Different teams need to work differently, but we all share a few needs: we need to keep projects on track, we need to include the right people in key discussions, and we need to focus on our work without frequent interruption.
Our project tracking framework is a simple set of practices that addresses these needs. It doesn't prescribe how projects actually get done, and can be tailored to the way different people and teams need to work.
You can find the list of all company projects in our ‣ right under the top-level Company section Notion. Look left! It's right over there.
As described in our Slack communication guide, every Project should also have its own Slack channel of the format #proj-[projectname].
Many of the projects we do every day don't need to be tracked company-wide. In general, we track projects that directly affect people across the company.
A good rule of thumb is: you should track a project if it directly affects people who don't normally work with you on your team.
Each project has three really important things: a Lead, a group of Stakeholders, and the next Checkpoint.
The Lead is the person currently responsible for making progress on the project. There can only be one Lead, but it can change during the project. When you have questions about a project, ask the Lead.
A Stakeholder is anyone directly tied to the success of a project. This could include people working on it, people who need it to be done in order to do their own job, and people whose feedback is critical to the project being successful. The Lead's manager will sometimes act as a Stakeholder as well, particularly in early or difficult stages of a project. Having the right Stakeholders is ultimately up to the Lead. The Stakeholders often change throughout the life of a project.
Leads shouldn't make someone a Stakeholder just because they are curious or have input. Because we believe Information Should be Accessible, communication about a project should be available to anyone who wants to see it. In addition, it is the Lead's responsibility to solicit feedback from non-Stakeholders when it is needed.
The Lead is also always a Stakeholder.
The Checkpoint is the next point at which a project's Stakeholders check-in on project status. The Lead is responsible for making sure project checkpoints happen and include all Stakeholders. All Stakeholders should be present at each checkpoint. If a Stakeholder is out for an extended amount of time, or has an unscheduled absence, the Lead is responsible for arranging an alternate way to include the Stakeholder in decisions and outcomes.