What I did

Managed this portfolio building as I would manage a design project. Using the frequently used tools in product development.

Jira

What it is. Project management tool.

What I did with it. I built a Scrum board for my portfolio project. Managing this project like I would any other project, was an easyish task. I used Claude in creating the tasks to make sure, my timeline and deadlines were met and I didn’t over do things.

Key features I used. I used epics to break the entire portfolio build into more managable blocks. Tasks to create a daily to-dos, sprints to manage my project, the boards and timeline to see where the project was at any given time.

What I learned. Working on a long project such as this, breaking the project into smaller, more managable sections helps to keep track of progress and tasks needed to complete it.

Where I would use this. Jira is now in my daily tool box, when managing my courses and projects.

Toggl Track

What it is. Track where your time goes to. I would think this is a cool tool to use when billing by hour or when reporting to a client needs timesheets.

What I did with it. I used Toggle to track how long I spend time in a given sofware while doing my course projects.

Key features I used. I created a copy of my Jira boad to Toggle, to track how long I spent time on each section via Slack messages.

What I learned. Toggle was kinda cool to use. Though the thing I did not like, was the red time counter on my screen, felt like I was being monitored, but via Slack it was more comfortable to use.

Where I would use this. This could be a tool to use, when tracking time in a project. Though I would need to use more of it, especially as a paid version in enterprise settings, to get a real feel for the use cases.

Slack

What I did with it. Slack has been one of my main communication tools at work. Managing teams, projects etc. is easy in Slack. Also having a separate group for you outside subholders is useful, makes client work easier, but also gives client access to you in a constant basis, which can be problematic.

Key features I used. Connecting a project managing app such as Jira or Asana, makes it easy to assign tasks within the message groups/chats.

What I learned. There are a lot of useful tools and use cases for Slack. Eventhough I’ve used for years, I think there is constantly something new to learn.

Where I would use this. Slack has become the go to communication app in teams and project management for me. In one app I can have my multiple groups, change between them and keep my work and my personal life separate.

How the three work together

I strive to work smart not hard. Building a set of tools that can be connected to each other and managed on a daily basis in one, is smart, right?

Manage your solo projects like a boss, and remember who you’re managing.

Elina, Designer