:
- a to-do list that can be shared with teammates
- the ability to create multiple projects and assign tasks
- calendar of upcoming deadlines
- real-time updates on the project progress
In addition, Asana integrates with a variety of other tools, such as Slack, Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft Teams, Adobe Creative Cloud, and Jira Cloud, making it an essential part of any team's workflow.
Our Journey with Asana
Our partnership with Asana began in the early days of the company, when we were just getting started.
In 2015, we had fewer than 20 individuals on board—all of them were based at home from various parts of the Philippines. Despite the geographical distance, we needed to find a way to work together efficiently. That's where Asana came in.
How Asana Helps Us Accomplish Our Day-To-Day Tasks
Since The Virtual Hub's team members work remotely, it can make communication and collaboration difficult at times. However, with Asana, we were able to keep our team organized. It was the perfect solution for our distributed team!
With Asana, we're able to create projects for each client we're working with. And within each project, we can then create team tasks. This helps project managers keep track of who is working on what, and ensures that tasks are completed in a timely manner.
Asana also allows us to add comments and attachments to each task. This is useful for providing feedback or sending additional information.
With these features, we then split up each department's work into separate tasks and projects on the platform.
Now, Asana is a crucial component in the daily activity of not just our virtual assistants but also the rest of the management team.
How Asana Helps Us Train New Team Members
Asana is also a great tool for training new team members. In fact, Asana is part of our training program!
When new team members join The Virtual Hub, they undergo a 3-week intensive training program. This program is designed to help them learn about our company culture, values, and processes.
When we onboard new employees, we create an Asana project that includes all of the training materials they need to get started. This way, they can easily access the resources they need and refer back to them as needed. Additionally, they can use the comments section to ask questions or give feedback.
Moreover, during the training program, new team members are given an overview of Asana and how it works. They are also shown how to use Asana to manage their work.
At the end of the training program, new team members are able to use Asana effectively and are familiar with our company's workflow.
How Asana Helps Us Save On Resources
Not only has Asana helped us improve our services, but it has also helped us save time and money.
For instance, the leadership used to hold daily scrum meetings. However, this was stopped after we realized that it consumed too much productivity time.
With Asana, the leadership team is able to communicate efficiently without the need for daily meetings! We use Asana to keep track of our projects and tasks, and we use the comments section to give updates or ask questions. This has saved us a lot of time, and we are now able to focus on more important tasks!
Additionally, Asana has helped us reduce paper and printer ink consumption. In the past, we would print out task lists and project plans. But now, with Asana, we can view all of our projects and tasks online, which saves us a lot of money in the long run!
How Asana Helps Us Continue to Grow
Asana has been a crucial part of our growth journey. It has helped us scale our business by allowing us to manage more projects and clients with ease.
In 2017, we opened our site in Cebu, and guess what? We still used Asana to manage our projects and tasks!
Today with over 200 employees, The Virtual Hub Philippines continues to rely on Asana to help us stay organized and efficient.
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Tips on Using Asana for Your Business
Now that you know a little bit more about our journey with Asana, let's talk about how you can use Asana to manage your own projects. Here are some tips for getting the most out of the platform:
Define Your Workflow
Before you start using Asana, take some time to define your workflow. Identify the steps involved in each project and create a task for each step.
Create Projects for Different Departments
If you have a large team, create separate projects for each department. For example, you could have a project for marketing, sales, human resources, etc. This will help you keep track of each team's progress and ensure that everyone is on the same page.
Use the Calendar View
This is a great way to see an overview of your projects and tasks. It can help you identify the due dates of certain tasks so you can plan your work accordingly.
Use Templates
Asana offers a variety of templates that you can use to get started with your projects. These templates include common project types, such as website design, product launches, and event planning. You can also create templates for recurring projects and repetitive tasks, so you don't have to set everything up form scratch each time.
Add Detailed Descriptions
When creating tasks, be sure to add details. This will help team members understand what needs to be done and how to do it.
Use the Comments Section
The comments section is a great way to keep track of conversations and also a great place to add information about a task. For instance, you could include links to resources or attach files. This is especially useful for team members who are working remotely.
Take Advantage of the Mobile App
Asana's mobile app is a great way to stay on top of your projects while on the go. The app allows you to create and edit tasks, add comments, and view your calendar.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Asana has been a valuable partner for us here at The Virtual Hub. It has helped us save time and money, while also improving our communication and team collaboration. It has helped us grow our business and stay organized as we continue to scale.
So if you are looking for a powerful and easy-to-use project management tool, we highly recommend Asana. With its features and flexibility, it is the perfect tool for managing any project, large or small.
Join the Asana Partners Program today to see how it can help your team work better together. We’ve seen great success working with Asana, and we know that you will, too!